Whack-O! is a British sitcom TV series starring Jimmy Edwards, written by Frank Muir and Denis Norden, and broadcast from 1956 to 1960 and 1971 to 1972. The series (in black and white) ran on the BBC from 1956 to 1960 and (in colour) from 1971 to 1972. Edwards took the part of Professor James Edwards, M.A., the drunken, gambling, devious, cane-swishing headmaster who tyrannised staff and children at Chiselbury public school (described in the opening titles as "for the sons of Gentlefolk"). The Edwards character bore more than a passing resemblance to Sergeant Bilko as he tried to swindle the children out of their pocket money to finance his many schemes. The first six episodes were subtitled "Six of the Best". In 1959 a film was made based on the show, called Bottoms Up!. The series was revived in colour with updated scripts in 1971–72, slightly retitled Whacko!. In all, it ran for a total of 60 episodes, with 47 of black-and-white and 13 colour, of 30 minutes each. There were three special shorts. There was also a radio version with Vera Lynn starring as herself in the second episode. Many of these radio episodes were recovered by a BBC archivist from a listener's collection of tapes in 2012, and are now being broadcast on Radio 4 Extra. The front of the historic house of Great Fosters near Egham in Surrey was used in the opening title sequence of the TV comedy series, behind the name of the fictional Chiselbury School. Cast Professor James Edwards played by Jimmy Edwards Mr Oliver Pettigrew played by Arthur Howard in 1956–60 and Julian Orchard in 1971 Mr F.D. Price Whittaker played by Kenneth Cope Mr S.A. Smallpiece played by Norman Bird Lumley (a pupil) played by John Stirling Mr R.P. Tench played by Peter Glaze Mr Halliforth played by Edwin Apps in 1956–60 and Peter Greene in 1971 Parker played by David Langford Mr Forbes played by Keith Smith Mr Proctor played by Brian Rawlinson Mr Dinwiddie played by Gordon Phillot in 1956–60 and Harold Bennett in 1971 Mr Cope-Willoughby played by Frank Raymond Matron played by Barbra Archer, Liz Fraser and by Charlotte Mitchell Taplow played by Gary Warren in 1971 Potter played by Greg Smith in 1971 Proctor played by John Clegg Clodagh Rodgers appeared as herself during the colour series in 1972 Max Bygraves appeared as himself in one