The Clitheroe Kid was James Robertson Clitheroe, Jimmy Clitheroe to most, who by some strange coincidence did come from the town of that name without having to change his family name! At his full height he was 4ft 3in, and played the naughty schoolboy from 1958 to 1972. Although plausable from a distance, he was not really able to pass himself off as a youngster close up, so a TV career did not really take off too well, but at the peak of his fame the radio show was raking in about 10 million listeners, although by the end this had dropped to a tenth of that figure.
Clitheroe was a very private person, and the shows became a sort of escape for him, as well as the release from the worries of his diminutive size, but despite this, his popularity increased and increased, making this series one of the longer running on the radio - a total of 17 series.
It is surprising then that with such a success, and with such a long run that the shows are rarely broadcast. The humour was very obvious and probably wouldn't stand up in todays climes, but there has been one release from the BBC radio collection, so if you wanted to hear some of the shows, you can hunt this down in the shops.
I would like to thank Tony Lang for the following information about the series. I do not have any of this series on tape myself, so if anyone has comments to make I would be most grateful.
The scripts were generally written by James Casey and Frank Roscoe, with the shows production by James Casey. The series sprang from a single show broadcast on 24-4-56 as part of a Variety Playhouse series
The pilot series did not have individual names for the episodes. The producer was Geoff Lawrence, with the music supplied by the BBC Northern Dance Orchestra, conducted by Alyn Ainsworth, and broadcast in the North of England only.
The cast consisted of Jimmy Clitheroe, Eddie Leslie (1-6), Peter Sinclair (1-3, 5-10), Judith Chalmers (2-10), Rosalie Williams (2, 5-6, 8), Fred Fairclough (2), Brian Truman (3,10), John Broadbent 3), Bob Monkhouse (4), Jack Watson (4), Herbert Smith (4,8), Jack Howarth (5, 7-8, 10), Fred Ferris (5, 7-10), Shirley King (6), Violet Carson (7-8, 10), Tom Harrison (9-10), Patrick Wells (9).
:: Pilot Series
| Ep | Trans. |
|---|
| 1 | 1/7/57 |
| 2 | 8/7/57 |
| 3 | 15/7/57 |
| 4 | 22/7/57 |
| 5 | 29/7/57 |
| 6 | 5/8/57 |
| 7 | 11/8/57 |
| 8 | 19/8/57 |
| 9 | 26/8/57 |
| 10 | 2/9/57 |
:: Series 1
| Ep | Trans. | Title |
|---|
| 1 | 5/5/58 | Seconds out |
| 2 | 12/5/58 | The pen pal |
| 3 | 19/5/58 | The wrong end of the stick |
| 4 | 26/5/58 | Clitheroe on the keys |
| 5 | 2/6/58 | Raising the rent |
| 6 | 9/6/58 | All by accident |
| 7 | 16/6/58 | The kid's last fight |
| 8 | 23/6/58 | The mystery trip |
| 9 | 30/6/58 | Too many cooks |
| 10 | 7/7/58 | The concert |
| 11 | 14/7/58 | Wakes week |
:: Series 2
| Ep | Trans. | Title |
|---|
| 1 | 29/12/58 | What a pantomime |
| 2 | 5/1/59 | No match for the kid |
| 3 | 12/1/59 | Mind my bike |
| 4 | 19/1/59 | I shot an arrow in the air |
| 5 | 26/1/59 | Cupid and the black hand gang |
| 6 | 2/2/59 | A kid with a problem |
| 7 | 9/2/59 | Clitheroe and the hound-dog |
| 8 | 16/2/59 | Message received and misunderstood |
| 9 | 23/2/59 | Girl trouble |
| 10 | 2/3/59 | The trouble with Higginbottom |
:: Series 3
| Ep | Trans. | Title |
|---|
| 1 | 4/4/60 | The tale of a cat |
| 2 | 11/4/60 | Clitheroe's merry go round |
| 3 | 18/4/60 | Money, money, money |
| 4 | 25/4/60 | All at sea |
| 5 | 2/5/60 | May the best man win |
| 6 | 9/5/60 | Nothing but the truth |
| 7 | 16/5/60 | Storm in a test tube |
| 8 | 23/5/60 | Mother's day of rest |
| 9 | 30/5/60 | The wheels of misfortune |
| 10 | 6/6/60 | What a picnic |
| 11 | 13/6/60 | Trouble with the goggle-box |
| 12 | 20/6/60 | Job for the girl |
| 13 | 27/6/60 | Almost a holiday |
:: Series 4
| Ep | Trans. | Title |
|---|
| 1 | 20/2/61 | Pardon my English |
| 2 | 27/2/61 | How now brown cow |
| 3 | 6/3/61 | Grandads back |
| 4 | 13/3/61 | The trouble with neighbours |
| 5 | 20/3/61 | My pal Ozzie - the clot |
| 6 | 27/3/61 | Goodness gracious me |
| 7 | 3/4/61 | The girl who got the message |
| 8 | 10/4/61 | The not-so-welcome guest |
| 9 | 17/4/61 | The keyhole kid |
| 10 | 24/4/61 | The wreck of the Soppy Sue |
| 11 | 1/5/61 | Animal crackers |
| 12 | 8/5/61 | I'm in trouble - again |
| 13 | 15/5/61 | Fishing in troubled waters |
:: Series 5
| Ep | Trans. | Title |
|---|
| 1 | 27/11/61 | Dig that crazy garden |
| 2 | 4/12/61 | It's my Mother's birthday |
| 3 | 11/12/61 | After the film was over |
| 4 | 18/12/61 | The kid who got the bird |
| 5 | 25/12/61 | Christmas day in the kid's house |
| 6 | 1/1/62 | Breaking in the new year |
| 7 | 8/1/62 | A snake in the grass |
| 8 | 15/1/62 | Too many crooks |
| 9 | 22/1/62 | The old man of the sea |
| 10 | 29/1/62 | The crime that never was |
| 11 | 5/2/62 | Lend me an ear |
| 12 | 12/2/62 | The day I told the truth |
| 13 | 19/2/62 | I've got them taped |
| 14 | 26/2/62 | Collecting trouble |
| 15 | 5/3/62 | Waiting at the church |
| 16 | 12/3/62 | I was a stupid Cupid |
| 17 | 19/3/62 | James - Mr Piano Clitheroe |
| 18 | 26/3/62 | Going to the dogs |
| 19 | 2/4/62 | Jimmy the kid |
| 20 | 9/4/62 | What a good boy am I |
:: Series 5
| Ep | Trans. | Title |
|---|
| 1 | 29/10/62 | The house that Jim picked |
| 2 | 5/11/62 | What a guy |
| 3 | 12/11/62 | Sorry you've been troubled |
| 4 | 19/11/62 | Smile please |
| 5 | 26/11/62 | When Grandad papered the parlour |
| 6 | 3/12/62 | We all make mistakes |
| 7 | 10/12/62 | Accidents will happen |
| 8 | 17/12/62 | Charity begins at Jim's |
| 9 | 24/12/62 | Just the ticket |
| 10 | 31/12/62 | Jim's highland fling |
| 11 | 7/1/63 | Next door to trouble |
| 12 | 14/1/63 | Love me - love my dog |
| 13 | 21/1/63 | Too much to swallow |
| 14 | 28/1/63 | Dial Jim for trouble |
| 15 | 4/2/63 | Trouble from the kick off |
| 16 | 11/2/63 | Don't shoot the pianist |
| 17 | 18/2/63 | The patient's dilemma |
| 18 | 25/2/63 | One bad turn deserves another |
| 19 | 4/3/63 | The quiz kid |
| 20 | 11/3/63 | A dream of a holiday |
:: Series 7
| Ep | Trans. | Title |
|---|
| 1 | 10/11/63 | No holes barred |
| 2 | 17/11/63 | Tramp, tramp, tramp |
| 3 | 24/11/63 | Playing with fire |
| 4 | 1/12/63 | Love and marriage |
| 5 | 8/12/63 | Vote for Grandad |
| 6 | 15/12/63 | Three of a kind |
| 7 | 22/12/63 | Grandfather Christmas |
| 8 | 29/12/63 | A load of Chinese junk |
| 9 | 5/1/64 | The gathering of the clan |
| 10 | 12/1/64 | The ten pin terror |
| 11 | 19/1/64 | The tale of a coat |
| 12 | 26/1/64 | The man who came to lunch |
| 13 | 2/2/64 | One hundred not out |
| 14 | 9/2/64 | What's in a name |
| 15 | 16/2/64 | Back to the dressing room |
| 16 | 23/2/64 | The kid with nine lives |
| 17 | 1/3/64 | A right roman holiday |
| 18 | 8/3/64 | Nothing but the tooth |
| 19 | 15/3/64 | Never listen to a teacher |
| 20 | 22/3/64 | Gun crazy |
:: Series 8
| Ep | Trans. | Title |
|---|
| 1 | 18/10/64 | Anyone for tennis |
| 2 | 25/10/64 | An actors life for me |
| 3 | 1/11/64 | Trouble through the looking glass |
| 4 | 8/11/64 | James - the little gentleman |
| 5 | 15/11/64 | For love or money |
| 6 | 22/11/64 | One jump behind |
| 7 | 29/11/64 | James Bond junior |
| 8 | 6/12/64 | The kid makes history |
| 9 | 13/12/64 | Sing something stupid |
| 10 | 20/12/64 | Jim and the beanstalk |
| 11 | 27/12/64 | Double trouble |
| 12 | 3/1/65 | New year, old trouble |
| 13 | 10/1/65 | One quiet day |
| 14 | 17/1/65 | Help, it's a girl |
| 15 | 24/1/65 | It's a knockout |
| 16 | 31/1/65 | Swimming against the tide |
| 17 | 7/2/65 | Up the totem pole |
| 18 | 14/2/65 | Follow that car |
| 19 | 21/2/65 | Clitheroe's concert party |
| 20 | 28/2/65 | It's all in the mind |
:: Series 9
| Ep | Trans. | Title |
|---|
| 1 | 10/10/65 | Jim and the headless piper |
| 2 | 17/10/65 | The mystery of the haggis |
| 3 | 24/10/65 | For my next trick.... |
| 4 | 31/10/65 | The evils of tomato juice |
| 5 | 7/11/65 | Another Mother for Ozzie (Higginbottom) |
| 6 | 14/11/65 | Grandad's mystery illness |
| 7 | 21/11/65 | The weapons of woe |
| 8 | 28/11/65 | The unlucky mascot |
| 9 | 5/12/65 | The case of the crooked parson |
| 10 | 12/12/65 | The unfair sex |
| 11 | 19/12/65 | English as she is spoke |
| 12 | 26/12/65 | It's the thought that counts |
| 13 | 2/1/66 | The Sunday I met Man Friday |
| 14 | 9/1/66 | One good twist deserves another |
| 15 | 16/1/66 | Give a little whistle |
| 16 | 23/1/66 | Penny foolish |
| 17 | 30/1/66 | Watch the birdie |
| 18 | 6/2/66 | Too many Sisters |
| 19 | 13/2/66 | Sliding into trouble |
| 20 | 20/2/66 | The best of Indian luck |
:: Series 10
| Ep | Trans. | Title |
|---|
| 1 | 2/10/66 | No room at the digs |
| 2 | 9/10/66 | A storm in a teacup |
| 3 | 16/10/66 | Forbidden fruit |
| 4 | 23/10/66 | Follow the Bride |
| 5 | 30/10/66 | What you lose on the swings |
| 6 | 6/11/66 | The ever-loving neighbour |
| 7 | 13/11/66 | As advertised on the television |
| 8 | 20/11/66 | Sales talk |
| 9 | 27/11/66 | History is a thing of the past |
| 10 | 4/12/66 | The scent of trouble |
| 11 | 11/12/66 | What a welcome |
| 12 | 18/12/66 | Don't forget the carol singers |
| 13 | 25/12/66 | Christmas crackers |
| 14 | 1/1/67 | Just a wee family party |
| 15 | 8/1/67 | Wet behind the ears |
| 16 | 15/1/67 | Get me to the shop on time |
| 17 | 22/1/67 | The prize fool |
| 18 | 29/1/67 | Come into the garden Jim |
| 19 | 5/2/67 | Jim's doggy bank |
| 20 | 12/2/67 | Nothing like music |
| 21 | 19/2/67 | One day last summer |
| 22 | 26/2/67 | No time for Higginbottom |
| 23 | 5/3/67 | What a performance |
| 24 | 12/3/67 | The price of silence - Two bob |
| 25 | 19/3/67 | The kid from Auntie |
| 26 | 26/3/67 | Beware of the bike |
:: Series 11
| Ep | Trans. | Title |
|---|
| 1 | 1/10/67 | Stop crying, You're on holiday |
| 2 | 8/10/67 | Beware of the neighbour |
| 3 | 15/10/67 | Robbin' Jim and his merry men |
| 4 | 22/10/67 | A day on the movie go round |
| 5 | 29/10/67 | The day I met a Knight |
| 6 | 5/11/67 | Keep your gunpowder dry - Jim |
| 7 | 12/11/67 | Is there a Doctor in the........ |
| 8 | 19/11/67 | Why boys leave home |
| 9 | 26/11/67 | The pianist and his fiddle |
| 10 | 3/12/67 | Mr Higginbottom - My best enemy |
| 11 | 10/12/67 | Have snake - will travel |
| 12 | 17/12/67 | Right in the chicken soup |
| 13 | 24/12/67 | It's a gift |
| 14 | 31/12/67 | Long John Jim |
| 15 | 7/1/68 | Two crimes are better than one |
| 16 | 14/1/68 | For love and money |
| 17 | 21/1/68 | Ours is a nice house ours is |
| 18 | 28/1/68 | Alfie Hall the smuggling twit |
| 19 | 4/2/68 | Storm in a fire bucket |
| 20 | 11/2/68 | No room at the table |
:: Series 12
| Ep | Trans. | Title |
|---|
| 1 | 13/10/68 | Nothing like a holiday |
| 2 | 20/10/68 | The Scottish invader |
| 3 | 27/10/68 | Who sold Cock Robin |
| 4 | 3/11/68 | Keep the bonfire burning |
| 5 | 10/11/68 | Spots of bother |
| 6 | 17/11/68 | Do you suffer from guitar |
| 7 | 24/11/68 | Two hundred not out |
| 8 | 1/12/68 | Enters the robbers |
| 9 | 8/12/68 | Stop the wedding I want to get off |
| 10 | 15/12/68 | Half Nelson, half Alfie |
| 11 | 22/12/68 | Every dog has his Christmas day |
| 12 | 29/12/68 | Chinese crackers |
| 13 | 5/1/69 | Money for old junk |
| 14 | 12/1/69 | Right off the target |
| 15 | 19/1/69 | A love-in has been arranged |
| 16 | 26/1/69 | Anymore for the moon |
| 17 | 2/2/69 | The one that couldn't lose |
| 18 | 9/2/69 | Two sides to every story |
| 19 | 16/2/69 | My old man's a twister |
| 20 | 23/2/69 | The not-so-good old days |
:: Series 13
| Ep | Trans. | Title |
|---|
| 1 | 17/8/69 | It's quicker by dream |
| 2 | 24/8/69 | Take a running walk |
| 3 | 31/8/69 | Answer that phone! |
| 4 | 7/9/69 | Anymore for the beach |
| 5 | 14/9/69 | Private Alfie - general twit |
| 6 | 21/9/69 | Too many decorators |
| 7 | 28/9/69 | Never believe what you hear |
| 8 | 5/10/69 | Final score - one foul each |
| 9 | 12/10/69 | It shouldn't happen to a Grandad |
| 10 | 19/10/69 | Someone, somewhere wants a letter |
| 11 | 26/10/69 | There's something the matter with Glasgow |
| 12 | 2/11/69 | Clitheroe's castle |
| 13 | 9/11/69 | The kid who framed himself |
| 14 | 16/11/69 | Dr Jekyll and Mr Jim |
| 15 | 23/11/69 | If the dunces cap fits... |
| 16 | 30/11/69 | Tickets for the punch-up |
| 17 | 7/12/69 | Little boy - tall story |
| 18 | 14/12/69 | Heat the test-tube and run |
| 19 | 21/12/69 | The share-out |
| 20 | 28/12/69 | Once upon a pantomime |
:: Series 14
| Ep | Trans. | Title |
|---|
| 1 | 17/5/70 | Get well soon Grandad |
| 2 | 24/5/70 | Grandad for President |
| 3 | 31/5/70 | Good for money |
| 4 | 7/6/70 | The not-so-artful dodger |
| 5 | 14/6/70 | Not in front of the parrot |
| 6 | 21/6/70 | Out of the mouths of puppies |
| 7 | 28/6/70 | A funny thing happened at the fair |
| 8 | 5/7/70 | All at sea with a sailor |
| 9 | 12/7/70 | A slight case of whisky |
| 10 | 19/7/70 | Seated one day at the movies |
| 11 | 26/7/70 | Once more into the Vicarage |
| 12 | 2/8/70 | A right son of a gun |
| 13 | 9/8/70 | There was a farmer, a Scottish farmer |
| 14 | 16/8/70 | Keep Jim off the road |
| 15 | 23/8/70 | The best of birthday luck |
| 16 | 30/8/70 | Taken to the cleaners |
| 17 | 6/9/70 | James - the modest hero |
| 18 | 13/9/70 | No licence for Jim |
| 19 | 20/9/70 | A touch of competition fever |
| 20 | 27/9/70 | For singing out loud |
:: Series 15
| Ep | Trans. | Title |
|---|
| 1 | 4/4/71 | All I want is a room somewhere |
| 2 | 11/4/71 | Don't shout, I'm only acting |
| 3 | 18/4/71 | Go west old man |
| 4 | 25/4/71 | Once upon a cup-tie |
| 5 | 2/5/71 | Jobs for the ladies |
| 6 | 9/5/71 | Tennis just isn't cricket |
| 7 | 16/5/71 | Whatever happened to Grandad |
| 8 | 23/5/71 | History is a thing of the past |
| 9 | 30/5/71 | Is there a boss in the house |
| 10 | 6/6/71 | In at the deep end |
| 11 | 13/6/71 | Licked by a stamp |
| 12 | 20/6/71 | Gone fishing |
| 13 | 27/6/71 | Thinking about a holiday |
:: Series 16
| Ep | Trans. | Title |
|---|
| 1 | 21/5/72 | My Great Aunt's great |
| 2 | 28/5/72 | Why Mothers leave home |
| 3 | 4/6/72 | The day the fun fair hit town |
| 4 | 11/6/72 | If you can't keep a secret, sell it |
| 5 | 18/6/72 | The Swiss family Clitheroe |
| 6 | 25/6/72 | The romantic Higginbottoms |
| 7 | 2/7/72 | Why must the show go on |
| 8 | 9/7/72 | A letter from America - for Grandad |
| 9 | 16/7/72 | A far, far better school I go to |
| 10 | 23/7/72 | Money for old gold |
| 11 | 30/7/72 | Enough to make a kitten laugh |
| 12 | 6/8/72 | Where's the stage and what's the play |
| 13 | 13/8/72 | What's the Welsh for trouble? |