British comedy – Cottage Capers

On this day in history….16th April 1965

On this day in history : 16th April 1965 – The death of actor and comedian Sydney Chaplin – who died on the birthday of his younger half-brother, Charlie Chaplin….

Promotional picture of Sydney Chaplin – Public domain

Sydney was born on the 16th of March 1885 in London…. His mother was 19-year-old Hannah Hill, a music hall entertainer…. She claimed his father to be Sydney Hawkes – but this was never to be confirmed…. A year later Hannah married Charles Chaplin Sr – and he became Sydney’s legal guardian and his name was changed to Chaplin…. When Sydney was 4-years-old a little brother arrived, Charlie…. The pair were always to be close as brothers….

Syd and Charlie were taken into care following their mother’s mental breakdown…. At the age of 12 Syd was trained for a life at sea, serving on the ‘Exmouth’, a training ship based at Grays, Middlesex…. He spent the next few years at sea as a steward….

However, entertainment was in Syd’s blood…. In 1905 he and Charlie appeared on stage together for the first time, in a production of ‘Sherlock Holmes’…. Then in 1906 Syd managed to get a contract with Fred Karno as a music hall comedian – performing with ‘The Speechless Comedians’, one of the most successful entertainment troupes of the time…. Syd enjoyed relative fame and secured his brother a place within the company – but Charlie’s time of fame was to come later….

Syd married his first wife, Minnie, at some time around 1914…. They had no children – and she was to die in the September of 1936, in France, following surgery for breast cancer….

By 1915 Charlie had become famous worldwide…. It was around this time that Syd and Charlie were contacted by their younger half-brother Wheeler Dryden, who was living in America…. Born to Hannah, in 1892, Wheeler had been brought up by his father, music hall entertainer Leo Dryden, as she was continuing to have mental health issues…. Syd and Charlie, along with their mother, emigrated to the US and the family was reunited….

Syd and Minnie settle in California…. He was to make a dozen or so films, including ‘A Submarine Pirate’ for Keystone in 1915 – one of the most successful Keystone comedies ever made….

Syd Chaplin at the periscope in a scene from ‘A Submarine Pirate’ – Public domain

Charlie’s fame continued to grow and soon Syd began to handle the majority of his business affairs and negotiate his contracts for him…. At the same time he was still making a few films himself, amongst them the highly successful ‘Shoulder Arms’ in 1918….

His later work included ‘Charley’s Aunt’ in 1925 and ‘The Better ‘Ole’ in 1927…. His last film ‘A Little Bit Of Fluff’ was made in England in 1928…. He was due to make a further film in 1929 but was accused of sexual assault by actress Molly Wright…. After settling out of court, seen as an admission of guilt by many, Syd retired from the screen and moved to the South of France, to escape the scandal…. He left behind a catalogue of unpaid debts and tax demands….and in 1930 he was declared bankrupt….

After Minnie’s death Syd married Henriette, know as ‘Gypsy’…. He died after a long illness and was buried in the Clarens-Montreux Cemetery, close to Vevey…. Gypsy was later buried next to him….

Image credit : Gerbil – own work – CC BY-SA 3.0

On this day in history….11th April 2001

On this day in history : 11th April 2001 – The death of much loved Welsh-English actor, comedian, writer and singer Sir Harry Secombe….

Harry Donald Secombe was born in St. Thomas, Swansea on the 8th of September 1921; he was the son of a shop manageress and a grocer…. He went to a state grammar school from the age of 11…. Being a religious family (his brother, Fred, was to become a clergyman) Harry attended Church regularly and sang in the church choir…. On leaving school he considered a career as an opera singer….however, in 1937 he became a pay clerk in a shop….

He was to join the Territorial Army – and then during world War 2 he served in the North African Campaign, Sicily and Italy, as a Lance Bombardier with No.132 Field Regiment…. It was whilst in North Africa that he was first to meet Spike Milligan….

Harry joined the concert party in Sicily, performing comedy routines to entertain the troops….and after the War he was to team up with Spike as a comedy duo…. In 1946 he became one of the comics at London’s Windmill Theatre…. His radio break came when he was made resident comedian on the BBC Welsh programme ‘Welsh Rarebit’ – and he went on to make regular contributions to the popular show ‘Educating Archie’….

He was to meet fellow comedian Michael Bentine and along with Spike they were introduced to Peter Sellers…. This was to lead to a collaboration for a radio comedy programme entitled ’Crazy People’….which changed its name after the first series to become ‘The Goon Show’…. A hugely successful series which ran for a total of 238 half hour episodes and 12 specials between 1951 to 1960….

Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe – Fair use

The Goon Show team made several films to accompany the radio show, including ‘Down Among the Z Men’ in 1952…. Harry, now enjoying success as a comedian, began a tandem career as a singer and had a number of best selling albums…. He appeared in various stage musicals, including ‘Pickwick’ (based on Charles Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers) in 1963, from which came his single ‘If I Ruled the World’, which reached No.18 in the UK charts – and was later to become his signature tune…. His most successful chart topping song was ‘This is My Song’, which reached No.2….

Image credit : Jacob Whittaker via Flickr

His film work included numerous films, such as ‘Jet Storm’ and ‘Davy’ (about a music hall performer) in 1958, ‘Oliver’ (in which he played Mr. Bumble) in 1968, ‘The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins’ in 1971 and ‘Starstruck’ in 1972….

In 1968 he was given his own TV show – ‘The Harry Secombe Show’ – which was first aired on BBC1 on Christmas Day 1968 and ran until 1973….

In 1963 he was awarded a CBE and knighted in 1981….

His later career saw a more serious Harry Secombe…. His rotund appearance having disappeared, after losing 5 stone in weight following a severe attack of peritonitis in 1980…. In 1983 he became the host of the religious TV programme ‘Highway’….

Ill health began to mar his life…. He suffered a stroke in 1997 and was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September 1998…. A second stroke in 1999 forced Harry to give up his TV career…. He also suffered from diabetes….

Harry died in hospital in Guildford of prostate cancer on the 11th of April 2001…. His ashes were interred in the churchyard of Shamley Green Parish Church… His tombstone reads “To know him was to love him”….

He left behind his wife Myra, whom he had married in 1948 and their four children….

British History, Uncategorized

On this day in history….21st January 1924

On this day in history : 24th January 1924 – The birth of Alfred Hawthorne Hill – better known to us as the slapstick comedian and actor Benny Hill….

Waxwork of Benny Hill in character as Fred Scuttle on The Benny Hill Show – Ricardo Liberato via Wikimedia Commons

Hill was born in Southampton – both his father and grandfather before him had been circus clowns…. Hill had a variety of jobs after leaving school…. He worked in Woolworth’s, did a spell as a milkman, was a driver, a bridge operator and even a drummer – before finally becoming assistant stage manager for a touring theatre company….

In 1942 he was called up – and served as a truck driver, mechanic and search light operator in Normandy, France…. However, his talent to entertain did not go unnoticed and he was eventually transferred to Combined Services Entertainment – the division which provided entertainment to the British Armed Forces…. It was at this time he changed his name to Benny – after his favourite comedian Jack Benny….

After the War he performed on radio – and made his TV debut in 1950…. He pursued a film career, with credits including ‘Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines’, ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ and ‘The Italian Job’ – amongst others….

But his real glory came from his long running TV series ‘The Benny Hill Show’…. With its sketches of slapstick, parody, mime and double entendre the show ran in one form or another from January 1955 to May 1989 – and aired in over 140 countries…. In 1971 audience in the UK peaked at more than 21 million viewers…. However, declining numbers meant that in 1989 the show was axed….

Hill never married, although he proposed to at least two women – he had no children…. By the late 1980s his health had begun to decline – and in February 1992 he was advised to have a heart bypass after a mild heart attack…. He declined….a week later he was also diagnosed with kidney failure…. Benny Hill died alone, in his armchair in front of the TV, in April 1992….

Portrait of Benny Hill, from Press Kit – Fair use

British History, Uncategorized

On this day in history….2nd November 1954

On this day in history : 2nd November 1954 – BBC radio comedy ‘Hancock’s Half Hour’ makes its debut….

The very first episode ‘The First Night Party’ – with special guest appearances from Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Moria Lister and Bill Kerr – sees Hancock throw a party to celebrate his new radio show….having hired a venue from Sid…. Of course, things don’t go according to plan….

Approximately 100 episodes of Hancock’s Half Hour were made for radio broadcast….following Hancock’s adventures as an actor and comedian finding it hard to make his way in his chosen career…. In 1956 it made its first appearance on television, paving the way for the traditional sitcom….

Tony Hancock (right) and Sid James – Fair use

Writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson had met in 1948 whilst both in a sanatorium recovering from TB…. Later Hancock, Galton and Simpson went on to create Steptoe and Son for the BBC….

British History, Uncategorized

On this day in history….3rd June 1971

On this day in history : 3rd June 1971 – The premier in London’s West End of the longest-running comedy in history ~ “No Sex Please, We’re British”….starring Michael Crawford….

Written by Alastair Foot and Anthony Marriott and directed by Allan Davis the farcical play opened at the West End’s Strand Theatre….

Strand Theatre (2007) – Turquoisefish CC By 3.0

The plot centred around Bank Manager Peter Hunter and his new wife, Frances, who live in a flat above the bank…. Frances sends away for some Scandinavian glass – but when it arrives it turns out to be not glass at all….but Scandinavian pornography…. A flood of photographs, books and films begins to arrive and the couple, along with the bank’s chief cashier, Brian Runnicles, desperately try to find a way to get rid of it…. Matters are complicated by Peter’s interfering mother, his boss, a bank inspector and a police superintendent….

The part of Brian Runnicles was at first played by Michael Crawford and later by David Jason…. Crawford used the character of Runnicles for his persona of Frank Spencer in “Some Mother’s Do ‘Ave ‘Em”…. He was offered the part of Frank after the success of “No Sex Please, We’re British” but had not been the first choice for the hit sit-com…. the part had been offered to Ronnie Barker and then Norman Wisdom – but both had turned it down…. However, it has to be said Michael Crawford made Frank Spencer his own….

Michael Crawford in Sydney, 2012 – Eva Rinaldi CC BY-SA 2.0

The character of Frances Hunter in “No Sex Please, We’re British” was initially played by Belinda Carroll…. The comedy ran until 1987, playing at full houses at three West End theatres:- The Strand, The Garrick and The Duchess, giving a total of 6,761 performances…. However, it did not enjoy the same level of success in America, closing after only sixteen performances on Broadway in 1973….

Also in 1973 a film version starring Ronnie Corbett as Brian was released with with changes to names, script and elements of the plot….