Julian and Sandy were characters on the BBC radio programme Round the Horne, played respectively by Hugh Paddick and Kenneth Williams, with scripts written by Barry Took and Marty Feldman. According to a BBC Radio 4 programme on the characters they were named after the writers Sandy Wilson and Julian Slade. The characters were originally conceived as two ageing Shakespearean "old luvvie" actors who were doing domestic work (in Kenneth Horne's flat) while waiting for the next acting job. The producer thought the characters were too sad and suggested making them younger "chorus boy" types.