‘It’s not an appeal for money – it’s all right, you’ve been robbed enough as it is.’ ibid.
‘Try if you can to force some titters.’ ibid.
‘Listen. No, listen.’ ibid.
Frankie’s comeback on TW3 followed a breakthrough cabaret appearance at Peter Cook’s Establishment Club in Soho. ibid.
Frankie Howerd opened in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Old Vic on the 23rd December 1957. ibid.
Joyce Grenfell was born on the 10th February 1910 in Montpelier Square, London ... the niece of Lady Nancy Astor. Heroes of Comedy: Joyce Grenfell
Terry-Thomas was born in Finchley on 14th July 1911 ... Terry became Hollywood’s favourite idea of the comic Englishman, and throughout his career starred in over 75 films. Heroes of Comedy s1e6: Terry-Thomas
Les [Dawson] eventually emerged as a star on Opportunity Knocks in 1967. Heroes of Comedy s2e1: Les Dawson
Les married Tracy in 1989 three years after the death of his first wife Meg. ibid.
Kenny’s first ambition was to become a priest – in his early teens he spent a year at a seminary run by the Verona Fathers. Heroes of Comedy s2e2: Kenny Everett
Kenny’s Thames Television shows performed to the crew, without a studio audience. ibid.
Born in Southampton on 21 January 1924 Benny was christened Alfred Hawthorn Hill; he took his stage name from his American comedy hero Jack Benny. Heroes of Comedy s3e1: Benny Hill
Benny began to appear regularly on BBC television as early as 1951: four years later he was starring in his own show. ibid.
In 1989 in the face of changing trends and tighter budgets Thames Television decided not to renew Benny’s contract. ibid.
Anthony John Hancock was born in Birmingham on 12 May 1924 and moved with his parents to Bournemouth at the age of three. Heroes of Comedy s3e4: Tony Hancock
Before the transition of Hancock’s Half Hour from radio to BBC television in 1956, The Tony Hancock Show, written by Eric Sykes, was one of the first comedy series to be featured on the new commercial channel. ibid.
Between 1954 and 1961 Galton and Simpson wrote 102 radio and 63 television half-hours for Hancock, as well as the feature film The Rebel. ibid.
Ray and Alan went on to write Steptoe and Son, while Beryl became the producer of Men Behaving Badly. ibid.
Upon leaving the BBC, Hancock returned to ITV for his last three series. ibid.
Tony Hancock was found dead from an overdose in Australia on the morning of 25 June 1968. ibid.
Norman Wisdom was born in Paddington, London on 4th February 1915. Heroes of Comedy s4e1: Norman Wisdom
Norman’s [Wisdom] first major film There’s Trouble in Store broke house records almost everywhere during its first four weeks on release. ibid.
Walking Happy opened on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on 26th November 1966, and Norman recreated his success at the Tony Awards the following year. ibid.
Norman’s international fame extended to South America, China, Eastern Europe, as well as the former USSR. ibid.
Norman received critical acclaim for his portrayal of a cancer patient in Going Gently which won the BAFTA drama award for 1981/2. ibid.
Eric’s early scriptwriting for radio also included Educating Archie and occasional material for The Goon Show. Heroes of Comedy s4e3: Eric Sykes
Eric Sykes was born in Oldham, Lancashire on 4th May 1923. ibid.
Eric’s partnership with Hattie Jacques extended over 127 episodes of the successful BBC sitcom between 1960 and 1979. ibid.
Hattie Jacques died at the early age of 56 on 6 October 1980. ibid.
Eric’s other semi-silent film comedies include Rhubarb! Mr H is Late and The Big Freeze. ibid.
Kenneth Williams died from an overdose of barbiturates on 14th April 1988. Heroes of Comedy s5e1: Kenneth Williams
Upon his death in 1997 Russell Davies took on the massive task of editing his diaries and letters for publication. ibid.
After Share My Lettuce Kenneth starred in Pieces of Eight with Fenella Fielding and One Over Eight with Lance Percival. ibid.
Kenneth starred in 25 of the 30 Carry On films, more than any other member of the team. ibid.
Between 1971 and 1985 Johnnie Hamp produced ten series of The Comedians for Granada Television. Heroes of Comedy s5e2: Bernard Manning
Bernard John Manning was born in Ancoats, Manchester on 13 August 1930. ibid.
Bernard is a rare recipient of two silver hearts for charitable services from the Variety Club of Great Britain. ibid.
Sid eventually became a stalwart of the post-war British film industry and starred or featured in no less than 113 movies. Heroes of Comedy s6e2: Sid James
The first radio series of Hancock’s Half Hour also featured Bill Kerr and Moira Lister. ibid.
Citizen James, by Alan Simpson and Ray Galton, reunited Sid with Bill Kerr, his colleague from Hancock days. ibid.
George and the Dragon was the first of several series written and created for Sid by Vince Powell and Harry Driver. ibid.
Sid’s Carry On career extended from Carry On Constable in 1960 to Carry on Dick in 1974. ibid.
Spike, the son of an army NCO from Southern Ireland, was born in India on 16th April 1918. Heroes of Comedy s6e3: Spike Milligan
Spike’s World War II memoirs have been acclaimed as one of the most vivid accounts of that conflict. ibid.
The Goon Show, starring Spike, Harry Secombe and Peter Sellers was first broadcast on 28th May 1951 and ran on BBC Radio until 1960. Michael Bentine, a founder member of the group, left after the second series. ibid.
Hattie was born Josephine Edwina Jacques in Sandgate Kent on 7th February 1922. Heroes of Comedy s6e4: Hattie Jacques
Hattie joined the company of the Players Theatre shortly after World War II. ibid.
Hattie joined Hancock’s Half Hour as Hancock’s secretary Miss Grizelda Pugh during the fourth series in 1956. ibid.
Hattie’s television partnership with Eric Sykes ran for sixteen series between 1960 and her death. ibid.
Hattie died of a heart attack on 6 October 1980. ibid.
You’ve heard of the Great Wall of China: that was my grandfather. Heroes of Comedy s7e1: Max Wall
This performance of Max’s one-man show was recorded at the Greenwich Theatre, the scene of many of his later triumphs. ibid.
Max was a featured attraction on Larry Adler’s Road Show in Variety in the thirties. ibid.
‘At the age of six I lost both my parents. Yes. What a card game that was.’ ibid. Max Wall, An Evening With Max Wall
‘I enjoy my act more than anyone.’ ibid. Max Wall
The Pyjama Game ran for 578 performances at the London Coliseum between 1955 and 1957. ibid.
‘I can think of twelve to fourteen woman tearing their hair out to get to know me ... Who wants to go out with bald-headed women?’ ibid. Max
‘I’m dead behind these eyes.’ ibid. Max on stage
‘I’m very well known in the field of classical music. I’m also well known in the field behind the gas-works. But my visits there get fewer.’ ibid.
4At the tender age of nineteen he landed his first gig as a DJ aboard a pirate ship. The Unforgettable s1e5: Kenny Everett
In 1967 a lifelong ambition was fulfilled as Kenny Everett signed up with the corporation he called the Beeb. ibid.
The BBC decided they should part ways. ibid.
Kenny’s Catholic education had a profound effect on his life. ibid.
Kenny died on April 4th 1995. ibid.