Larry Stephens

Who was Larry Stephens?

Larry Stephens was a BBC radio scriptwriter, best remembered for co-writing The Goon Show with Spike Milligan. Stephens was a regular writer of the show for the first two years, and then returned to The Goon Show to assist Milligan, during the latter's tougher moments. From his association with Milligan, Stephens became involved with Associated London Scripts, and was said to have been "one of the most eye-catching characters, in the earliest days of the company...he played a significant cameo role in the first phase of success for ALS".

Trained as an accountant, Stephens distinguished himself as a jazz pianist before the onset of World War II. Following service in the war, during which he served as a Commando captain, he returned to England, and began writing for British comedian Tony Hancock before Hancock became well known, and was Hancock's best man at the comedian's first wedding. Milligan once remarked that "Larry and Tony were like brothers". In 1952, he developed a new show for Hancock, which was designed to run for a full half-hour without musical breaks, then usual, called Welcome to Welkham. The show was aired by the BBC, but with Brian Reece, instead of Hancock.