Editing It's That Man Again (section)

====Series 1: July to August 1939====
[[File:Thomas Reginald 'Tommy' Handley - BBC.jpg|thumb|upright=1|The comedian [[Tommy Handley]] in the 1940s]]
The first series of ''ITMA'' was planned to be a trial run of six shows of 45-minute duration, broadcast fortnightly. They began on 12 July 1939, performed at a BBC [[Recording studio|sound facility]], either at [[Maida Vale Studios]],{{sfn|Worsley|1949|p=3}} or [[St. George's Hall, London|St. George's Hall]].{{sfn|Foster|Furst|1999|p=31}} The shows were broadcast live on the [[BBC National Programme]] at 8.15&nbsp;pm.{{sfn|"It's That Man Again". ''The Radio Times''}} The programme was set on a ship able to broadcast radio programmes, with Handley as the station controller and presenter. He was accompanied by Cecilia Eddy, Eric Egan and Sam Heppner. The show included a quiz hosted by [[Lionel Gamlin]].{{sfn|Foster|Furst|1999|p=31}}{{sfn|"It's That Man Again". ''The Radio Times''}}

In an article in the ''[[Radio Times]]'' that accompanied the first programme, Worsley described the premise of the show: Handley "gets hold of a ship, equips it with a transmitter and studio, and sails the Seven Seas scattering broadcast culture (Handley brand) and 'commercials' (any brand)".{{sfn|Worsley|1939|p=10}} Music was provided by the Jack Harris Band, who had been performing at London hotspots, including the [[Café de Paris (London)|Café de Paris]] and the [[London Casino]].{{sfn|Worsley|1939|p=10}} With a tense international situation in mid-1939, Kavanagh was careful to avoid writing in political jokes, or any material too topical or sensitive. Handley was known to keep to a script, with little or no [[ad-libbing]] to worry the producers.{{sfn|Worsley|1949|p=3}}{{sfn|Took|1981|p=23}}

The fourth episode of ''ITMA'' was broadcast on 30 August. When the [[Second World War]] broke out on 3 September, the remainder of the series was cancelled.{{sfn|Foster|Furst|1999|p=32}}{{sfn|Worsley|1949|p=4}}{{efn|The pre-war broadcasts of ''ITMA'' comprised one series with four programmes, from 12 July 1939 to 30 August 1939.{{sfn|Foster|Furst|1999|pp=27–28}}}} The show had been of limited success,{{sfn|Took|1981|p=23}} and Worsley thought it was likely to have been "another broadcasting flop".{{sfn|Worsley|1949|p=4}}