Hercules Grytpype-Thynne
Encyclopedia
Hercules Grytpype-Thynne was a character from the British
1950s comedy radio programme The Goon Show
. He was voiced by Peter Sellers
. In the episode "Who Is Pink Oboe?", Valentine Dyall
filled-in for the role in Sellers' absence.
Grytpype-Thynne is the smooth spoken and sophisticated principal villain on the show, and is usually accompanied by his companion in crime, Count Jim Moriarty
. The main plot usually follows an impoverished Grytpype-Thynne thinking up a money making scheme which involves (the usually equally-impoverished) Neddie Seagoon
being the fall-guy. In early scripts, however, Grytpype was often cast as a government official, and not necessarily a villain. For instance in "The Dreaded Batter Pudding Hurler of Bexhill-on-Sea
" he is a police inspector; in "The Whistling Spy Enigma" he is the secret Government agent who sends Neddie Seagoon to Hungary to booby-trap the boots of the national football team; and in "The Jet-Propelled Guided NAAFI" he is Prime Minister Neddie's butler and confidante, but also an undercover Soviet agent plotting with Moriarty to sell the guided NAAFI secrets to the Russians. In "The Histories of Pliny the Elder
", he was Julius Caesar
.
In later series, he and Moriarty are much further down the respectability scale, often found sharing the same suit, eating newspaper stew, or living up trees, in dustbins, or on top of disused factory chimneys.
Grytpype's relationship with Moriarty also goes downhill in later series; he often refers to Moriarty in very insulting tones. The lowest point appears in "The Pam's Paper Policy"; on the way out of Ray Ellington
's musical piece, there is the prolonged sound of clubbing, mixed in with Moriarty's howls of pain, and Grytpype says, "Let that clubbing be a lesson to you, you crutty French schlapper!"
Grytpype sometimes offers Neddie things instead of cigarettes, such as gorillas or pictures of Queen Victoria. Seagoon's usual response is "No I'm trying to give them up", "No, they hurt my throat", or "I've just put one out". This happened most notably in "Rommel's Treasure", "The Great International Christmas Pudding" and "Napoleon's Piano".
Grytpype often used the word "Charlie", meaning "chump", instead of "person" or "fellow", a trait that was also made fun of several times during the show. His book of ideas for schemes, alphabetically ordered, reads, "A… B… C… Charlie." In another instance, in "The Jet-Propelled Guided NAAFI", he refers to Seagoon as "Charlie". Seagoon states that his name is not Charlie, to which Grytpype responds, "I know, but for some reason I always think of you as Charlie". Having put one over on Seagoon, he and Moriarty would often break into song, singing "April in Pareess
… We've found a Charlie".
Sellers revealed in an interview for Irish television that he drew inspiration for the character from actor George Sanders
; the script of "The Dreaded Batter-Pudding Hurler of Bexhill on Sea" in The Goon Show Scripts, has a stage direction next to the first appearance of Grytpype 'Sanders throughout'.
Grytpype's sexual preference occasionally appeared in the show.
Later in the same show, Seagoon refers to Grytpype as 'attractive', flattering him, and following the climax they exclaim 'darling, together again at last!' and begin to dance.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
1950s comedy radio programme The Goon Show
The Goon Show
The Goon Show was a British radio comedy programme, originally produced and broadcast by the BBC Home Service from 1951 to 1960, with occasional repeats on the BBC Light Programme...
. He was voiced by Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Richard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
. In the episode "Who Is Pink Oboe?", Valentine Dyall
Valentine Dyall
Valentine Dyall was an English character actor, the son of veteran actor Franklin Dyall. Dyall was especially popular as a voice actor, due to his very distinctive sepulchral voice, he was known for many years as "The Man in Black", narrator of the BBC Radio horror series Appointment With Fear.In...
filled-in for the role in Sellers' absence.
Grytpype-Thynne is the smooth spoken and sophisticated principal villain on the show, and is usually accompanied by his companion in crime, Count Jim Moriarty
Count Jim Moriarty
Count Jim Moriarty is a character from the 1950s BBC Radio comedy The Goon Show. He was voiced by Spike Milligan...
. The main plot usually follows an impoverished Grytpype-Thynne thinking up a money making scheme which involves (the usually equally-impoverished) Neddie Seagoon
Neddie Seagoon
Neddie Seagoon was a character in the 1950s British radio comedy show, The Goon Show. He was created and performed by Welshman Harry Secombe....
being the fall-guy. In early scripts, however, Grytpype was often cast as a government official, and not necessarily a villain. For instance in "The Dreaded Batter Pudding Hurler of Bexhill-on-Sea
Bexhill-on-Sea
Bexhill-on-Sea is a town and seaside resort in the county of East Sussex, in the south of England, within the District of Rother. It has a population of approximately 40,000...
" he is a police inspector; in "The Whistling Spy Enigma" he is the secret Government agent who sends Neddie Seagoon to Hungary to booby-trap the boots of the national football team; and in "The Jet-Propelled Guided NAAFI" he is Prime Minister Neddie's butler and confidante, but also an undercover Soviet agent plotting with Moriarty to sell the guided NAAFI secrets to the Russians. In "The Histories of Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
", he was Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
.
In later series, he and Moriarty are much further down the respectability scale, often found sharing the same suit, eating newspaper stew, or living up trees, in dustbins, or on top of disused factory chimneys.
Grytpype's relationship with Moriarty also goes downhill in later series; he often refers to Moriarty in very insulting tones. The lowest point appears in "The Pam's Paper Policy"; on the way out of Ray Ellington
Ray Ellington
Ray Ellington was a popular English singer, drummer and bandleader. He is best known for his appearances on The Goon Show from 1951 to 1960...
's musical piece, there is the prolonged sound of clubbing, mixed in with Moriarty's howls of pain, and Grytpype says, "Let that clubbing be a lesson to you, you crutty French schlapper!"
Grytpype sometimes offers Neddie things instead of cigarettes, such as gorillas or pictures of Queen Victoria. Seagoon's usual response is "No I'm trying to give them up", "No, they hurt my throat", or "I've just put one out". This happened most notably in "Rommel's Treasure", "The Great International Christmas Pudding" and "Napoleon's Piano".
Grytpype often used the word "Charlie", meaning "chump", instead of "person" or "fellow", a trait that was also made fun of several times during the show. His book of ideas for schemes, alphabetically ordered, reads, "A… B… C… Charlie." In another instance, in "The Jet-Propelled Guided NAAFI", he refers to Seagoon as "Charlie". Seagoon states that his name is not Charlie, to which Grytpype responds, "I know, but for some reason I always think of you as Charlie". Having put one over on Seagoon, he and Moriarty would often break into song, singing "April in Pareess
April in Paris (song)
"April in Paris" is a song composed by Vernon Duke with lyrics by E. Y. Harburg in 1932 for the Broadway musical, Walk A Little Faster. The original 1933 hit was performed by Freddy Martin, and the 1952 remake was by the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, whose version made the Cashbox Top 50.Composer Alec...
… We've found a Charlie".
Sellers revealed in an interview for Irish television that he drew inspiration for the character from actor George Sanders
George Sanders
George Sanders was a British actor.George Sanders may also refer to:*George Sanders , Victoria Cross recipient in World War I...
; the script of "The Dreaded Batter-Pudding Hurler of Bexhill on Sea" in The Goon Show Scripts, has a stage direction next to the first appearance of Grytpype 'Sanders throughout'.
Sexuality
In The Goon Show Scripts, published in 1972, it was revealed that Hercules Grytpype-Thynne was homosexual. The same authority also intimated that he was the half-brother of Willium "Mate" Cobblers, having the same mother, a certain "Vera Colin".Grytpype's sexual preference occasionally appeared in the show.
- In "The Lost Emperor" he and Moriarity are held at gunpoint by Eccles, and they are trying to persuade him to close his eyes so they can escape. Notably, previous dialogue of this scene revealed Grytpype to be naked, having been taken hostage while in the bath.
- Eccles: If I close my eyes I won't be able to see you!
- Grytpype: (intimately) Will you miss me?
- Eccles: (alarmed) Here here here here!
Later in the same show, Seagoon refers to Grytpype as 'attractive', flattering him, and following the climax they exclaim 'darling, together again at last!' and begin to dance.
- Similarly, in "Rommel's Treasure", Seagoon engages Grytpype with the unfounded appraisal that "[He's] just as beautiful as the night I first married you". Repeating that phrase by the end of the script, the two dance away.
- Another example would be in "The Telephone". Grytpype says to Neddy Seagoon that he and Moriarty are bachelors. When Neddy enquires as to why Grytpype hasn't married yet, he replies "I would but Moriarty doesn't love me."
- Occasionally, Moriarty would return his affections; in "The Choking Horror", the two share a last dance upon learning that within seconds they will become the victims of a London air raid.
- In "The Last Goon Show Of All", Grytpype is slightly more flamboyant and camp, as is the stereotype with homosexual men, especially the minor Goons character Flowerdew; he refers to Moriarty as 'Stupid Frenchy-Poo' and abandons his usually serious tone to talk frivolously to Neddy about 'Knee-Trembling'.