The Men From The Ministry
Broadcast on Tuesdays at 8:00pm on the Light Programme.
Repeated in a different order on Saturdays at 1:10pm on the Home Service
26.1.63 to 20.4.63. A Christmas special episode was broadcast on 24.12.64 at
7:30pm on the Home Service.
| Episode |
Date |
Repeat |
Title |
|---|
| 1/1 | 30.10.62 | 16.02.63 | The Great Footwear Scandal |
| 1/2 | 06.11.62 | 09.02.63 | The Big Rocket * |
| 1/3 | 13.11.62 | 16.03.63 | Strictly For The Birds |
| 1/4 | 20.11.62 | 23.03.63 | French Cricket |
| 1/5 | 27.11.62 | 26.01.63 | The War With The Isle Of Wight |
| 1/6 | 04.12.62 | 23.02.63 | Moderately Important Person |
| 1/7 | 11.12.62 | 09.03.63 | The Rhubarb Pirates |
| 1/8 | 18.12.62 | 30.03.63 | A Matter Of Form |
| 1/9 | 25.12.62 | 02.02.63 | The Magic Carpet |
| 1/10 | 01.01.62 | 13.04.63 | The Spy In The Black Pin-Stripe |
| 1/11 | 08.01.63 | 06.04.63 | Island In The Sun |
| 1/12 | 15.01.63 | 02.03.63 | Problem In The Park |
| 1/13 | 22.01.63 | 20.04.63 | The End Of The Road |
| SP | 24.12.64 | | A Present For Norman |
Broadcast on Sundays at 9:00pm on the Light Programme.
Repeated the following Tuesdays at 8:00pm on the Light Programme.
| Episode |
Date |
Repeat |
Title |
|---|
| 2/1 | 25.07.65 | 27.07.65 | Pirates Of Lakeview Reservoir |
| 2/2 | 01.08.65 | 03.08.65 | Something About A Soldier * |
| 2/3 | 08.08.65 | 10.08.65 | The Trouble With Cecil |
| 2/4 | 15.08.65 | 17.08.65 | Mahboni Lies Over The Ocean |
| 2/5 | 22.08.65 | 24.08.65 | The Man Who Made It Rain |
| 2/6 | 29.08.65 | 31.08.65 | Train Of Events |
| 2/7 | 05.09.65 | 07.09.65 | A Degrading Business |
| 2/8 | 12.09.65 | 14.09.65 | The Butcher Of Glensporran |
| 2/9 | 19.09.65 | 21.09.65 | Counter Spies |
| 2/10 | 26.09.65 | 28.09.65 | A Question Of Dundancy |
| 2/11 | 03.10.65 | 05.10.65 | A Back-Dated Problem |
| 2/12 | 10.10.65 | 12.10.65 | The Hole |
| 2/13 | 17.10.65 | 19.10.65 | The Day The Martians Came |
Broadcast on Sundays on the Light Programme, at 9:30pm
from 11.12.66 to 25.12.66, and at 9:00pm from 1.1.67 to 12.3.67.
Repeated in the same order (excluding the Christmas special "The Post Office
Pantomime") on Mondays at 7:00pm on the Home Service 3.4.67 to 26.6.67.
| Episode |
Date |
Repeat |
Title |
|---|
| 3/1 | 11.12.66 | 03.04.67 | Rebel In Regents Park |
| 3/2 | 18.12.66 | 10.04.67 | A Terrifying Weapon |
| 3/3 | 25.12.66 | | The Post Office Pantomime |
| 3/4 | 01.01.67 | 17.04.67 | All At Sea |
| 3/5 | 08.01.67 | 24.04.67 | Bowler Hats And Sub-Machine Guns |
| 3/6 | 15.01.67 | 01.05.67 | On The Run |
| 3/7 | 22.01.67 | 08.05.67 | A Gift For Sir Gregory |
| 3/8 | 29.01.67 | 15.05.67 | A Whitehall Circus |
| 3/9 | 05.02.67 | 22.05.67 | Customs Of The Country |
| 3/10 | 12.02.67 | 29.05.67 | Getting The Bird |
| 3/11 | 19.02.67 | 05.06.67 | The Girl In The Case |
| 3/12 | 26.02.67 | 12.06.67 | The Thing On The Beach |
| 3/13 | 05.03.67 | 19.06.67 | A Slight Case Of Demolition * |
| 3/14 | 12.03.67 | 26.06.67 | The Fastest Ship In The World |
Broadcast on Sundays at 2:31pm on Radio 2. Repeated the
following Monday on Radios 1 and 2, at 8:45pm on 19.2.68 and the following
Wednesdays on Radio 2 at 7:45pm from 28.2.68 to 15.5.68.
| Episode |
Date |
Repeat |
Title |
|---|
| 4/1 | 18.02.68 | 19.02.68 | The Battle Of The River Thames |
| 4/2 | 25.02.68 | 28.02.68 | The Tubby Submarine |
| 4/3 | 03.03.68 | 06.03.68 | A Matter Of Breeding |
| 4/4 | 10.03.68 | 13.03.68 | The Great Showbiz Fiasco |
| 4/5 | 17.03.68 | 20.03.68 | Up The Poll |
| 4/6 | 24.03.68 | 27.03.68 | Waterway To Go |
| 4/7 | 31.03.68 | 03.04.68 | Dam Nuisance |
| 4/8 | 07.04.68 | 10.04.68 | The Fastest Brolly In The West |
| 4/9 | 14.04.68 | 17.04.68 | Lamb Takes A Gambol |
| 4/10 | 21.04.68 | 24.04.68 | Four Men In A Wellington |
| 4/11 | 28.04.68 | 01.04.68 | Out Of This World |
| 4/12 | 05.05.68 | 08.05.68 | Muddlers-In-Law |
| 4/13 | 12.05.68 | 15.05.68 | What Has Four Wheels And Flies ? |
Broadcast on Tuesdays at 7:00pm on Radio 4.
The series was not repeated. The episodes were first broadcast
in a different order by the BBC World Service, which had
commissioned this series.
| Episode |
Date |
World S. |
Title |
|---|
| 5/1 | 25.03.69 | 15.02.69 | A Rotten System |
| 5/2 | 01.04.69 | 08.03.69 | A Brush With An Old Master |
| 5/3 | 08.04.69 | 15.03.69 | All Play And No Work |
| 5/4 | 15.04.69 | 22.03.69 | A Sticky Business |
| 5/5 | 22.04.69 | 22.02.69 | The Home-Brewed Non-Vintage Bomb |
| 5/6 | 29.04.69 | 01.03.69 | The Ship That Wagged It's Tail |
Broadcast Tuesdays at 7:30pm on Radio 4.
The series was not repeated. Some episodes were
first broadcast by the BBC World Service.
| Episode |
Date |
World S. |
Title |
|---|
| 6/1 | 30.06.70 | | Bye-Bye Mildred * |
| 6/2 | 07.07.70 | 15.03.70 | The Bare Necessities * |
| 6/3 | 14.07.70 | 22.03.70 | Storm In A Tea-urn |
| 6/4 | 21.07.70 | 29.03.70 | The Moving Target |
| 6/5 | 28.07.70 | x | Oil Well That Ends Well |
| 6/6 | 04.08.70 | x | The Bigger The Better |
| 6/7 | 11.08.70 | x | Trouble In The Air |
| 6/8 | 18.08.70 | x | Miss Chaterley's Lover |
| 6/9 | 25.08.70 | x | The Pudding From Outer Space |
| 6/10 | 01.09.70 | | A Little Of What You Fancy |
| 6/11 | 08.09.70 | | A Bird In The Hand |
| 6/12 | 15.09.70 | | Bringing The House Down |
| 6/13 | 22.09.70 | | Fair Exchange |
| 6/14 | 29.09.70 | | Bill Stickers Is Innocent |
Broadcast on Thursdays at 12:25pm on Radio 4. The last episode
was broadcast two months after the others on a Monday at 6:15pm on Radio 4.
The series was not repeated.
| Episode |
Date |
|
Title |
|---|
| 7/1 | 29.07.71 | | Rolling In It * |
| 7/2 | 05.08.71 | | Up Up And Away |
| 7/3 | 12.08.71 | | Thoroughly Modern Ministry |
| 7/4 | 19.08.71 | | We All Make Mistakes |
| 7/5 | 26.08.71 | | A Foolproof Fool |
| 7/6 | 02.09.71 | | Rotten To The Corps |
| 7/7 | 09.09.71 | | Transatlantic Trouble |
| 7/8 | 16.09.71 | | The Finger Of Suspicion |
| 7/9 | 23.09.71 | | Just The Ticket |
| 7/10 | 29.11.71 | | Gone To Pot |
Broadcast on Tuesdays at 12:25pm on Radio 4. Repeated the
following Thursdays at 6:15pm on Radio 4.
| Episode |
Date |
Repeat |
Title |
|---|
| 8/1 | 11.07.72 | 13.07.72 | The Conference Trick * |
| 8/2 | 18.07.72 | 20.07.72 | The Night We Crept Into The Crypt |
| 8/3 | 25.07.72 | 27.07.72 | How Now, Brown Cow |
| 8/4 | 01.08.72 | 03.08.72 | Sorry, Wrong Number |
| 8/5 | 08.08.72 | 10.08.72 | The Desk Job |
| 8/6 | 15.08.72 | 17.08.72 | Fowl Play |
| 8/7 | 22.08.72 | 24.08.72 | Something Of Value |
| 8/8 | 29.08.72 | 27.08.72 | Taking Leave Of Their Census |
Broadcast on Tuesdays at 12:25pm on Radio 4. Repeated the
following Thursdays at 6:15pm on Radio 4. Episode 9/5 "A Private Affair"
was billed as being the 100th show. It is actually the 96th broadcast.
Most likely, there was a difference between the recording and broadcast
sequences.
| Episode |
Date |
Repeat |
Title |
|---|
| 9/1 | 06.03.73 | 08.03.73 | That's My Pigeon |
| 9/2 | 13.03.73 | 15.03.73 | Don't Let Them Needle You |
| 9/3 | 20.03.73 | 22.03.73 | Find The Lady |
| 9/4 | 27.03.73 | 29.03.73 | Bridge Under Troubled Water |
| 9/5 | 03.04.73 | 05.04.73 | A Private Affair * |
| 9/6 | 10.04.73 | 12.04.73 | Food For Thought |
| 9/7 | 17.04.73 | 19.04.73 | Getting It Taped |
| 9/8 | 24.04.73 | 26.04.73 | Safe And Unsound |
| 9/9 | 01.05.73 | 03.05.73 | The Export Caper |
| 9/10 | 08.05.73 | 10.05.73 | Flushed With Success |
| 9/11 | 15.05.73 | 17.05.73 | Under The Weather |
| 9/12 | 22.05.73 | 24.05.73 | Monkey Business |
| 9/13 | 29.05.73 | 31.05.73 | Cheesed Off |
Broadcast Mondays at 6:15pm on Radio 4. Repeated the following
Wednesdays at 12:27pm on Radio 4.
| Episode |
Date |
Repeat |
Title |
|---|
| 10/1 | 17.06.74 | 19.06.74 | Plane Madness |
| 10/2 | 24.06.74 | 26.06.74 | Vipers In The Bosom |
| 10/3 | 01.07.74 | 03.07.74 | Great Guns |
| 10/4 | 08.07.74 | 11.07.74 | I Want My Mummy |
| 10/5 | 15.07.74 | 17.07.74 | One Man's Meat |
| 10/6 | 22.07.74 | 24.07.74 | Ballet Nuisance |
| 10/7 | 29.07.74 | 31.07.74 | Sky High |
| 10/8 | 05.08.74 | 07.08.74 | A Break For Sir Gregory |
| 10/9 | 12.08.74 | 14.08.74 | Health And Deficiency |
| 10/10 | 19.08.74 | 21.08.74 | Big Deal |
| 10/11 | 26.08.74 | 28.08.74 | They Fry By Night |
| 10/12 | 02.09.74 | 04.09.74 | In The Picture |
| 10/13 | 09.09.74 | 11.09.74 | She'll Have To Go |
Broadcast Mondays at 6:15pm on Radio 4. Repeated in a
different order on Sundays at 7:02pm on Radio 4, 5.10.75 to 28.12.75.
| Episode |
Date |
Repeat |
Title |
|---|
| 11/1 | 26.05.75 | 05.10.75 | Nothing But The Vest |
| 11/2 | 06.06.75 | 12.10.75 | That's My Baby |
| 11/3 | 09.06.75 | 19.10.75 | All That Glitters |
| 11/4 | 16.06.75 | 14.12.75 | Torn To Shreds |
| 11/5 | 23.06.75 | 02.11.75 | Wool Over Their Eyes |
| 11/6 | 30.06.75 | 09.11.75 | This VAT And The Other |
| 11/7 | 07.07.75 | 16.11.75 | The Great Trouser Troubles |
| 11/8 | 14.07.75 | 23.11.75 | The Cabinet Crisis |
| 11/9 | 21.07.75 | 30.11.75 | Chain Reaction |
| 11/10 | 28.07.75 | 07.12.75 | All Change |
| 11/11 | 04.08.75 | 26.10.75 | A Merry Dance |
| 11/12 | 11.08.75 | 21.12.75 | A Sense Of Power |
| 11/13 | 18.08.75 | 28.12.75 | Postal Disorder |
Broadcast Mondays at 6:15pm on Radio 4. Repeated the
following Tuesdays at 12:27pm on Radio 4.
| Episode |
Date |
Repeat |
Title |
|---|
| 12/1 | 06.07.76 | 08.07.76 | All Cisterns Go |
| 12/2 | 13.07.76 | 15.07.76 | A Problem Shared |
| 12/3 | 20.07.76 | 22.07.76 | The Whitehall Castaways |
| 12/4 | 27.07.76 | 29.07.76 | Off The Rails |
| 12/5 | 03.08.76 | 05.08.76 | Penny Wise |
| 12/6 | 10.08.76 | 12.08.76 | A Turn For The Nurse |
| 12/7 | 17.08.76 | 19.08.76 | Seal Of Office |
| 12/8 | 24.08.76 | 26.08.76 | Birmingham Is Revolting |
Broadcast Mondays at 6:30pm on Radio 4.
Repeated the following Wednesdays at 12:27pm on Radio 4
| Episode |
Date |
Repeat |
Title |
|---|
| 13/1 | 04.07.77 | 06.07.77 | Mission Inedible |
| 13/2 | 11.07.77 | 13.07.77 | Horse Play |
| 13/3 | 18.07.77 | 20.07.77 | The Big Big Big Ben Bungle |
| 13/4 | 25.07.77 | 27.07.77 | A Motley Crew |
| 13/5 | 01.08.77 | 02.08.77 | Not On Your Telly |
| 13/6 | 08.08.77 | 10.08.77 | One Way Only |
| 13/7 | 15.08.77 | 17.08.77 | Take Your Pick |
| 13/8 | 22.08.77 | 24.08.77 | Claws |
In 1980, the Transcription Service, a branch of the BBC
responsible for distributing recordings to other international broadcasters,
commissioned Edward Taylor to update the scripts from fourteen early episodes of
The Men From The Ministry. Most of the episodes were remade from Series 1
and 2. In the new recordings, Dercyk Guyler took the place of Wilfrid Hyde White.
They were not broadcast as a series in the UK, probably only on the BBC World
Service. However, the transmission dates have not yet been identified.
| Episode |
Title |
Remade From |
|---|
| 14/1 | Boots | 1/01 The Great Footwear Scandal |
| 14/2 | Pardon My French | 1/04 French Cricket |
| 14/3 | Traffic Diversions | 1/13 The End Of The Road |
| 14/4 | Watch This Space | 1/02 The Big Rocket |
| 14/5 | Birds Of A Feather | 1/03 Strictly The Birds |
| 14/6 | Where There's A Will | 1/12 Problem in the Park |
| 14/7 | The Country Caper | 1/07 The Rhubarb Pirates |
| 14/8 | Ban The Wotsit | 3/02 A Terrifying Weapon |
| 14/9 | A Testing Time | 2/07 A Degrading Business |
| 14/10 | Pushing The Vote Out | 4/05 Up The Poll |
| 14/11 | Gone To Earth | 2/12 The Hole |
| 14/12 | Computaclanger | 2/03 The Trouble With Cecil |
| 14/13 | A Great Convenience | 3/13 A Slight Case Of Demolition |
| 14/14 | The Christmas Spirit | 1/09 The Magic Carpet |
Return to The Men From The Ministry home page
This page was compiled by Gary Schajer, Vancouver, Canada.
gary@schajer.com