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The Clitheroe Kid
''The Clitheroe Kid'' was a BBC Radio comedy show featuring diminutive Northern comic Jimmy Clitheroe in the role of a cheeky schoolboy, who lived with his family at Lilac Avenue in an unnamed town in the North of England. The pilot show, pilot series, and 16 subsequent series, totalling 290 episodes in all, were originally broadcast between April 1957 and August 1972. Cast In addition to Clitheroe himself, the show's stars included Peter Sinclair playing his Scottish granddad, Patricia Burke as his mother (in some early shows the part was played by Renée Houston), and Diana Day as his long-suffering sister, Susan (the sister, originally called Judith Clitheroe, was played in the earliest episodes by Judith Chalmers). Jimmy's father never appeared, and his absence was never addressed. Oldham comedian Danny Ross played Alfie Hall, Susan's half-witted, tongue-tied boyfriend, who was often drawn into Jimmy's reckless schemes. He joined the show in 1960, replacing Susan's origi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sitcom
A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use new characters in each sketch, and stand-up comedy, where a comedian tells jokes and stories to an audience. Sitcoms originated in radio, but today are found mostly on television as one of its dominant narrative forms. A situation comedy television program may be recorded in front of a studio audience, depending on the program's production format. The effect of a live studio audience can be imitated or enhanced by the use of a laugh track. Critics disagree over the utility of the term "sitcom" in classifying shows that have come into existence since the turn of the century. Many contemporary American sitcoms use the single-camera setup and do not feature a laugh track, thus often resembling the dramedy shows of the 1980s and 1990s rather t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BBC Genome Project
The BBC Genome Project is an online searchable database of programme listings initially based upon the contents of the ''Radio Times'' from the first issue in 1923 to 2009. Television listings from post-2009 can be accessed via the BBC Programmes site. History Prior BBC Genome is not the first online searchable database. In April 2006, they gave the public access to Infax – their only electronic programme database at the time. It contained around 900,000 entries but not every programme ever broadcast, and it ceased operation in December 2007. The front page of the website is still available to see via the Internet Archive. After Infax ceased, a message on the website said that it would be incorporating in the information into individual programme pages. In 2012, Infax was replaced by the database Fabric but this is only for internal use within the BBC. ''Radio Times'' In December 2012, the BBC completed a digitisation exercise, scanning the listings from ''Radio Times'' of al ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anthea Askey
Anthea Shirley Askey (2 March 1933 – 28 February 1999) was an English actress, particularly prominent on television in the 1950s. Anthea Askey was born in Golders Green, north London, to the comedian and actor Arthur Askey, and his wife Elizabeth May Swash. She featured in many television roles alongside her father. Her early television appearances included '' Love and Kisses'', where she played Rose Brown, whose father Bill was played by her father; while other TV and films include ''The Love Match'', ''Ramsbottom Rides Again'', ''Before Your Very Eyes'', ''Living It Up'', ''The Dickie Henderson Half-Hour'', ''Arthur's Treasured Volumes'' and a cameo appearance in ''Make Mine a Million'' in 1959. In 1993, she appeared in ''Climb the Greasy Pole: Part 1'', an episode of '' The Darling Buds of May''. Askey died in Worthing, West Sussex West Sussex is a county in South East England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the shire districts of Ad ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robert Moreton
Robert Moreton (born Henry Moreton; 25 June 1922 – 22 July 1957) was an English comedian and actor. Biography Born in Teddington, Middlesex, he initially had a successful straight acting career with the Old Vic Theatre, before becoming a scriptwriter for comedians Tommy Handley and Lupino Lane. He served in the Royal Air Force, where he performed in Gang Shows with Tony Hancock among others. He developed a distinctive character as an amateurish and dithering aspiring comedian. His act involved him looking through his imaginary "Bumper Fun Book" for a joke, trying to tell it but hesitating and getting confused, for instance through turning over the wrong page, before eventually coming up with the punchline -- which would frequently make no sense, until Moreton went back and read the set-up. This 'reverse' style of joke telling would get a laugh on the reveal of the unexpected set-up, and became Moreton's signature. On receiving applause, he would cry out "Get in there, M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Irene Handl
Irene Handl (27 December 1901 – 29 November 1987) was a British author and character actress who appeared in more than 100 British films. Life Irene Handl was born in Maida Vale, London, the younger of two daughters of an Austria-born father -- who came to England via Switzerland and started as a bank clerk working his way up into the stock exchange as a stockbroker, then became a private banker -- Friedrich (later Frederick) Handl (1874–1961), who became a naturalised British subject. Her German mother, Marie ( Schiepp or Schuepp; 1875–before 1924), was also a naturalised British subject. Theirs was a comfortable middle-class life, with a German cook and housekeeper living in the family home. From 1907 to 1915, Irene attended the Paddington and Maida Vale High School. In the 1920s, Handl travelled several times to New York with her father, with the ship's log listing her on each occasion as having no occupation and residing in the family home. Handl studied at ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mollie Weir
Mary Weir (17 March 1910 – 28 November 2004), known as Molly Weir, was a Scottish actress. She appeared as the character Hazel the McWitch in the BBC TV series ''Rentaghost''. She was the sister of naturalist and broadcaster Tom Weir. Biography Born in Glasgow and brought up in the Springburn area of the city, Weir began in amateur dramatics. In her early professional career, she was a well-known radio actress, featuring in many comedy shows, such as ''ITMA''. Her greatest theatrical success came in '' The Happiest Days of Your Life''. She made her film debut in 1949, and had a regular role as the housekeeper, Aggie McDonald, in the radio and television sitcom ''Life With The Lyons''. During the 1970s and early 1980s she became famous as a writer, with several volumes of best-selling memoirs, notably, '' Shoes Were For Sunday''. She also appeared in a series of television advertisements for ''Flash'' the household cleaning agent. In 1969, she appeared in '' The Prime of M ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Laurie
John Paton Laurie (25 March 1897 – 23 June 1980) was a Scottish actor. In the course of his career, Laurie performed on the stage and in films as well as television. He is perhaps best remembered for his role in the sitcom ''Dad's Army'' (1968-1977) as Private Frazer, a member of the Home Guard. Laurie appeared in scores of feature films with directors such as Alfred Hitchcock, Michael Powell, and Laurence Olivier, generally playing memorable small or supporting roles rather than leading ones. As a stage actor, he was cast in Shakespearean roles and was a speaker of verse, especially of Robert Burns. Early life John Paton Laurie was born on 25 March 1897 in Dumfries, Dumfriesshire to William Laurie (1856–1903), a clerk in a tweed mill and later a hatter and hosier, and Jessie Ann Laurie (''née'' Brown; 1858–1935). Laurie attended Dumfries Academy (a grammar school at the time), before abandoning a career in architecture to serve in the First World War as a member of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Deryck Guyler
Deryck Bower Guyler (29 April 1914 – 7 October 1999) was an English actor, best remembered for his portrayal of officious, short-tempered middle-aged men in sitcoms such as ''Please Sir!'' and ''Sykes''. Early life Guyler was born in Wallasey on the Wirral Peninsula, Cheshire, the son of Samuel Phipps Guyler, a jeweller, and Elsie Evelyn, née Bower. In his childhood, a next-door neighbour was Irené Eastwood, who would also go on to have a career in show business when she changed her name to Anne Ziegler - the 1921 census shows the Eastwood family at 111 Hartington Rd, Liverpool and the Guylers at 113. He attended Liverpool College and originally planned a career in the Church of England, having studied theology for a year. In the 1930s, he joined the Liverpool Repertory Theatre and performed in numerous productions. During the Second World War, he was called up and joined the RAF Police but was later invalided from service, whereupon he joined Entertainments National Serv ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rosalie Williams
Rosalie Williams (12 June 1919 in Barton upon Irwell, Lancashire – 11 December 2009 in Manchester) was an English actress best known for her appearance as Mrs. Hudson in ''The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'' TV series produced by Granada Television from 1984 until 1994 alongside Jeremy Brett, David Burke, Edward Hardwicke, and Colin Jeavons. Rosalie Williams also appeared as Mrs Lacey, Mrs Rimmer and Mrs Sowerbutts in ''Coronation Street'', an award-winning British soap opera (March 1978 to 1991), and as Mary in 10 episodes of ''Flambards'' (1979). Her first husband was Hugh Sinclair, with whom she had two children. Her second husband, actor David Scase, died in 2003. Their son, Rory, was also in the theatre business. Credits Williams has the following credits to her name: * ''The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes'' – Mrs Hudson (6 episodes; 1994) * ''Dancing Queen'' (1993) (TV) – Lily * ''The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes'' – Mrs Hudson (5 episodes; 1991–93) * ''Truckers' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brian Trueman
Brian Trueman (born 16 May 1932) is an English broadcaster, writer and voice actor. He is known mainly for his work with the animation studio Cosgrove Hall. He wrote and/or narrated children's cartoon series, mostly during the 1970s and 1980s. Career Trueman's cartoons were originally shown on ITV, in its CITV programming slot. However, he also presented the BBC's children's film quiz ''Screen Test'', taking over from original host Michael Rodd between 1979 and 1983. Prior to taking up a writing career Brian worked for many years on local programming in the North West, from ''It's Trueman'' to ''Granada Reports''. He also had a stint hosting Granada's film review show, ''Cinema'', taking over from Michael Parkinson. In 1951, in his youth, he appeared on stage for the Urmston Amateur Operatic Society (now the Urmston Musical Theatre) in a production of '' Merrie England'', playing the role of Big Ben. Filmography * ''SuperTed'' - Pilot episode * ''Chorlton and the Wheelies'' * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leonard Williams (actor)
Leonard Williams (born West Derby, Liverpool, Lancashire 1914 - died London 15 November 1962) was an English actor. He was best known for playing Sergeant Percy Twentyman on the police television series ''Z-Cars''. According to Brian Blessed he was "the joker of the cast", who spent his time on set making his colleagues laugh. Williams also played the characters of Theodore Craythorpe & Harry Whittle in the BBC radio comedy series ''The Clitheroe Kid''. He also made regular appearances opposite Harry Worth on television. He died of a heart attack at his flat in Lexham Gardens, Kensington. He was father to two children; Leon & Marianne, and was husband to Imelda. He was the nephew of actor George Carney. Selected filmography * ''The Magnet'' (1950) * '' Orders Are Orders'' (1954) * ''Make Me an Offer'' (1954) * ''The Passing Stranger'' (1954) * ''The Love Match'' (1955) * ''Ramsbottom Rides Again'' (1955) * ''Timeslip ''Timeslip'' is a British children's science fiction tel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter Goodwright
Peter Goodwright (12 May 1936 – 2 November 2020) was an English comedic impressionist. He appeared on the ITV impressions show '' Who Do You Do?'' in the 1970s. Goodwright was born in Haslington, Cheshire. Career Goodwright has been referred to as "the godfather of impressionists". On radio in the 1950s, he appeared in ''The Clitheroe Kid'' and the last episode of ''Hancock's Half Hour''; where he impersonated Tony Hancock as he specialised in impersonating radio performers. As well as ''Who Do You Do?'', he made several television appearances, including on '' Jokers Wild''. He was a panel member on the BBC Radio 2 comedy game ''The Impressionists'' and appeared on the ''Royal Variety Performance'' in 1987. He worked with Harry Enfield in the spoof documentary biopic '' Norbert Smith: A Life'' in 1989, and also appeared on stage in farces by Ray Cooney Raymond George Alfred Cooney, OBE (born 30 May 1932) is an English playwright, actor, and director. His biggest success, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
