Film reveals musical talents of Spike Milligan

A short film based on the musical prowess of renowned comedian and Woy Woy legend Spike Milligan is attracting worldwide interest.

Central Coast based musician, composer and producer Greg Englert has created the film – The Unknown Spike Milligan – focusing on the little-known musical talent of the comedian.

With support from Geoff Potter, the curator of the Spike Milligan exhibit based at Woy Woy Library, and the Milligan family, Englert has created a film which takes a close look at Milligan’s cornet – proudly housed at the exhibit – and explores the lesser-known side of him as a multi-instrumentalist musician and composer.

Englert said he first became aware of the existence of the cornet when he played with a jazz band at the opening of the exhibit in 2018.

He recently decided to approach the Milligan family to ask permission to examine and play the cornet.

“I told them that having played Louis Armstrong’s trumpets in New York I felt it would be great to also play the cornet of a man who I grew up listening to and who greatly shaped my humour,” he said.

After obtaining the blessing of the family, Englert collaborated with Potter, the local historian credited with keeping Milligan’s memory alive, and together they undertook a detailed examination of the cornet leading to an amazing revelation that it was an Antoine Courtois brand cornet made between 1872 and 1873. 

“The cornet is almost in mint condition and plays perfectly – it is by far the best playing brass instrument I have ever played,” Englert said.

During research for the film, he discovered two filmed performances where Milligan was playing the exact same cornet and so the plan was hatched to film Englert playing the cornet in split-screen films along with Milligan, also playing the cornet.

One performance is from the BBC in 1964 and one from Perth television in 1984, and the two performances are the highlight of the film which also reveals Milligan playing guitar in 1947 and crooning – seriously singing – with smatterings of “Goonisms”.

The film is now on YouTube under the title The Unknown Spike Milligan and Englert said it was already gaining large numbers of views worldwide.

The Spike Milligan Exhibit – along with the cornet – is located at Woy Woy Library and is free to visit during library opening hours; Monday to Friday 9am-5pm and Saturdays 9am-12pm.

GEM Studio is located on the Central Coast and can be followed on its Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Source:

GEM Studio