Editing Max Geldray (section)

==BBC years (1947–61)==

[[File:Goons.jpeg|thumb|alt=Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe pose around a BBC microphone|[[Peter Sellers]] (top), with [[Spike Milligan]] (left) and [[Harry Secombe]] (right) in ''[[The Goon Show]]'']]

Settling in London, Geldray took up British citizenship,<ref name="Stage obit" /> and worked on a number of BBC radio programmes, such as [[Workers' Playtime (radio programme)|''Workers' Playtime'']], ''Melody Magazine'' and ''Forces' All-Star Bill''.<ref name="D Tel Obit" /><ref name="Times Obit" /> In 1951, he provided the musical interludes for a new BBC series ''Crazy People'', a comedy show that starred [[Harry Secombe]], [[Peter Sellers]], [[Spike Milligan]], and [[Michael Bentine]].{{sfn|Wilmut|Grafton|1981|p=37}} ''Crazy People'' changed its name for subsequent series to ''[[The Goon Show]]'' and Geldray was a regular performer in the remaining nine series.{{sfn|Farnes|1997|pp=189–192}} The show followed a successful format of a vague plot interspersed by two musical performances; the BBC used the same structure for several radio series.{{sfn|Wilmut|Grafton|1981|p=14}} In ''The Goon Show'', the musical segments were taken up by Geldray and The [[Ray Ellington]] Quartet,{{sfn|Wilmut|Grafton|1981|p=47}} with Geldray also playing "[[Crazy Rhythm]]" for the play-out music.<ref name="Leigh DNB" /> On occasion, Geldray was given brief lines to perform, although he felt uncomfortable doing so, and his lack of acting ability became a running gag on the programme.<ref name="Times Obit" /> Geldray was also the butt of some of the Goon jokes and humour: he was referred to throughout the programmes as "Conks", on account of his nose, and his performances were often humorously dismissed by the announcer [[Wallace Greenslade]], with such comments as: "That was Mr Max Geldray playing a harmonica. We thought you ought to know what it was, anyhow."<ref name="Times Obit" />

In the early 1950s, Geldray's marriage ended in divorce, after the relationship had "burned itself out",{{sfn|Geldray|1989|p=157}} and he began a relationship with a dancer, Barbara.{{sfn|Geldray|1989|p=158}} In 1956, Geldray appeared in three television comedy shows produced by [[ITV (network)|ITV]] and starring the Goons: ''[[The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d]]'' (broadcast 24 February – 23 April 1956),{{sfn|Rigelsford|2004|p=165}} ''[[A Show Called Fred]]'' (broadcast 2–30 May 1956){{sfn|Rigelsford|2004|p=165}} and ''[[Son of Fred]]'' (broadcast 17 September – 5 November 1956).{{sfn|Rigelsford|2004|p=166}}<ref name="Independent Obit" /> In 1957, he released an album, ''Goon with the Wind'', which was produced by [[George Martin]] and released on the [[Parlophone]] label.{{sfn|Larkin|1998|p=159}} Later that year, Geldray also appeared in ''Hancock's 43 Minutes'', the Christmas edition of ''[[Hancock's Half Hour]]'', broadcast on 23 December 1957.{{sfn|Webber|2005|p=262}} In 1958, the BBC proposed dropping Geldray from ''The Goon Show'' in a cost-cutting measure; Peter Sellers threatened to leave the series, and Geldray remained.<ref name="Leigh DNB" /><ref name="Independent Obit" />

''The Goon Show'' finished its ten-series run on 28 January 1960.{{sfn|Farnes|1997|pp=189–192}} In 1961, with his six-year relationship with Barbara at an end, Geldray worked as an entertainer on four trips on the [[RMS Queen Elizabeth|RMS ''Queen Elizabeth'']].<ref name="D Tel Obit" /> On visiting Los Angeles he was impressed by the city and decided to emigrate to the US.<ref name="Guardian Obit" />