History Creator / SpikeMilligan

His television work is less well known, though he also created the 'Q' Show, a {{dueling show|s}} with ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' (ironically, the Pythons were inspired by Milligan's own writing on ''The Goons''). A few years later he contributed to ''Series/TheTwoRonnies'' as a writer (and occasionally appearing in the sketches as a cameo). He also wrote several comic novels and plays. Besides ''The Goons'', he is best known for his poetry, which generally took the form of AbsurdityAscendant nonsense verse.

Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan, [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever KBE]] (16 April 1918 – 22 February 2002), often described as "The Godfather of British Comedy", was an Indian-born comic writer and poet who lived most of his life in either Britain or Australia, but identified as Irish. He was conscripted into the British Army during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII and served with the Royal Artillery in North Africa and Italy, eventually recording his experiences as seven volumes of war diaries generally known by the title of the first volume, ''Literature/AdolfHitlerMyPartInHisDownfall''. Although DuringTheWar his main fame was as a jazz musician, after returning to Britain he broke into radio as a writer and broadcaster. Together with Creator/PeterSellers, Creator/HarrySecombe and [[ThePeteBest the almost forgotten]] Creator/MichaelBentine, he created one of the most influential British comedies of all time, ''Radio/TheGoonShow''.

Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan, [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever KBE]] (April 16th 1918 -- February 22nd 2002), often described as "The Godfather of British Comedy", was an Indian-born comic writer and poet who lived most of his life in either Britain or Australia, but identified as Irish. He was conscripted into the British Army during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII and served with the Royal Artillery in North Africa and Italy, eventually recording his experiences as seven volumes of war diaries generally known by the title of the first volume, ''Literature/AdolfHitlerMyPartInHisDownfall''. Although DuringTheWar his main fame was as a jazz musician, after returning to Britain he broke into radio as a writer and broadcaster. Together with Creator/PeterSellers, Creator/HarrySecombe and [[ThePeteBest the almost forgotten]] Creator/MichaelBentine, he created one of the most influential British comedies of all time, ''Radio/TheGoonShow''.

Milligan suffered from bipolar disorder, as well as being driven to [[CreatorBreakdown manic depression]] by some of his traumatic experiences DuringTheWar. He was voted 'Funniest Person of the Millennium' by BBC viewers in 1999. He died in 2002, having wanted the inscription "[[BlackComedy I told you I was ill]]" on his gravestone; it was allowed ... but [[BilingualBonus only in Irish Gaelic]].

Terence Alan "Spike" Milligan (April 16th 1918 -- February 22nd 2002), often described as "The Godfather of British Comedy", was an Indian-born comic writer and poet who lived most of his life in either Britain or Australia, but identified as Irish. He was conscripted into the British Army during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII and served with the Royal Artillery in North Africa and Italy, eventually recording his experiences as seven volumes of war diaries generally known by the title of the first volume, ''Literature/AdolfHitlerMyPartInHisDownfall''. Although DuringTheWar his main fame was as a jazz musician, after returning to Britain he broke into radio as a writer and broadcaster. Together with Creator/PeterSellers, Creator/HarrySecombe and [[ThePeteBest the almost forgotten]] Creator/MichaelBentine, he created one of the most influential British comedies of all time, ''Radio/TheGoonShow''.

His television work is less well known, though he also created the 'Q' Show, a {{dueling show|s}} with ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' (ironically, the Pythons were inspired by Milligan's own writing on ''The Goons''). A few years later he contributed to ''Series/TheTwoRonnies'' as a writer (and occasionally appearing in the sketches as a cameo). He also wrote several comic novels and plays. Besides the Goons he is best known for his poetry, which generally took the form of AbsurdityAscendant nonsense verse.

Milligan suffered from bipolar disorder, as well as being driven to [[CreatorBreakdown manic depression]] by some of his traumatic experiences DuringTheWar. He was voted 'Funniest Person of the Millennium' by BBC viewers in 1999. He died in 2002, having wanted the inscription "[[BlackComedy I told you I was ill]]" on his gravestone - in the end it was allowed, but [[BilingualBonus only in Irish Gaelic]].

->''"I'm not afraid of dying I just don't want to be there when it happens."''

Terry "Spike" Milligan (April 16th 1918 -- February 22nd 2002), often described as "The Godfather of British Comedy", was an Indian-born comic writer and poet who lived most of his life in either Britain or Australia, but identified as Irish. He was conscripted into the British Army during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII and served with the Royal Artillery in North Africa and Italy, eventually recording his experiences as seven volumes of war diaries generally known by the title of the first volume, ''Literature/AdolfHitlerMyPartInHisDownfall''. Although DuringTheWar his main fame was as a jazz musician, after returning to Britain he broke into radio as a writer and broadcaster. Together with Creator/PeterSellers, Creator/HarrySecombe and [[ThePeteBest the almost forgotten]] Creator/MichaelBentine, he created one of the most influential British comedies of all time, ''Radio/TheGoonShow''.

Terry "Spike" Milligan (April 16th 1918 -- February 22nd 2002), often described as "The Godfather of British Comedy" was an Indian-born comic writer and poet who lived most of his life in either Britain or Australia, but identified as Irish. He was conscripted into the British Army during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII and served with the Royal Artillery in North Africa and Italy, eventually recording his experiences as seven volumes of war diaries generally known by the title of the first volume, ''Literature/AdolfHitlerMyPartInHisDownfall''. Although DuringTheWar his main fame was as a jazz musician, after returning to Britain he broke into radio as a writer and broadcaster. Together with Creator/PeterSellers, Creator/HarrySecombe and [[ThePeteBest the almost forgotten]] Creator/MichaelBentine, he created one of the most influential British comedies of all time, ''Radio/TheGoonShow''.

!!Spike's life and work contain the following tropes:
* AbsurdityAscent
* AdultChild
* CoolOldGuy: Continuing writing and making public appearances way up until his demise.
* CloudCuckooLander: His oddball imagination and public behaviour came with a nasty price on his mental health.
* SadClown: Battled bipolar disorder for the majority of his life.
* SurrealHumor: Could very well be the TropeMaker.

* CoolOldGuy

* ''Radio/TheGoonShow''

'''Terry "Spike" Milligan''' (April 16th 1918 -- February 22nd 2002), often described as "The Godfather of British Comedy" was an Indian-born comic writer and poet who lived most of his life in either Britain or Australia, but identified as Irish. He was conscripted into the British Army during WorldWarII and served with the Royal Artillery in North Africa and Italy, eventually recording his experiences as seven volumes of war diaries generally known by the title of the first volume, ''Literature/AdolfHitlerMyPartInHisDownfall''. Although DuringTheWar his main fame was as a jazz musician, after returning to Britain he broke into radio as a writer and broadcaster. Together with Creator/PeterSellers, Creator/HarrySecombe and [[ThePeteBest the almost forgotten]] Creator/MichaelBentine, he created one of the most influential British comedies of all time, ''Radio/TheGoonShow''.

His television work is less well known, though he also created the 'Q' Show, a {{dueling show|s}} with ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' (ironically, the Pythons were inspired by Milligan's own writing on ''The Goons''). A few years later he contributed to ''TheTwoRonnies'' as a writer (and occasionally appearing in the sketches as a cameo). He also wrote several comic novels and plays. Besides the Goons he is best known for his poetry, which generally took the form of AbsurdityAscendant nonsense verse.

!!Works by Spike Milligan:

His television work is less well known, though he also created the 'Q' Show, a [[DuelingShows Duelling Show]] with ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' (ironically, the Pythons were inspired by Milligan's own writing on the Goons). A few years later he contributed to ''TheTwoRonnies'' as a writer (and occasionally appearing in the sketches as a cameo). He also wrote several comic novels and plays. Besides the Goons he is best known for his poetry, which generally took the form of AbsurdityAscendant nonsense verse.

Milligan suffered from bipolar disorder, as well as being driven to [[CreatorBreakdown manic depression]] by some of his traumatic experiences DuringTheWar. He was voted 'Funniest Person of the Millennium' by BBC viewers in 1999. He died in 2002, having wanted the inscription "I told you I was ill" on his gravestone - in the end it was allowed, but only in Irish Gaelic.

'''Terry "Spike" Milligan''', often described as 'The Godfather of British Comedy' was an Indian-born comic writer and poet who lived most of his life in either Britain or Australia, but identified as Irish. He was conscripted into the British Army during WorldWarII and served with the Royal Artillery in North Africa and Italy, eventually recording his experiences as seven volumes of war diaries generally known by the title of the first volume, ''Literature/AdolfHitlerMyPartInHisDownfall''. Although DuringTheWar his main fame was as a jazz musician, after returning to Britain he broke into radio as a writer and broadcaster. Together with Creator/PeterSellers, Creator/HarrySecombe and [[ThePeteBest the almost forgotten]] Creator/MichaelBentine, he created one of the most influential British comedies of all time, ''Radio/TheGoonShow''.

Terry "Spike" Milligan, often described as 'The Godfather of British Comedy' was an Indian-born comic writer and poet who lived most of his life in either Britain or Australia, but identified as Irish. He was conscripted into the British Army during WorldWarII and served with the Royal Artillery in North Africa and Italy, eventually recording his experiences as seven volumes of war diaries generally known by the title of the first volume, ''Literature/AdolfHitlerMyPartInHisDownfall''. Although DuringTheWar his main fame was as a jazz musician, after returning to Britain he broke into radio as a writer and broadcaster. Together with Creator/PeterSellers, Creator/HarrySecombe and [[ThePeteBest the almost forgotten]] Creator/MichaelBentine, he created one of the most influential British comedies of all time, ''Radio/TheGoonShow''.

Terry "Spike" Milligan, often described as 'The Godfather of British Comedy' was an Indian-born comic writer and poet who lived most of his life in either Britain or Australia, but identified as Irish. He was conscripted into the British Army during WorldWarII and served with the Royal Artillery in North Africa and Italy, eventually recording his experiences as seven volumes of war diaries generally known by the title of the first volume, ''Literature/AdolfHitlerMyPartInHisDownfall''. Although DuringTheWar his main fame was as a jazz musician, after returning to Britain he broke into radio as a writer and broadcaster. Together with Creator/PeterSellers, Creator/HarrySecombe and [[ThePeteBest Michael Bentine]], he created one of the most influential British comedies of all time, ''Radio/TheGoonShow''.

Terry "Spike" Milligan, often described as 'The Godfather of British Comedy' was an Indian-born comic writer and poet who lived most of his life in either Britain or Australia, but identified as Irish. He was conscripted into the British Army during WorldWarII and served with the Royal Artillery in North Africa and Italy, eventually recording his experiences as seven volumes of war diaries generally known by the title of the first volume, ''Literature/AdolfHitlerMyPartInHisDownfall''. Although DuringTheWar his main fame was as a jazz musician, after returning to Britain he broke into radio as a writer and broadcaster. Together with PeterSellers, Creator/HarrySecombe and [[ThePeteBest Michael Bentine]], he created one of the most influential British comedies of all time, ''Radio/TheGoonShow''.

Terry "Spike" Milligan, often described as 'The Godfather of British Comedy' was an Indian-born comic writer and poet who lived most of his life in either Britain or Australia, but identified as Irish. He was conscripted into the British Army during WorldWarII and served with the Royal Artillery in North Africa and Italy, eventually recording his experiences as seven volumes of war diaries generally known by the title of the first volume, ''Literature/AdolfHitlerMyPartInHisDownfall''. Although DuringTheWar his main fame was as a jazz musician, after returning to Britain he broke into radio as a writer and broadcaster. Together with PeterSellers, HarrySecombe and [[ThePeteBest Michael Bentine]], he created one of the most influential British comedies of all time, ''Radio/TheGoonShow''.

Terry "Spike" Milligan was an Indian-born comic writer and poet who lived most of his life in either Britain or Australia, but identified as Irish. He was conscripted into the British Army during WorldWarII and served with the Royal Artillery in North Africa and Italy, eventually recording his experiences as seven volumes of war diaries generally known by the title of the first volume, ''Literature/AdolfHitlerMyPartInHisDownfall''. Although DuringTheWar his main fame was as a jazz musician, after returning to Britain he broke into radio as a writer and broadcaster. Together with PeterSellers, HarrySecombe and [[ThePeteBest Michael Bentine]], he created one of the most influential British comedies of all time, ''Radio/TheGoonShow''.