The vintage radio comedy series starring a real-life American family - husband and wife Ben Lyon and Bebe Daniels, and their children
First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in 1950, Life with the Lyons was the first UK 'situation comedy'. Over 11 million listeners tuned in to the hilarious fictional misadventures of real-life Hollywood stars Bebe Daniels and Ben Lyons and their two children Barbara and Richard, as well as Scottish housekeeper Aggie and next-door neighbours Florrie and Mr Wimple. Such was its popularity that the series ran for 11 years, spawning a TV spin-off, a West End play and two feature films.
Included here are 32 of the very best episodes, among them an early one from the first series and the very last show, Roaming Scandals. Molly Weir co-stars as Aggie, with Doris Rogers as Florrie, and there are special guest appearances from comedian Ted Ray, his son Robin Ray and boxer Freddie Mills, as well as cameos from household names including Charles Hawtrey, Roger Delgado and Norman Shelley. There's never a dull moment in the Lyons household, and these fast, frantic and funny slices of life are sure to have you roaring with laughter!
Production credits
Written by Bebe Daniels, Bob Block, Ronnie Hanbury, Bill Harding and Ray Sonin
Produced by Tom Ronald
BBC Variety Orchestra led by John Jezard and conducted by Paul Fenoulhet
BBC Revue Orchestra conducted by Robert Busby
Incidental music by Arthur Wilkinson
First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme on the following dates:
Time Marches Back (26 February 1951)
Accidents Will Happen (25 October 1951)
Let Them Eat Cake (15 November 1951)
I Don't Know What To Get Her (6 December 1951)
The Play's the Thing (3 April 1952)
Home Again (16 November 1952)
The Christmas Story (26 December 1952)
The Barbecue (23 January 1953)
Ben's Birthday (6 February 1953)
How To Be A Good Father (13 March 1953)
You Can't Get Blood Out Of A Stone (10 April 1953)
Lovely to Look At (3 June 1953)
Once A Ham... (19 June 1953)
Coming Home (12 November 1953)
Nature Boy (19 November 1953)
Let the Men Do It (26 November 1953)
Come To The Fair (3 December 1953)
No Rest for Ben (10 December 1953)
Christmas Shopping (17 December 1953)
'Twas The Night Before (24 December 1953)
Who Gave Me That? (31 December 1953)
Once Upon a Mime (7 January 1954)
Father's Day (21 January 1954)
Back in the Autumn (6 May 1954)
Danger, Richard at Work (16 December 1954)
The New Job (30 December 1954)
A Crooner in the House (20 January 1955)
An Afternoon on the Thames (21 April 1955)
Three Blind Dates (12 May 1955)
The Rising Son (9 February 1958)
Dial Special Branch (16 February 1958)
Roaming Scandals (19 May 1961)
Cast
Bebe - Bebe Daniels
Ben - Ben Lyon
Barbara - Barbara Lyon
Richard - Richard Lyon
Florrie Wainwright - Doris Rogers
Aggie MacDonald - Molly Weir
Mr Wimple - Horace Percival
With Dennis Arundell, Wilfred Babbage, Clive Baxter, Richard Bellaers, Barbara Blair, Bob Block, Alanna Boyce, Hugh David, Roger Delgado, David Enders, Angela Ferguson, Patricia Field, Ronnie Harris, Charles Hawtrey, Arthur Hill, Arthur Lawrence, Gwen Lewis, Freddie Mills, Harry Morris, Hugh Morton, John Pullen, Philip Ray, Robin Ray, Ted Ray, Ian Sadler, Norman Shelley, Brian Smith, Selma Vaz Dias
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
(p) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
