Andrew Timothy

Andrew Timothy (30 November 1912 – 9 December 1990) was a British Anglican priest and BBC radio announcer, best known for serving as the original announcer on the influential comedy series The Goon Show from its inception in 1951 until late 1953.^[1]^[2] Born Thomas Eifion Andrew Comber Timothy in Marylebone, London, he began his broadcasting career in the late 1930s after working as a film executive, quickly becoming a familiar voice as a newsreader and announcer at Broadcasting House.^[1]^[3] His polished, upright delivery—often delivered while wearing a monocle—provided a straight-laced contrast to the surreal humor of The Goon Show, featuring stars like Spike Milligan, Harry Secombe, and Peter Sellers, though he later admitted to not fully grasping the program's absurdity.^[4]^[5] Timothy departed the series early in its fourth season, citing concerns for his sanity amid the chaotic production, but made occasional return appearances, including as announcer for the 1972 special The Last Goon Show of All.^[4]^[5] He advanced within the BBC to roles such as Head of Presentation and Chief Announcer, and later contributed to religious broadcasting, aligning with his ordination as an Anglican priest.^[6]^[4] Timothy was the father of actor Christopher Timothy, renowned for portraying James Herriot in the BBC series All Creatures Great and Small.^[1] He died on 9 December 1990 in Broadbridge Heath, Sussex, at the age of 78.^[1]

Early life and education

Family background

Thomas Eifion Andrew Comber Timothy was born on 30 November 1912 in Marylebone, London, the son of Rev. Thomas Evans Timothy, an Anglican priest from Llangeitho in Cardiganshire, Wales, and his wife Alice Spencer Timothy. His father, the youngest son of David Timothy of Plas, Llangeitho, had married Alice Spencer, daughter of John Spencer of Oxton, Cheshire, on 9 November 1910 at the parish church of St. Marylebone, London. Rev. Thomas Evans Timothy served as a clerk in holy orders, including at Rhesycae Vicarage in Holywell, Flintshire, providing Andrew with an upbringing immersed in Anglican clerical life and traditions from an early age.^[7] No records indicate the presence of siblings. This family environment offered direct exposure to church practices and community service, fostering a foundation for his vocational choices. Following this early familial immersion, Timothy transitioned to formal education at Marlborough College.^[8]

Schooling and ordination

Andrew Timothy, born in 1912 as the son of the Reverend Thomas Evans Timothy, a rector in Wales, was motivated by his family's strong religious heritage to pursue ecclesiastical studies later in life. Following his initial career in film and broadcasting, he trained for the Anglican priesthood, emulating his father's career in the church. He was ordained as an Anglican priest, aligning with his later contributions to religious broadcasting.^[9] These experiences in the church blended spiritual leadership with communicative prowess, shaping his distinctive voice and presence.^[10]

Professional career

Religious ministry

Andrew Timothy was an ordained Anglican priest who served as a vicar prior to his broadcasting career. He undertook parish duties in the pre-war and wartime periods, contributing to local church activities through sermons and community service. His clerical experience in oratory honed his vocal delivery and poise in public address.^[10] Specific details on his ordination date and parishes served are limited in available records.

BBC broadcasting roles

Andrew Timothy joined the BBC as an announcer for the Home Service in 1948, where he remained in that role until 1959.^[11] During this period, he performed general announcing duties across various radio programs, introducing broadcasts with his distinctive, precise delivery that became a hallmark of BBC continuity.^[3] In the 1950s, Timothy was promoted to Head of Presentation, overseeing the scheduling and announcement aspects of BBC radio output.^[11]^[6] By 1964, he had advanced further to become the BBC's Chief Announcer, a senior position responsible for leading the network's team of announcers and maintaining broadcast standards.^[11] Timothy also contributed to the early days of BBC television news, serving as one of the first out-of-vision newsreaders from July to September 1954. This role came shortly after the launch of BBC Television News on 5 July 1954, when bulletins were presented via voice-over narration accompanying film footage, without on-screen presenters, marking the tentative beginnings of televised news in the UK.^[12] He shared these duties with colleagues such as John Snagge, providing authoritative commentary for the short, newsreel-style segments broadcast in the evenings.^[12]

The Goon Show

Role as original announcer

Andrew Timothy served as the original announcer for The Goon Show, beginning with its pilot episode titled "Crazy People," which aired on 28 May 1951 on BBC Home Service.^[13] He continued in this role through the first three series of the program, from 1951 to 1953, introducing episodes and reading closing credits with a distinctive formal delivery.^[4] His appointment stemmed from his established position as a BBC radio announcer and newsreader, selected by producer Jimmy Grafton to provide structure to the emerging comedy format.^[4] Timothy's announcing style was markedly upright and traditional, often characterized by his monocle-wearing persona, which stood in sharp contrast to the anarchic, surreal humor of the Goons—Spike Milligan, Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers, and initially Michael Bentine.^[4] He openly admitted to not fully understanding the comedy, once stating, "I’m not an actor. I’m an announcer. The BBC only allows me to say one line," which amplified the comedic tension between his pomposity and the show's lunacy.^[4] This juxtaposition became a hallmark of the early episodes; his solemn introductions in the early episodes of Series 1 immediately established a straight-laced tone before the Goons disrupted it with absurdity, enhancing the program's satirical edge. In Series 2 and 3, Timothy's precise, authoritative voice similarly framed the chaos, contributing to the show's evolving identity as a subversive broadcast. However, no full recordings survive from Series 1, with only fragments from Series 2 and one full episode from Series 3, meaning most of Timothy's announcements from this period are lost. Timothy departed the series early in the fourth season in 1953, reportedly fearing for his sanity amid the production's intensifying pressures and the cast's unpredictable antics.^[5] His exit marked the transition to Wallace Greenslade as the primary announcer, though Timothy's initial tenure helped solidify the show's format during its formative years.^[4]

Later appearances and legacy

Timothy returned to The Goon Show for the 1972 reunion special The Last Goon Show of All, where he reprised his role as announcer after Wallace Greenslade's death prevented the latter's participation.^[4]^[14] Recorded on April 30, 1972, at the Camden Theatre in London as part of the BBC's 50th anniversary celebrations, the production featured the original Goons—Spike Milligan, Harry Secombe, and Peter Sellers—alongside familiar elements like Max Geldray and the Ray Ellington Quartet, with Timothy providing the formal introductions that bookended the chaotic proceedings.^[14] Timothy's tenure as the original announcer established a template for the role, characterized by his straight-laced, authoritative delivery that amplified the Goons' absurdity and set a precedent for successors like Greenslade, who adopted a similar contrastive style while injecting more enthusiasm.^[4] This legacy endured in British radio comedy, where the announcer's poised demeanor became a staple foil to surreal humor in subsequent programs influenced by The Goon Show.^[15] An indirect extension of Timothy's influence appeared in the 2001 remake Goon Again!, a 50th-anniversary production of a classic episode, announced by his son, actor Christopher Timothy, who channeled his father's original role.^[16] Broadcast on BBC Radio 2, the special starred performers including Andrew Secombe (son of Harry Secombe) and Jeffrey Holland, preserving the family's connection to the show's heritage.^[16] Post-retirement, Timothy's contributions received recognition through archival broadcasts and tributes within Goon Show enthusiast communities, highlighting his pivotal role in the program's early format despite his own bemusement at its humor.^[4]

Personal life

Marriages and family

Andrew Timothy was married three times. His first marriage was to Gwladys Marian Hailstone in 1939 in Kensington, London; the couple divorced on 27 April 1945.^[7] They had two sons: Christopher, born in 1940, and Peter John, born in 1943 and who died in infancy the following year.^[17] His second marriage was to Florence Watkins on 28 January 1950 in Marylebone, London, which ended in divorce circa 1965.^[7] In 1970, Timothy married Brigid Ruth Patricia Crichton, daughter of Brian Dodwell Crichton, on 15 May; the couple remained together for the rest of his life and resided in Shamley Green, Surrey.^[18] Timothy was the father of actor Christopher Timothy, best known for portraying veterinarian James Herriot in the BBC series All Creatures Great and Small. Christopher followed in his father's footsteps as a voice artist, notably taking over the announcer role for later Goon Show recordings such as Goon Again.^[19] Andrew's career in BBC radio broadcasting provided early inspiration for his son's entry into acting and voice work.^[11]

Death

Andrew Timothy died on 9 December 1990 at the age of 78 while residing in Rapkyns Nursing Home on Guildford Road in Broadbridge Heath, Sussex, England.^[7]^[1] Prior to entering the nursing home, Timothy had long resided at Inglenook in Shamley Green, Surrey.^[7] Tributes following his passing highlighted Timothy's distinctive dual career as an Anglican priest and BBC broadcaster, particularly his memorable role as the original announcer for The Goon Show, where his formal delivery contrasted sharply with the program's surreal humor.^[20] His contributions to British radio comedy and religious ministry were noted in commemorations by fans and colleagues, underscoring his enduring legacy in both fields.^[4]