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The Great McGonagall
First aired on Jan 23, 1975
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Genres: Comedy

In this high-camp farce, Goons legend Spike Milligan stars as William Topaz McGonagall, an unemployed Scottish weaver and aspiring poet laureate who falls in love with Queen Victoria - a brilliant cameo by Peter Sellers - and thereafter devotes his banal poetry to her. Though McGonagall's solicitations are rejected by the Queen, it doesn't stop the turgid prose, and pathos, from overflowing as McGonagall hilariously attempts to become the greatest poet in the land. The image of the bad poet, trapped by his romanticism and inspired by a muse with a tin ear, appealed mightily to Spike Milligan, and this cult British spoof features the Goons show maestro at his ridiculous, genre-defying best.

Featured Cast: click image to view more
Spike Milligan | William Topaz McGonagall
Peter Sellers | Queen Victoria
Julia Foster | Mrs. McGonagall
John Bluthal | various
Victor Spinetti |
Valentine Dyall |
Featured Crew
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Joseph McGrath | Director
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Derek Warne | Music
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Kamal Pasha | Executive Producer
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Spike Milligan | Screenplay
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John Shakespeare | Music
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Joseph McGrath | Screenplay