Spike Milligan was a British comedian, writer, poet, playwright and actor born in 1918 in India. He is best known for creating and starring in the popular radio comedy show "The Goon Show" which aired from 1951 to 1960. Milligan had a long career writing and performing comedy across various mediums including radio, television, film and books. He authored over 41 books in various genres including poetry and novels. Milligan passed away in 2002 at the age of 83, leaving behind a significant body of comedic work.