"Yes, What?" is an Australian radio comedy series,
recorded in the late 1930s and early 1940s. It was originally known as
"The Fourth Form at St Percy's". It is set in a school and features Dr
Percy Pym , the school master, who was easily flustered, and incapable
of controlling his rowdy students.
The class was improbably small, with only three students,
aged fourteen: Bottomly, Standforth, and Greenbottle. Later in the
series, after Greenbottle left, de Pledge joined the series. Later
still, when Greenbottle returned, there were four students for a while.
The show received its name from the habit of
Greenbottle to frequently say, "Yes," to which Dr Pym would reply,
"Yes, What?" from which Greenbottle would launch into some long
explanation about something.
The class never seemed to learn anything. There
was always some distraction. Greenbottle was more often than not late.
Just as Dr Pym was starting to get the class under control, Greenbottle
would arrive with some lengthy excuse to delay the proceedings even
further.
Guests featured occasionally, such as Bottomly's
girlfriend Daphne, Mr Snootles the caretaker, a policeman, a charity
worker, a school inspector, and various others.
The show
was produced in the studios of radio
station 5AD in Adelaide. The first thirty to fifty episodes were
broadcast live to air, and were never recorded. Journalist Ray
Polkinghorne once wrote that Rex Dawe had written 786 episodes, and
Ralph Peterson (who played Bottomly) was quoted in 1974 as saying that
there were about a thousand episodes made. But recent research puts the
number at 520. Radio syndication company, Grace Gibson Productions has
260 episodes in circulation, and another 50 or so are known to exist.
In August 1985, the Australian Film And Sound Archives announced that
they "received several hundred 16 inch recordings of the schoolroom
comedy series, Yes, What?..." "...Mortein Mosquito and Insect Sprays of
Ermington NSW (owned by the firm Samuel Taylor) discovered the lost
issues of Yes What when they recently moved premises." But there are
some episodes that seem to be lost forever.
The actors were paid two shillings per episode.
Rex Dawe, who played the part of Dr Pym, also wrote most of the scripts
and produced the show, receiving ten additional shillings per episode.
These were the days before residuals. So although "Yes What" has been
repeated hundreds of times on radio stations all over the world through
all the decades right up to the present, the actors received only their
original fees.
Some of the early scripts were written by Maurice
Chapman, and Ralph Peterson (who played Bottomly), wrote six of the
later episodes.
Recording techniques were primitive. In an
interview with the Australian newspaper in 1966, Ralph Peterson said,
"We used to stand in front of a huge microphone and bellow our lines
into it. We had a total of about three sound effects, too."
The series is very Australian in style and
content, and many of the jokes would go over the head of a
non-Australian. For an Australian, however, much of the humour is
timeless.
Although it was never mentioned in any interviews
I've heard or read, the "Yes, What?" series was based on an English
record series from around 1934, featuring Will Hay as a school master
called Dr Twist, and called, "The Fourth Form At St Michael's". It even
opens with the "Yes, What?" catch-cry, "Good morning boys - Good
morning sir." And in 1937, the cast of "The Fourth Form At St
Michael's" made a few feature films, the best known being "Good Morning
Boys".
The first episode of Yes What was broadcast on
either Sunday June 30, or Sunday July 7, 1936. The series finished in
1940 when most of the cast joined the armed forces in World War Two.
But there has not been a week since then when an episode hasn't been
heard somewhere on Australian radio and indeed around the world.
Compact Discs
Nine Compact Discs have also been released on the
Columbia label through Sony Music. All are double CDs:
Radio
Revisited - "Yes, What?"
(Columbia
472832 2) featuring 10 episodes and interviews with
Ralph Peterson (Bottomly), Jack Gardiner (Greenbottle), Jim Williams
(Standforth), and Frank McCarron (Mr Snootles).
|
| EPISODE |
GIBSON |
SONY CD VOL |
SONY CD TRACK |
LESSON |
DESCRIPTION |
| 436 |
195 |
1.1 |
1 |
OPENING NEW CLASSROOM |
Opening new classroom. |
| 227 |
20 |
1.1 |
3 |
SHOWGROUND |
At the showground (part 1 of 2) |
| 228 |
21 |
1.1 |
4 |
SHOWGROUND |
At the showground (part 2 of 2) |
| 287 |
233 |
1.1 |
5 |
THE FETE |
The fete. |
| 416 |
191 |
1.1 |
7 |
HISTORY |
BO Burns the school down. |
| 417 |
192 |
1.2 |
1 |
|
At the police station. |
| 342 |
47 |
1.2 |
3 |
LATIN |
GB leaves |
| 344 |
121 |
1.2 |
4 |
DE PLEDGE |
De Pledge's (Pickles') first day. |
| 388 |
240 |
1.2 |
5 |
INSPECTOR |
The Inspector returns. |
| 390 |
242 |
1.2 |
7 |
|
Morning tea |
|
Radio
Revisited - "Yes, What?" Volume 2
(Columbia 473945 2) featuring 12 episodes |
| EPISODE |
GIBSON |
SONY CD VOL |
SONY CD TRACK |
LESSON |
DESCRIPTION |
| 236 |
28 |
2.1 |
1 |
HISTORY |
GB early; History test; 7+8=19. |
| 281 |
137 |
2.1 |
2 |
LATIN |
Mr Snootals comes about the money Percy owes him. |
| 289 |
8 |
2.1 |
3 |
WEIGHTS & MEASURES |
How many pounds in a ton; GB's essay on mushrooms. |
| 257 |
38 |
2.1 |
4 |
|
Boys don't notice Percy; GB comes and goes; the
others follow him; Boys pretend that Percy is an escaped lunatic.
Policeman nearly arrests Percy. |
| 265 |
130 |
2.1 |
5 |
GEOGRAPHY |
BO cleans the blackboard. |
| 308 |
42 |
2.1 |
6 |
|
ST worried; GB early; Hide & Seek. |
| 242 |
70 |
2.2 |
1 |
|
Eggs. |
| 327 |
110 |
2.2 |
2 |
CHEMISTRY |
Mr Snootles - 'Hello'. |
| 315 |
101 |
2.2 |
3 |
FRENCH |
Bucket over the door; 'The man is in the field'; Man/homme. |
| 349 |
144 |
2.2 |
4 |
HISTORY |
PI talks like Snootals |
| 357 |
148 |
2.2 |
5 |
|
Snootals still cleaning room; Asks for a pay rise. |
| 360 |
151 |
2.2 |
6 |
GEOMETRY |
Book thrown at Percy; PI late; All books left at home. |
|
"Yes,
What?" Volume 3 - The Lost Episodes
(Columbia
486607.2) featuring 12 episodes that for a long time
had been considered lost. The earliest episode on this disc is #53, one
of the first to be recorded. |
| EPISODE |
GIBSON |
SONY CD VOL |
SONY CD TRACK |
LESSON |
DESCRIPTION |
| 53 |
|
3.1 |
1 |
AFTER THE BALIFFS |
Boys' parents agree to guarantee the bank's overdraft |
| 72 |
|
3.1 |
2 |
POETRY |
BO's birthday |
| 81 |
|
3.1 |
3 |
GEOGRAPHY |
Countries in Europe; BO's pocket knife. |
| 82 |
|
3.1 |
4 |
THE ZOO part 1 |
At the zoo; Includes a peanut seller. |
| 83 |
|
3.1 |
5 |
THE ZOO part 2 |
BO in the bear pit; The zoo keeper; Car crash. |
| 84 |
|
3.1 |
6 |
THE ZOO part 3 |
After the crash; In the hospital. |
| 94 |
|
3.2 |
1 |
HISTORY |
Greenbottle feared injured in a road accident |
| 95 |
|
3.2 |
2 |
SCHOOL CONCERT |
The School Concert |
| 96 |
|
3.2 |
3 |
LATIN |
Fiasco; GB's aunty died yawning; Mensa; GB wants some water; GB's essay: The Life of King John |
| 120 |
|
3.2 |
4 |
|
Snootles' mother-in-law's appendicitis |
| 129 |
|
3.2 |
5 |
THE CURFEW BELL |
GB is not late for second time |
| 130 |
|
3.2 |
6 |
SNOOTLES TEACHES |
Snootles' first lesson as assistant school master |
|
"Yes,
What?" Volume 4
(Columbia 488121.2) |
| EPISODE |
GIBSON |
SONY CD VOL |
SONY CD TRACK |
LESSON |
DESCRIPTION |
| 267 |
1 |
4.1 |
1 |
CHEMISTRY |
Zinc. |
| 272 |
2 |
4.1 |
2 |
CHEMISTRY / AUST HISTORY |
GB's dog which can pronounce its own name; Captain Cook. |
| 270 |
3 |
4.1 |
3 |
CHEMISTRY |
Oxygen; GB comes in and goes out; GB's uncle's mousetrap. |
| 274 |
4 |
4.1 |
4 |
HISTORY |
Early explorers of Australia; GB the deep thinker. |
| 275 |
5 |
4.1 |
5 |
HISTORY |
Early explorers; Flinders; Robinson Crusoe's brother. |
| 277 |
6 |
4.1 |
6 |
HISTORY |
Early explorers; Three Bears; GB teases BO about his name; BO hits GB. |
| 278 |
7 |
4.2 |
1 |
LATIN |
Boys fighting; Amble; Annus. |
| 279 |
9 |
4.2 |
2 |
LATIN |
Chaos; Cainine; Ego. |
| 280 |
10 |
4.2 |
3 |
LATIN |
BO's birthday; Ammo; Cup of tea. |
| 290 |
11 |
4.2 |
4 |
WEIGHTS & MEASURES |
Tadpoles; Toadstools & turnstiles; "As usual"; Mushroom pun; Pounds in a ton; 'Oh yes!' |
| 292 |
12 |
4.2 |
5 |
WEIGHTS & MEASURES |
Crabs; Percy is ignored; GB is deeply troubled. |
| 220 |
|
4.2 |
6 |
WEIGHTS & MEASURES |
BO: "Tough guy, huh?"; 4 gills, 1 pint, etc; GB's pillowcase; Jack & Jill; Water on the brain; |
|
"Yes,
What?" Volume 5
(Columbia 489204.2). 12 more episodes, including episodes in the
bike shed after Bottomly blew up the classroom, and also including the opening of the new classroom by Mrs Greenbottle. |
| EPISODE |
GIBSON |
SONY CD VOL |
SONY CD TRACK |
LESSON |
DESCRIPTION |
| 221 |
14 |
5.1 |
1 |
ENGLISH |
Relative pronouns; GB's auntie is 'physic' |
| 222 |
15 |
5.1 |
2 |
|
Methostopheles |
| 223 |
16 |
5.1 |
3 |
POETRY |
Ode to the Eagle; Ode to the Duck |
| 224 |
17 |
5.1 |
4 |
POETRY |
To a Pine Tree; GB's essay on Keats |
| 225 |
18 |
5.1 |
5 |
POETRY |
BO plans to clean the blackboard; Daisy the Beautiful. |
| 209 |
|
5.1 |
6 |
AFTERMATH OF EXPLOSION |
Aftermath of explosion; first episode in the bike shed; Hives; Rickets. |
| 210 |
|
5.2 |
1 |
CHEMISTRY |
Study of elements; Royal Commission joke; Butcher's phone number |
| 211 |
93 |
5.2 |
2 |
CHEMISTRY |
Bottomley lets down Percy's tyres; Ammonia |
| 211 |
93 |
5.2 |
2 |
CHEMISTRY |
Bottomley lets down Percy's tyres; Ammonia |
| 212 |
|
5.2 |
3 |
CHEMISTRY |
ST has done his homework; GB is early for a test on elements and symbols. |
| 217 |
|
5.2 |
4 |
OPENING OF NEW CLASSROOM |
Mrs Greenbottle opens the new classroom |
| 515 |
49 |
5.2 |
5 |
GEOMETRY |
GB early; GB in the cupboard; accidental laughter at end |
| 226 |
19 |
5.2 |
6 |
POETRY |
ST does homework about Shelley; Jocular vein |
|
"Yes,
What?" Volume 6
(Columbia 494324.2). Interestingly, Episodes 286, 510 and 512 are not in the normal syndicated radio collection. |
| EPISODE |
GIBSON |
SONY CD VOL |
SONY CD TRACK |
LESSON |
DESCRIPTION |
| 246 |
74 |
6.1 |
1 |
MATHS |
Two towns; Oysters. |
| 286 |
|
6.1 |
2 |
MATHS |
Talk about tomorrow's fete; GB brings jumble stall items; ST imitates Snootles |
| 487 |
218 |
6.1 |
3 |
HISTORY |
The House of York; Guy Fawkes. |
| 510 |
|
6.1 |
4 |
GEOMETRY |
Books opened at page 92; start work immediately; vertex; What for / what four / what floor; GB is a British subject |
| 512 |
|
6.1 |
5 |
GEOMETRY |
ST is alone; ST offers to play the piano; BO late because it was
his father's fault; GB is poorly having been bashed up by Aunty Rita |
| 513 |
|
6.1 |
6 |
|
The violinist. |
| 306 |
66 |
6.2 |
1 |
HISTORY |
Richard the First; 'How do you mean sir?'; Richard the lion tamer; Start again. |
| 312 |
68 |
6.2 |
2 |
GEOGRAPHY |
India; BO nearly cleans the board; Ganges River; GB's Grandma; Conjugating verbs; Machine gun, train & cow noises. |
| 313 |
100 |
6.2 |
3 |
|
Cow noises; Light Brigade; Lady Godiva; GB's uncle's impersonations. |
| 332 |
114 |
6.2 |
4 |
ENGLISH |
Infinitives; Infinity; Rhubarb; subjunctives |
| 486 |
217 |
6.2 |
5 |
LATIN |
Veni vedi veci; Poker school; Julius Caesar; Christopher Columbus. |
| 488 |
219 |
6.2 |
6 |
HISTORY |
William of Apple; House of York; William the Conjuror |
|
"Yes,
What?" Volume 7
(Sony/BMG 88697326792A) |
| EPISODE |
GIBSON |
SONY CD VOL |
SONY CD TRACK |
LESSON |
DESCRIPTION |
| 230 |
23 |
7.1 |
1 |
HISTORY |
House of Tudor |
| 232 |
24 |
7.1 |
2 |
HISTORY |
House of Tudor; No buts; Revision mirror; Monstrosity. |
| 234 |
26 |
7.1 |
3 |
PE TEACHER |
Boys play cricket in the classroom; P.E. Teacher 'Oop lads'. |
| 235 |
27 |
7.1 |
4 |
HISTORY |
Percy at the window; Attempted history test; 'Oop lads'. |
| 237 |
29 |
7.1 |
5 |
HISTORY |
History test; GB carried away. |
| 238 |
30 |
7.1 |
6 |
FRENCH |
Test abandoned; GB's excuse list; French: 'What hour is it?' |
| 239 |
31 |
7.2 |
1 |
FRENCH |
French idioms; Dead Sea; La biblioteque |
| 240 |
32 |
7.2 |
2 |
FRENCH |
Sheperdess; Poetic licence |
| 252 |
33 |
7.2 |
3 |
PHYSICS - SOUND |
Vibration; Conjugations; Guitar & bagpipes & cow. |
| 253 |
34 |
7.2 |
4 |
ENGLISH |
Figures of speech; Shakespeare; Uncle Tom's Cabin |
| 254 |
35 |
7.2 |
5 |
ENGLISH |
Figures of speech; Metaphors & synonyms; Megaphone. |
| 255 |
36 |
7.2 |
6 |
ENGLISH |
Figures of speech; 'He runs like a hare'; GB dreamed that today was tomorrow. |
|
"Yes,
What?" Volume 8
(Sony/BMG 88697326792B) Released July 2008 |
| EPISODE |
GIBSON |
SONY CD VOL |
SONY CD TRACK |
LESSON |
DESCRIPTION |
| 258 |
125 |
8.1 |
1 |
GEOGRAPHY |
BO in trouble for yesterday; America; Hindus; Spanish. |
| 259 |
39 |
8.1 |
2 |
GEOGRAPHY |
Countries of Nth America; 'The Tyrant'; Clive of India. |
| 260 |
127 |
8.1 |
3 |
GEOGRAPHY |
Rivers of Nth America; Mississippi 4200; GB donkey noises; Grandma Bluejacket |
| 268 |
132 |
8.1 |
4 |
CHEMISTRY |
Zinc; The Orange Orchard incident |
| 282 |
138 |
8.1 |
5 |
LATIN |
'The consul warned Caesar'; GB's cow Nellie |
| 291 |
140 |
8.1 |
6 |
WEIGHTS & MEASURES |
A man and his potatoes; Centipede / centimetre; |
| 293 |
13 |
8.2 |
1 |
|
ST alone; BO late because of hives; goosflesh; pills/peas shooter; clinic |
| 294 |
141 |
8.2 |
2 |
WEIGHTS & MEASURES |
'A man weighs 7 stone'; Hillbilly talk. |
| 296 |
57 |
8.2 |
3 |
GEOMETRY |
Theorem 15; Hiccups. |
| 297 |
58 |
8.2 |
4 |
GEOMETRY |
Brains; Haircut; Timetables; Theorem 15; 'Therefore the triangles are congruent' |
| 298 |
59 |
8.2 |
5 |
GEOMETRY |
Theorem 15; BO's pigeon. |
| 299 |
60 |
8.2 |
6 |
GEOMETRY |
Parallel lines; One's breakfast; Circles. |
|
"Yes,
What?" Volume 9
(Sony/BMG 88697326792C) Released July 2008 |
| EPISODE |
GIBSON |
SONY CD VOL |
SONY CD TRACK |
LESSON |
DESCRIPTION |
| 442 |
274 |
9.2 |
2 |
PHYSICS |
Arc lamps; GB early; Boys in trouble for last lesson. |
| 443 |
275 |
9.2 |
3 |
PHYSICS |
Percy at the window; Light advances in a straight line. |
| 473 |
292 |
9.2 |
4 |
TROY WEIGHT |
Mr Snootals; Alarm clock |
| 489 |
220 |
9.2 |
5 |
HISTORY |
BO gets in trouble; Percy the butcher; Kings of England; The Two Princes. |
| 490 |
221 |
9.2 |
6 |
HISTORY |
House of York. |
| 300 |
61 |
9.1 |
1 |
GEOMETRY |
Definition of a circle; Euclid. |
| 301 |
62 |
9.1 |
2 |
GEOMETRY |
Definition of a circle; GB is 'sore oppressed'. |
| 302 |
63 |
9.1 |
3 |
GEOMETRY |
Definition of a circle; BO's hives; Percy leaves early; Boys fight; GB's Uncle Tootlewhistle |
| 361 |
152 |
9.1 |
4 |
GEOMETRY |
"Big hearted BO"; Definitions and plurals. |
| 362 |
153 |
9.1 |
5 |
GEOGRAPHY |
Oceans |
| 399 |
267 |
9.1 |
6 |
|
Percy starts early; Snootals in classroom; Greenwich mean time. |
| 400 |
272 |
9.2 |
1 |
CHEMISTRY |
Symbols of elements; GB locked out; Daphne waiting for BO. |
|
These
CDs used to be available in Australia at ABC Shops, but when I last
checked on 8th September 2017, none of these CDs were available.
The good news is that Grace Gibson Productions, the company which owns the syndication rights to "Yes, What?" has released to the general public CDs containing 20 MP3 files each in correct chronological order. Last time I checked on 8th September 2017, 13 volumes with 20 episodes per volume were available for AU$29.95 each. Each episode has been remastered by Bob Hawker.
|
Book
Additionally, a very comprehensive book about
"Yes, What?" has been released, called: "Yes, What? The Story of The
Fourth Form At St. Percy's", written by Vern Sundfors and Bob Hawker.
It contains everything you could possibly want to know about "Yes,
What?" and then some!
The book is well written and also contains many
photographs of the actors. Included is a synopsis of each of the known
episodes.
The book was available for AU$25 at Grace Gibson's web site,
but the last time I checked on 8th September 2017, they were out of stock.
Listening to Episodes
A couple of people whose names are unknown have uploaded some episodes to YouTube. You can go to
www.youtube.com and type in
yes what into their search field.
It remains to be seen how long they will remain there.
Once the copyright owners find it, no doubt they will request that YouTube remove them.
Episode Listing
I have a
list of many of the episodes with brief
synopses.
