Navy Lark brought fame for a young Ronnie Barker. Before HMS troutbridge came along, Barker had performed in The Floggits (which also featured Anthony Newley and Joan Sims), but the stars of the show, Elsie and Doris Waters, were jealous that he got too many laughs, so the appearance was short-lived.
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LISTEN to the Navy Lark
The Navy Lark was radio’s longest running sitcom, sailing the airwaves for nearly twenty years before coming into harbour with a Jubilee Special in 1977. It was initially based on Jon Pertwee’s experiences in World War 2. During his time in the Navy, Pertwee joined the cast of the naval radio show HMS Waterlogged after his senior officer had sent him to check the show for inappropriate jokes. After leaving the forces, Pertwee appeared in various other radio productions until The Navy Lark was created as a vehicle for his acting talents in 1959.
Another famous voice came in the shape of Leslie Phillips as the havoc-wreaking Sub-Lieutenant. His cries of “Left hand down a bit!” failed to instil any confidence in his skills as navigating officer. Leslie Phillips once said of his character: “I caused more damage to Naval property than the Navy had done in two world wars.”
The series was written by Laurie Wyman, who also wrote for Tony Hancock, and was later co-written by George Evans, who wrote The Mike and Bernie Winters Show for TV. Although highly unrealistic, The Navy Lark turned out to be especially popular with Royal Navy sailors.
The show brought fame for a young Ronnie Barker. Before HMS troutbridge came along, Barker had performed in The Floggits (which also featured Anthony Newley and Joan Sims), but the stars of the show, Elsie and Doris Waters, were jealous that he got too many laughs, so the appearance was short-lived.
Between series four and five of The Navy Lark appeared a spin-off, The TV Lark, which featured Number One, Fatso et al in a different setting. ‘troutbridge TV Ltd’ was the crew’s new home for 10 shows, but one land-based series was enough and they were soon back at sea.
Total Series pages: 1 | 2 |
1st Series Spring 1959 show
1. 1- 1 Mar 29 59 The Missing Jeep
2. 1- 2 Apr 5 59 Operation Fag End
3. 1- 3 Apr 12 59 Number One’s Chair
4. 1- 4 Apr 19 59 The Fairground Lights
5. 1- 5 Apr 26 59 The Comfort Fund
6. 1- 6 May 3 59 Stuck up the Inlet
7. 1- 7 May 10 59 The Admiral’s Party
8. 1- 8 May 17 59 The Hank of Heather
9. 1- 9 May 24 59 The Multiple Mine
10. 1-10 May 31 59 The Gun Mechanism Test
11. 1-11 Jun 7 59 The Whittlesea Bay Yacht Regatta
12. 1-12 Jun 14 59 The Psychology Test
13. 1-13 Jun 21 59 A Watch on the Initiative Test
14. 1-14 Jun 28 59 An Exercise in Filming
15. 1-15 Jul 5 59 The Smuggling Spy
16. 1-16 Jul 12 59 The Whittlesea Carnival and Fête
2nd Series Autumn 1959
17. 2- 1 Oct 16 59 New at the Helm
18. 2- 2 Oct 23 59 Fatso’s Box Brownie
19. 2- 3 Oct 30 59 Bring Back the Barge
20. 2- 4 Nov 6 59 The Mock Action
21. 2- 5 Nov 13 59 Going Dutch
22. 2- 6 Nov 20 59 The Figurehead
23. 2- 7 Nov 27 59 Gunboat To Gumba
24. 2- 8 Dec 4 59 Johnson Finds Treasure
25. 2- 9 Dec 11 59 The Charter Trip to Antarctica
26. 2-10 Dec 18 59 Cementing Relations
27. 2-11 Dec 25 59 Strike up the Band
28. 2-12 Jan 1 60 The Route March
29. 2-13 Jan 8 60 A Trip up the Thames
30. 2-14 Jan 15 60 Radar Talk Down System
31. 2-15 Jan 22 60 A Crisp Romance
32. 2-16 Jan 29 60 The Lighthouse Lark
33. 2-17 Feb 5 60 Pertwee Posted to Portsmouth
34. 2-18 Feb 12 60 Johnson’s Diet
35. 2-19 Feb 19 60 Tug Of War
36. 2-20 Feb 26 60 Return To Potarneyland
37. 2-21 Mar 4 60 The Cross Country Run
38. 2-22 Mar 11 60 The Morning After
39. 2-23 Mar 18 60 The Admiral’s Present
40. 2-24 Mar 25 60 Secret Mission to Calais
41. 2-25 Apr 1 60 Mr Murray Goes Sick
42. 2-26 Apr 8 60 The Portarneyland Fishing Limit
43. 2-27 May 11 60 Wrens Reunion at the Festival Hall
3rd Series 1960
44. 3- 1 Nov 2 60 In Portsmouth for a Re-Fit
45. 3- 2 Nov 9 60 Refitting Ebeneezer Pertwee
46. 3- 3 Nov 16 60 Sea Trials of the Poppadom
47. 3- 4 Nov 23 60 Mutiny Aboard Troutbridge
48. 3- 5 Nov 30 60 The Explosive Biscuits
49. 3- 6 Dec 7 60 Sir Willoughby Takes Over The Island
50. 3- 7 Dec 14 60 Mount Rumpus Atoll
51. 3- 8 Dec 21 60 Mr Murray’s Houseboat
52. 3- 9 Dec 28 60 Johnson’s Birthday
53. 3-10 Jan 4 61 Povey’s Unexpected Leave
54. 3-11 Jan 11 61 Families’ Day
55. 3-12 Jan 18 61 Falmouth Ghost Ship
56. 3-13 Jan 25 61 Onabushkan Flu
57. 3-14 Feb 1 61 The Efficiency Expert
58. 3-15 Feb 8 61 The Floggle Grummit Missile
59. 3-16 Feb 15 61 The Hitch Hiking Counterfeiter
60. 3-17 Feb 22 61 Commodore Goldstein
61. 3-18 Mar 1 61 Mr Phillips Has Navigation Tuition
62. 3-19 Mar 8 61 CPO Pertwee and the Laundry
63. 3-20 Mar 15 61 The Surprise Wedding
4th Series 1961
64. 4- 1 Sep 15 61 Returning from Leave
65. 4- 2 Sep 22 61 Captain Povey’s Spy
66. 4- 3 Sep 29 61 The Secret Of Nessie’s Youth
67. 4- 4 Oct 6 61 The Northampton Hunt Ball
68. 4- 5 Oct 13 61 Hijacked
69. 4- 6 Oct 20 61 Admiral Troutbridge
70. 4- 7 Oct 27 61 Relatives and Reservations
71. 4- 8 Nov 3 61 Humgrummits on the High Seas
72. 4- 9 Nov 10 61 Are Captain and Mrs Povey Married?
73. 4-10 Nov 17 61 Cine Cameras at Sea
74. 4-11 Nov 24 61 The Citizen Adjustment Course
75. 4-12 Dec 1 61 A Hole Lieutenant
76. 4-13 Dec 8 61 Spy Catching in Casablanca
77. 4-14 Dec 15 61 Mount Pot Erupts
78. 4-15 Dec 22 61 Captain Povey’s Shop
79. 4-16 Dec 29 61 Leading Seaman Goldstein’s Party
80. 4-17 Jan 5 62 The Invitation
81. 4-18 Jan 12 62 Working Their Passage
82. 4-19 Jan 19 62 A Strange Hobby
83. 4-20 Jan 26 62 Mr Phillips Get Engaged
84. 4-21 Feb 2 62 The Sinking of the Bubble Car
85. 4-22 Feb 9 62 Long John Pertwee
86. 4-23 Feb 16 62 The Admiral’s Accident Report
87. 4-24 Feb 23 62 Over the Sea to Rosyth
88. 4-25 Mar 2 62 The Return of Sir Frederick Flatley
89. 4-26 Mar 9 62 The Ship’s Concert
Christmas special 1962
90. S- 1 unaired Christmas Special For Antarctica-Not broadcast in the UK.
The TV Lark 1963
T01. Opening Night
T02. Advertising Drive
T03. The Party Political Broadcast
T04. Back to Portsmouth
T05. Serial Programming
T06. The African Incident
T07. Yours, or MINE!!!
T08. The Portarneyland Election
T09.
T10. Back in the Navy
5th Series spring 1963
91. 5- 1 Apr 5 63 First Day out of Dock
92. 5- 2 Apr 12 63 (100th edition)
93. 5- 3 Apr 19 63 A Deliberate Bashing
94. 5- 4 Apr 26 63 Whittlesea Regatta
95. 5- 5 May 3 63 HMS Troutbridge Gets a Rocket
96. 5- 6 May 10 63 The Ghost Ship
6th Series autumn 1963
97. 6- 1 Sep 27 63 Wren Chasen Returns
98. 6- 2 Oct 4 63 On the Carpet
99. 6- 3 Oct 11 63 The Bungalese Spies
100. 6- 4 Oct 18 63 Troutbridge’s Party
101. 6- 5 Oct 25 63 Rescuing Admirals
102. 6- 6 Nov 1 63 Demise of the Depth Charges
103. 6- 7 Nov 8 63 The Struggle for Promotion
104. 6- 8 Nov 15 63 Fred Computables
105. 6- 9 Nov 22 63 Stormy Weather
106. 6-10 Nov 29 63 Chasing the Kepeac
107. 6-11 Dec 6 63 The Submerged Island
108. 6-12 Dec 13 63 The Sicilian Secret Agent
109. 6-13 Dec 20 63 German’s Troutbridge
110. 6-14 Dec 27 63 Confirming Povey’s Rank
111. 6-15 Jan 3 64 The Calais Dock Strike
112. 6-16 Jan 10 64 Johnson’s Memoirs
113. 6-17 Jan 17 64 The Emperor of Tratvia
114. 6-18 Jan 24 64 Open Day
115. 6-19 Jan 31 64 Stuck on a Sandbank
7th Series 1965
116. 7- 1 Jul 11 65 Back in the Muck Again
117. 7- 2 Jul 18 65 Smugglers in the Solent
118. 7- 3 Jul 25 65 Mr Murray Is Victimised
119. 7- 4 Aug 1 65 The Poveys Move House
120. 7- 5 Aug 8 65 Captain Povey Reports Sick
121. 7- 6 Aug 15 65 Admiral Pertwee’s Fleet
122. 7- 7 Aug 22 65 Let Loose with a Chopper
123. 7- 8 Aug 29 65 Making a Right Pig’s Breakfast
124. 7- 9 Sep 5 65 The Mysterious Pudding Mine
125. 7-10 Sep 12 65 The Hovercraft Training Course
126. 7-11 Sep 19 65 Sabotaged Floggle-Toggle Box
127. 7-12 Sep 26 65 The Portarneyland Training Exercise
128. 7-13 Oct 3 65 Going on Leave to Croydon
Christmas Special 1965
129. S- 2 unaired Not broadcast in UK.
8th Series 1966
130. 8- 1 Sep 4 66 Searching for Their Ship (a.k.a. Where is Troutbridge?)
131. 8- 2 Sep 11 66 Float a Peddle Fiddle
132. 8- 3 Sep 18 66 Gumming Up the Works (a.k.a. A Sticky Business)
133. 8- 4 Sep 25 66 Buoys Will Be Buoys
134. 8- 5 Oct 2 66 Steamship Day
135. 8- 6 Oct 9 66 Farewell to HMS Varsity
136. 8- 7 Oct 16 66 Blowing Themselves Up (a.k.a. The Army Lark)
137. 8- 8 Oct 23 66 Buying Tickets (a.k.a. Just the Ticket)
138. 8- 9 Oct 30 66 Mr Phillips Promotion
139. 8-10 Nov 6 66 Pertwee and the Tratvian Beer
140. 8-11 Nov 13 66 The PM Papa
141. 8-12 Nov 20 66 Getting Rid of Pertwee
142. 8-13 Nov 27 66 Off to Sea at Last
9th Series 1967
143. 9- 1 Jul 2 67 Back from the Antarctic
144. 9- 2 Jul 9 67 Fishing in Troubled Waters (a.k.a. Fishers off the Faroes)
145. 9- 3 Jul 16 67 Cleaning Up (a.k.a. A Filthy Ferryboat)
146. 9- 4 Jul 23 67 Doing a Disastrical (a.k.a. Jigsaws and Jemmies)
147. 9- 5 Jul 30 67 The Naval Review
148. 9- 6 Aug 6 67 Going Caravaning (a.k.a. The Curious Caravan Case)
149. 9- 7 Aug 13 67 Having a Bit of Trouble with the French (a.k.a. Frenchmen in J.41)
150. 9- 8 Aug 20 67 Tangling with the Law (a.k.a. The Police Drop In)
151. 9- 9 Aug 27 67 Mr Murray’s Endurance Course
152. 9-10 Sep 3 67 Women in the Wardroom
153. 9-11 Sep 10 67 Troutbridge’s Silver Jubilee
155. 9-12 Sep 17 67 Computerising (a.k.a. CECIL the Navigation Computer)
156. 9-13 Sep 24 67 A Russian Rendezvous
157. 9-14 Oct 1 67 The Bugged and Burgled Beer
158. 9-15 Oct 8 67 Picking up the Poppadom
159. 9-16 Oct 15 67 Cuthbert Joins the Navy
150. 9-17 Oct 22 67 The Flying Machine
160. 9-18 Oct 29 67 Sub Lt. Philips at Dartmouth
161. 9-19 Nov 5 67 Frying Up
162. 9-20 Nov 12 67 Troutbridge in Quarantine
10th Series 1968
163. 10- 1 Oct 13 68 Lighting Up (a.k.a. Troutbridge Electrifies Portsmouth)
164. 10- 2 Oct 20 68 The Redundancy Drive
165. 10- 3 Oct 27 68 The Smugglers Return
166. 10- 4 Nov 3 68 Captain Trotter Takes Charge
167. 10- 5 Nov 10 68 The Anti-Submarine Missile
168. 10- 6 Nov 17 68 Accredited (a.k.a. Sub-Conductor Phillips)
169. 10- 7 Nov 24 68 The South Kawowan Summit
170. 10- 8 Dec 1 68 Pertwee’s Enlistment Expires
171. 10- 9 Dec 8 68 Capt. Povey Takes Over
172. 10-10 Dec 15 68 Sir Willoughby Goes to Kawowa
173. 10-11 Dec 22 68 The Padre’s Birthday
174. 10-12 Dec 29 68 The Portsmouth Kiosk
175. 10-13 Jan 5 69 The Radio Beacon
176. 10-14 Jan 12 69 The Wrong Uniform
177. 10-15 Jan 19 69 Harold Wilson Reviews the Fleet
178. 10-16 Jan 26 69 Relief of the Weather Ship
179. 10-17 Feb 2 69 Bunging Up (a.k.a. The Mickey Mouse Toothbrush)
180. 10-18 Feb 9 69 The Brick Smugglers
11th Series 1969
181. 11- 1 Dec 28 69 The Squatters
182. 11- 2 Jan 4 70 Admiral Hunting (a.k.a. What is the S.S.E.?)
183. 11- 3 Jan 11 70 The Promotion Ladder
184. 11- 4 Jan 18 70 Stranded
185. 11- 5 Jan 25 70 StarrSir Willoughby’s Party
186. 11- 6 Feb 1 70 Fleet Initiative Test
187. 11- 7 Feb 8 70 C.P.O. Pertwee’s Long Service Medal
188. 11- 8 Feb 15 70 The Phenomenal Pertwee Tug
189. 11- 9 Feb 22 70 The Security Clampdown
190. 11-10 Mar 1 70 The Anniversary and the Washing
191. 11-11 Mar 8 70 The Forbodians Hijack Troutbridge
192. 11-12 Mar 15 70 Getting Spliced (a.k.a. Number One Gets Married)
193. 11-13 Mar 22 70 The Honeymooners Return
194. 11-14 Mar 29 70 C.P.O. Pertwee and the Lead Half Crowns
195. 11-15 Apr 5 70 Dartmouth Naval College Has Had a Narrow Escape
(a.k.a. Sup-Lt Phillips to Leave for Dartmouth)
196. 11-16 Apr 12 70 The Mark 31 Radar
12th Series 1971
197. 12- 1 May 16 71 The Put-a-Horse-out-to-Graze Fund
198. 12- 2 May 23 71 Impressions for Survival
199. 12- 3 May 30 71 The Beard-Growing Race
200. 12- 4 Jun 6 71 The Mysterious Radio Signals
201. 12- 5 Jun 13 71 Operation Recovery
202. 12- 6 Jun 20 71 The Slogan Contest
203. 12- 7 Jun 27 71 Sir Willoughby at Shanghai
204. 12- 8 Jul 4 71 Operation Cowes Barge
205. 12- 9 Jul 11 71 Number One’s Anniversary
206. 12-10 Jul 18 71 The Loch Ness Monster
207. 12-11 Jul 25 71 The Forbodian Attaché
13th Series 1972
208. 13- 1 Mar 26 72 The TV Documentary
209. 13- 2 Apr 2 72 The P.O.W. Escape Exercise
210. 13- 3 Apr 9 72 Number One’s Married Quarters
211. 13- 4 Apr 16 72 Operating for Profit (a.k.a. The Newhaven-Dieppe Smuggling Run)
212. 13- 5 Apr 23 72 The Bumble Spit Lighthouse Affair
213. 13- 6 Apr 30 72 The Tongipouhaha Treasure
214. 13- 7 May 7 72 The US Navigator Swap
215. 13- 8 May 14 72 Son of a Sea Lord
216. 13- 9 May 21 72 Hypnotising Ramona
217. 13-10 May 28 72 The Master of Sardinia
218. 13-11 Jun 4 72 Opportunity Knockers
219. 13-12 Jun 11 72 Friday the 13th
220. 13-13 Jun 18 72 The New NAAFI
14th Series 1973
221. 14- 1 Jul 29 73 The Montezuela Revolution
222. 14- 2 Aug 5 73 The Island Swordfish
223. 14- 3 Aug 12 73 Bunged in the Brig (a.k.a. Bunged in the Rattle)
224. 14- 4 Aug 19 73 Kidnapped Down Under
225. 14- 5 Aug 26 73 The Digital Isles Go Unstable
226. 14- 6 Sep 2 73 Egbert Hitches a Ride
227. 14- 7 Sep 9 73 Povey an Admiral at Last
228. 14- 8 Sep 16 73 The Bergan Horse Trials
229. 14- 9 Sep 23 73 Captain Povey’s Wig
230. 14-10 Sep 30 73 Brain Pill
231. 14-11 Oct 7 73 Operation Showcase
232. 14-12 Oct 14 73 Living the High Life (a.k.a. CPO Pertwee Yachtmonger)
233. 14-13 Oct 21 73 The Talpinium Shell
15th Series 1975
234. 15- 1 Nov 9 75 Sequel to the Talpinium Shell
235. 15- 2 Nov 16 75 NANA
236. 15- 3 Nov 23 75 Helen, the New Wren
237. 15- 4 Nov 30 75 Relief for Station 150
238. 15- 5 Dec 7 75 Black is Beautiful
239. 15- 6 Dec 14 75 Sidney and the Stamp
240. 15- 7 Dec 21 75 Riding to Victory (a.k.a. Commander Murray Becomes a Showjumper)
241. 15- 8 Dec 28 75 Horrible Horace
242. 15- 9 Jan 4 76 Officer’s and Gent’s Lib
243. 15-10 Jan 11 76 The Case of the HGM Mark 5
244. 15-11 Jan 18 76 Uncle Wilberforce Pertwee Special 1977
245. S- 3 Jul 16 77 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Edition
