Editing Tony Hancock (section)

== Later years ==
{{Further|Hancock (1963 TV series)}}
Hancock moved to [[Associated TeleVision|ATV]] in 1962 with different writers, though Oakes, retained as an advisor, disagreed over script ideas and the two men severed their professional (but not personal) relationship. The initial writer of Hancock's ATV series, Godfrey Harrison, had scripted the successful [[George Cole (actor)|George Cole]] radio series ''A Life Of Bliss'', and also Hancock's first regular television appearances on ''Fools Rush In'' (a segment of ''[[Kaleidoscope (British TV series)|Kaleidoscope]]'') more than a decade earlier. Harrison had trouble meeting deadlines, so other writers were commissioned, including [[Terry Nation]].<ref>[http://www.thekettering.co.uk/ Kettering Magazine] Issue No. 2 p5; ''Hancock At ATV''</ref>
 
The [[Hancock (1963 TV series)|ATV series]] was transmitted in early 1963, on the same evenings as the second series of ''[[Steptoe and Son]]'', written by Hancock's former writers, Galton and Simpson. Critical comparisons did not favour Hancock's series. Around 1965, Hancock made a series of 11 television adverts<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnLyqBtU_F8  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/JnLyqBtU_F8| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|title=TV adverts |date=12 May 2007 |publisher=YouTube |access-date=2011-02-16}}{{cbignore}}</ref> for the Egg Marketing Board. Hancock starred in the adverts with [[Patricia Hayes]] as the character "Mrs Crevatte" in an attempt to revive the Galton and Simpson style of scripts. Slightly earlier, in 1963, he had featured in a spoof ''Hancock Report'' – hired by [[Richard Beeching, Baron Beeching|Lord Beeching]] to promote [[Beeching cuts|his plan to reduce railway mileage]] in newspapr advertisements and posters. A pamphlet featuring Hancock entitled The Truth About the Railways - The Hancock report was also published by the British Railways Board. Hancock reportedly wanted to be paid what Beeching was paid annually – £34,000; he was offered half that amount for his services.<ref>BBC TV, ''Ian Hislop Goes off the Rails''.</ref>

Hancock continued to make regular appearances on British television until 1967, including a 50-minute show for BBC2 from the Royal Festival Hall, which was poorly received. By then his [[alcoholism]] was seriously affecting his performances. Two unsuccessful variety series for [[ABC Weekend TV]], ''The Blackpool Show'' (1966) and ''Hancock's'' (1967), were his last work for British television. He tried a role in a Disney film – ''[[The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin]]'' – but was sacked after reportedly having trouble with the mock-Shakespearian dialogue. He collapsed with acute liver failure on 1 January 1967 and was told he would die within three months if he continued drinking.<ref>Fisher, John ''Tony Hancock: The Definitive Biography'' (2008) p. 439</ref>  

In December 1967, while recovering from a broken rib from a drunken fall, he became ill with [[pneumonia]].<ref>Fisher, John ''Tony Hancock: The Definitive Biography'' (2008) p. 454</ref> His final television appearances were in Australia under a contract to make a 13-part series for the [[Seven Network]]. However, after arriving in Australia in March 1968, he completed only three programmes before his death and they remained unaired for nearly four years. These shows are the only existing television footage of him in colour, as all his previous shows had been made for black-and-white television.