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Francis Alick Howard (6 March 1917 – 19 April 1992), better known by his stage-name Frankie Howerd, was an English actor and comedian.
's ''Early life
Howerd was born the son of soldier Francis Alfred William (1887–1934)England & Wales, Death Index: 1916–2005 and Edith Florence Howard (née Morrison, 1888–1962), at the City Hospital inYork
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
, England, in 1917 (not 1922 as he later claimed). His mother worked at the Rowntree's
Rowntree's is a British confectionery brand and former business based in York, England. Rowntree developed the Kit Kat (introduced in 1935), Aero (introduced in 1935), Fruit Pastilles (introduced in 1881), Smarties (introduced in 1937) brands ...
chocolate factory. For his first two and a half years, Howerd lived in a terraced house at 53, Hartoft Street. He described it as "a poorish area of the city near the River Ouse". He later said he had only one memory of living in York and that was of falling down the stairs, an experience which left him with a life-long dread of heights. He returned to York on many occasions for family holidays, however, and later in life spoke of his fondness for the city.
His family moved to Eltham
Eltham ( ) is a district of southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It is east-southeast of Charing Cross, and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. The three wards of Elt ...
, London when he was a young child, and he was educated at Shooter's Hill Grammar School in Shooter's Hill
Shooter's Hill (or Shooters Hill) is a district in South East London within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It borders the London Borough of Bexley. It lies north of Eltham and south of Woolwich. With a height of , it is the highest point in t ...
.Howerd, Frankie (1976) ''On the Way I Lost It'', W.H. Allen,
Career
His first stage appearance was at age 13 but his early hopes of becoming a serious actor were dashed when he failed an audition for theRoyal Academy of Dramatic Art
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Sen ...
. He began to entertain during World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
service in the British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
. It was at this time that he adapted his surname to Howerd "to be different". In 1944 he became a bombardier in Plymouth, was promoted to sergeant, and on 6 June 1944 was part of the D-Day
The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D ...
effort but was stuck on a boat off Normandy. Despite suffering from stage fright
Stage fright or performance anxiety is the anxiety, fear, or persistent phobia which may be aroused in an individual by the requirement to perform in front of an audience, real or imagined, whether actually or potentially (for example, when perf ...
, he continued to work after the war, beginning his professional career in the summer of 1946 in a touring show called ''For the Fun of It''.
His act was soon heard on radio, when he made his debut, in early December 1946, on the BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...Variety Bandbox
''Variety Bandbox'' is a BBC Radio variety show transmitted initially in the BBC General Forces Programme, General Forces Programme and then the BBC Light Programme, Light Programme. Featuring a mixture of comic performances and music, the show h ...
'' programme with a number of other ex-servicemen. His profile rose in the immediate postwar period (aided with material written by Eric Sykes
Eric Sykes (4 May 1923 – 4 July 2012) was an English radio, stage, television and film writer, comedian, actor, and director whose performing career spanned more than 50 years. He frequently wrote for and performed with many other leading com ...
, Galton and Simpson
Ray Galton OBE (17 July 1930 – 5 October 2018) and Alan Simpson OBE (27 November 1929 – 8 February 2017) were English comedy scriptwriters whose partnership lasted over 50 years. They met in 1948 whilst recuperating from tuberculosis ...
and Johnny Speight
Johnny Speight (2 June 1920 – 5 July 1998) was an English television scriptwriter of many classic British sitcoms.
He emerged in the mid-1950s. He wrote for radio comics Frankie Howerd, Vic Oliver, Arthur Askey, and Cyril Fletcher. For tele ...
). He then toured the Music Hall circuit with an act including what became his standard catch-phrases such as "titter ye not". He also became a regular in the 1950s editions of the weekly hard-copy comic ''Film Fun
''Film Fun'' was a British celebrity comics comic book that ran from (issues dates) 17 January 1920 to 15 September 1962, when it merged with ''Buster (comic), Buster'', a total of 2,225 issues. There were also annuals in the forties and fiftie ...
''.
In 1954 he made his screen debut opposite Petula Clark
Petula Sally Olwen Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932) is an English singer, actress, and composer. She has one of the longest serving careers of a British singer, spanning more than seven decades.
Clark's professional career began during the ...
in ''The Runaway Bus
''The Runaway Bus'' is a 1954 British comedy film produced, written, and directed by Val Guest. It stars Frankie Howerd, Margaret Rutherford and Petula Clark and an ensemble cast of character actors in a story about a bus caught in fog while ...
'', which had been written for his specific comic talent. Filming took five weeks, with a budget of £45,000.
He then experimented with different formats and contexts, including stage farces, Shakespearean comedy
In the First Folio, the plays of William Shakespeare were grouped into three categories: comedies, histories, and tragedies; and modern scholars recognize a fourth category, ''romance'', to describe the specific types of comedy that appear in Shak ...
roles, and television sitcoms. At the start of the 1960s, he began to recover his old popularity, initially with a season at Peter Cook
Peter Edward Cook (17 November 1937 – 9 January 1995) was an English actor, comedian, satirist, playwright and screenwriter. He was the leading figure of the British satire boom of the 1960s, and he was associated with the anti-establishme ...
's satirical Establishment Club
The Establishment was a London nightclub that opened in October 1961, at 18 Greek Street, Soho, and which became known in retrospect for satire although at the time was a venue more commonly booking jazz acts and used for other events. It was fo ...
in Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century.
The area was develop ...
in London. He was boosted further by success on ''That Was the Week That Was
''That Was the Week That Was'', informally ''TWTWTW'' or ''TW3'', is a satirical television comedy programme that aired on BBC Television in 1962 and 1963. It was devised, produced, and directed by Ned Sherrin and Jack (aka John) Duncan, and pre ...
'' (TW3) in 1963 and on stage with '' A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' (1963–1965), which led into regular television work. In 1966 and 1967, he co-hosted a 90-minute Christmas show called ''The Frankie and Bruce Christmas Show'' with Bruce Forsyth
Sir Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson (22 February 1928 – 18 August 2017) was a British entertainer and presenter whose career spanned more than 70 years. Forsyth came to national attention from the late 1950s through the ITV series '' Sunday Nig ...
, featuring many top acts of the day.
During the 1960s and 1970s, he was involved in shows for the BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...Thames Television
Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a Broadcast license, franchise holder for a region of the British ITV (TV network), ITV television network serving Greater London, London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until th ...
(as well as ''Frankie Howerd Reveals All'' for Yorkshire Television
ITV Yorkshire, previously known as Yorkshire Television and commonly referred to as just YTV, is the British television service provided by ITV Broadcasting Limited for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV (TV network), ITV network. Until 19 ...
in 1980). Ray Galton
Raymond Percy Galton (17 July 1930 – 5 October 2018) was an English radio and television scriptwriter, best known for the Galton and Simpson comedy writing partnership with Alan Simpson. Together they devised and wrote 1950s and 60s BBC sitco ...
and Alan Simpson wrote for him from 1964 to 1966 when he worked for the BBC and also for a one-off show for Thames, ''Frankie Howerd meets the Bee Gees'', shown on 20 August 1968. He was known for his seemingly off-the-cuff
In music and other performing arts, the phrase (; from Latin for 'at one's pleasure' or 'as you desire'), often shortened to "ad lib" (as an adjective or adverb) or "ad-lib" (as a verb or noun), refers to various forms of improvisation.
The ...
remarks to the audience, especially in the show ''Up Pompeii!
''Up Pompeii!'' is a British television comedy series broadcast between 1969 and 1970, starring Frankie Howerd. The first series was written by Talbot Rothwell, a scriptwriter for the ''Carry On'' films, and the second series by Rothwell and S ...
'' (1969–70), which was a direct follow-up from ''Forum''. His television work was characterised by direct addresses to camera and by his littering monologue
In theatre, a monologue (from el, μονόλογος, from μόνος ''mónos'', "alone, solitary" and λόγος ''lógos'', "speech") is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes a ...
s with verbal tic
A tic is a sudden, repetitive, nonrhythmic motor movement or vocalization involving discrete muscle groups.American Psychiatric Association (2000)DSM-IV-TR: Tourette's Disorder.''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'', 4th ed., ...
s such as "Oooh, no missus" and "Titter ye not". A later sale of his scripts, however, showed that the seemingly off-the-cuff remarks had all been meticulously planned. Barry Cryer
Barry Charles Cryer (23 March 1935 – 25 January 2022) was an English writer, comedian, and actor. As well as performing on stage, radio and television, Cryer wrote for many performers including Dave Allen, Stanley Baxter, Jack Benny, Rory ...
said of his technique: "What he could do with a script was amazing, like all the great performers. He transformed something you'd just written – what you hoped was in a Frankie Howerd idiom – but when you heard him do it, my God, it was something else; – it was gossiping over the garden wall, the ''apparent'' waffle – he was like a tightrope walker, you thought he's going to fall off in a minute, you thought , 'Come on, Frank' , we're waiting for a laugh, and then, suddenly, ''Bang''. He knew exactly what he was doing." Another feature of his humour was to feign innocence about his obvious and risqué double entendre
A double entendre (plural double entendres) is a figure of speech or a particular way of wording that is devised to have a double meaning, of which one is typically obvious, whereas the other often conveys a message that would be too socially ...
s, while mockingly censuring the audience for finding them funny.
Howerd appeared as Francis Bigger, one of the lead characters in 1967's ''Carry On Doctor
''Carry On Doctor'' is a 1967 British comedy film, the 15th in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). It is the second in the series to have a medical theme. Frankie Howerd makes the first of his two appearances in the film series ...
'', of which ''Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' noted, "Added zest is given by the inclusion of Frankie Howerd as a quack 'mind-over-matter' doctor who becomes a reluctant patient. Howerd's brilliantly droll sense of comedy is given plenty of scope."
The success of the film version of ''Up Pompeii
''Up Pompeii!'' is a British television comedy series broadcast between 1969 and 1970, starring Frankie Howerd. The first series was written by Talbot Rothwell, a scriptwriter for the ''Carry On'' films, and the second series by Rothwell and S ...
'' in 1971 saw British exhibitors vote him the ninth most popular star at the British box office that year. He would play versions of the character Lurkio in ''Up the Chastity Belt
''Up the Chastity Belt'' (also released as ''Naughty Knights'' in the United States) is a 1971 British comedy film directed by Bob Kellett and starring Frankie Howerd. It was a spin-off from the TV series '' Up Pompeii!''
Plot
Eleanor of Aquit ...
'' (Lurkalot), also in 1971, and ''Up the Front
''Up the Front'' is a 1972 British comedy film directed by Bob Kellett and starring Frankie Howerd, Bill Fraser, and Hermione Baddeley. It is the third film spin-off from the television series '' Up Pompeii!'' (the previous films being ''Up t ...
'' (Boot Boy Lurk) in 1972.
In 1971 Howerd recorded, with June Whitfield
Dame June Rosemary Whitfield (11 November 1925 – 29 December 2018) was an English radio, television, and film actress.
Her big break was a lead in the radio comedy '' Take It from Here'', which aired on the BBC Light Programme in 1953. ...
, a comedy version of the song "Je t'aime
Je t’aime (a French phrase meaning "I love you") may refer to:
*'' Je t'aime, je t'aime, je t'aime'', a 1974 album by Johnny Hallyday
** "Je t'aime, je t'aime, je t'aime" (song), the title song from the above album
* "Je T'Aime" (Psychic TV son ...
", previously recorded by Jane Birkin
Jane Mallory Birkin, Order of British Empire, OBE (born 14 December 1946) is an English-French singer and actress. She attained international fame and notability for her decade-long musical and romantic partnership with Serge Gainsbourg. She als ...
and Serge Gainsbourg
Serge Gainsbourg (; born Lucien Ginsburg; 2 April 1928 – 2 March 1991) was a French musician, singer-songwriter, actor, author and filmmaker. Regarded as one of the most important figures in French pop, he was renowned for often provoca ...
, in which she featured as "Mavis" alongside Howerd's "Frank", and a third unexplained sleeping partner named "Arthur". The song was included in the 2004 CD re-issue of '' Oh! What a Carry On!''.
In 1976, Howerd appeared in ''The Frankie Howerd Show
''The Frankie Howerd Show'' is a Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connecti ...
'' on CBC Television
CBC Television (also known as CBC TV) is a Canadian English-language broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster. The network began operations on September 6, 1952. Its French-l ...
in Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. It received good ratings but was not renewed.
He was awarded an OBE in 1977.
In 1978, Howerd appeared in the big-budget Hollywood musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
'' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'' playing Mean Mr Mustard, acting alongside musical and film talent such as Peter Frampton
Peter Kenneth Frampton (born 22 April 1950) is an English musician and songwriter who was a member of the rock bands Humble Pie and the Herd. As a solo artist, he has released several albums, including his major breakthrough album, the live ...
, the Bee Gees
The Bee Gees
were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in the disco music era in ...
, George Burns
George Burns (born Nathan Birnbaum; January 20, 1896March 9, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer, and one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film and television. His arched eyebr ...
, Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...
, Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums) and Brad Whi ...
and Steve Martin
Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and musician. He has won five Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and was awarded an Honorary Academy Award in 2013. Additionally, he was nominate ...
. He was cast by producer Robert Stigwood
Robert Colin Stigwood (16 April 1934 – 4 January 2016) was an Australian-born British-resident music entrepreneur, film producer and impresario, best known for managing Cream (band), Cream, Andy Gibb and the Bee Gees, theatrical productions ...
as he was on Stigwood's record label
A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...
at the time. The film was a critical and commercial flop. Since Howerd was not well known to American audiences, this may have been his biggest exposure in the US.
There was a cabaret tour of New Zealand in 1979. In 1982, Howerd appeared in the televised versions of Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan was a Victorian era, Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900), who jointly created fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which ...
's ''Trial by Jury
A jury trial, or trial by jury, is a legal proceeding in which a jury makes a decision or findings of fact. It is distinguished from a bench trial in which a judge or panel of judges makes all decisions.
Jury trials are used in a significant ...
'' (as the Learned Judge) and ''H.M.S. Pinafore
''H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, whic ...
'' (as Sir Joseph Porter, KCB). He performed a comedy-duet with Cilla Black
Priscilla Maria Veronica White (27 May 1943 – 1 August 2015), better known as Cilla Black, was an English singer, actress and television presenter.
Championed by her friends the Beatles, Black began her career as a singer in 1963. Her ...
on ''Cilla Black's Christmas'' (1983).
After six years without a regular television show in the United Kingdom (though he had hosted a one-off UK version of ''The Gong Show
''The Gong Show'' is an American amateur talent contest franchised by Sony Pictures Television to many countries. It was broadcast on NBC's daytime schedule from June 14, 1976, through July 21, 1978, and in first-run syndication from 1976 to 1 ...
'' for Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
, which was critically panned and was not commissioned for a full series), Howerd returned to TV screens in 1987 in the Channel 4 show '' Superfrank!'', scripted by Miles Tredinnick
Miles Tredinnick, also known as Riff Regan, (born Warrington 18 February 1955) is a rock musician, songwriter and a stage and screenwriter. In the 1970s, he was the lead singer with the British rock band London.Spicer, Al, (2006) ''The Rough Gui ...
and Vince Powell
Vincent Joseph Powell (6 August 1928 – 13 July 2009) was a British television scriptwriter. He collaborated with a writing partner, Harry Driver, until 1973.
Early life
Powell was born as Vincent Joseph Smith to Roman Catholic parents in Mi ...
. In the last years of his career, Howerd developed a following with student audiences and performed a one-man show at universities and in small theatrical venues. He was also a regular guest on the late night BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
programme ''Into the Night'', hosted by Nicky Campbell
Nicholas Andrew Argyll Campbell, OBE (born Nicholas Lackey, 10 April 1961) is a Scottish broadcaster and journalist. He has worked in television and radio since 1981 and as a network presenter with BBC Radio since 1987.
Early life
Campbell wa ...
.
In 1990, he contributed to the last recording studio collaboration between Alan Parsons
Alan Parsons (born 20 December 1948) is an English audio engineer, songwriter, musician and record producer.
Parsons was involved with the production of several notable albums, including the Beatles' ''Abbey Road'' (1969) and '' Let It Be'' ...
and Eric Woolfson
Eric Norman Woolfson (18 March 1945 – 2 December 2009) was a Scottish songwriter, lyricist, vocalist, executive producer, pianist, and co-creator of The Alan Parsons Project. Together with Parsons they sold over 50 million albums worldwide. ...
, on the album '' Freudiana'', performing "Sects Therapy".
Howerd often worked with Sunny Rogers, who was his accompanying pianist from 1960 onwards. She appeared in his TV and live theatre shows including his last major West End appearance — his one-man show — at the Garrick Theatre
The Garrick Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster, named after the stage actor David Garrick. It opened in 1889 with ''The Profligate'', a play by Arthur Wing Pinero, and another Pinero play ...
in 1990.
Personal life
Throughout his career, Howerd hid his potentially career-destroying homosexuality (acts between consenting males being illegal inEngland and Wales
England and Wales () is one of the three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. It covers the constituent countries England and Wales and was formed by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. The substantive law of the jurisdiction is Eng ...
until 1967) from both his audience and his mother, Edith. In 1958, he met Sommelier
A sommelier ( or or ; ), or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, normally working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food pairing. The role of the wine steward in hau ...
Dennis Heymer at the Dorchester Hotel while dining with Sir John Mills
Sir John Mills (born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills; 22 February 190823 April 2005) was an English actor who appeared in more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades. He excelled on camera as an appealing British everyman who often portray ...
; Howerd was 40 and Heymer was 28. Heymer became his lover as well as manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities ...
, and stayed with him for more than thirty years, until Howerd's death, with Heymer helping to revive Howerd's flagging career in the 1960s. However, the two had to remain discreet as Howerd feared being blackmailed if anyone beyond his immediate circle found out. The relationship was explored in 2008 in a drama for BBC Four
BBC Four is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002
, ''Rather You Than Me'', starring David Walliams
David Edward Williams (born 20 August 1971), known professionally as David Walliams, is an English comedian, actor, writer, and television personality. He is best known for his work with Matt Lucas on the BBC sketch comedy series '' Little B ...
and Rafe Spall.
Backstage, Howerd was notoriously bold in his advances, and was known for his promiscuity
Promiscuity is the practice of engaging in sexual activity frequently with different Sexual partner, partners or being indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners. The term can carry a moral judgment. A common example of behavior viewed as pro ...
. One of Howerd's former boyfriends was comic actor Lee Young who created the TV sitcom ''Whoops Baghdad
''Whoops Baghdad'' is a BBC television comedy programme first broadcast from 25 January to 1 March 1973.
It stars Frankie Howerd, and was similar to his earlier programme ''Up Pompeii!'', with the setting moved from Ancient Rome to mediaeval Ba ...
'' (1973) for him. Howerd's uncomfortable relationship with his sexuality he once said to Cilla Black
Priscilla Maria Veronica White (27 May 1943 – 1 August 2015), better known as Cilla Black, was an English singer, actress and television presenter.
Championed by her friends the Beatles, Black began her career as a singer in 1963. Her ...
, "I wish to God I wasn't gay" as well as his depressive mental state, led him to seek resolution through a series of different methods. Heymer would often drop Howerd off on Friday at his psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry, the branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, study, and treatment of mental disorders. Psychiatrists are physicians and evaluate patients to determine whether their sy ...
, who would ply him with LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known colloquially as acid, is a potent psychedelic drug. Effects typically include intensified thoughts, emotions, and sensory perception. At sufficiently high dosages LSD manifests primarily mental, vi ...
over the weekend. This experience was later the subject of the March 2015 BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...
drama ''Frankie Takes a Trip''.
In his early career, Howerd suffered from a stutter
Stuttering, also known as stammering, is a speech disorder in which the flow of speech is disrupted by involuntary repetitions and prolongations of sounds, syllables, words, or phrases as well as involuntary silent pauses or blocks in which the ...
, which caused him some distress, but which he turned to advantage in developing his delivery style as a comic.
For the last 20 years of Howerd's life, he and Heymer lived in Wavering Down, a house in the village of Cross, Somerset
Compton Bishop is a small village and civil parish, at the western end of the Mendip Hills in the English county of Somerset. It is located close to the historic town of Axbridge. Along with the village of Cross and the hamlets of Rackley and We ...
, under the Mendip Hills
The Mendip Hills (commonly called the Mendips) is a range of limestone hills to the south of Bristol and Bath in Somerset, England. Running from Weston-super-Mare and the Bristol Channel in the west to the Frome valley in the east, the hills ...
. After Howerd's death, Heymer curated Howerd's collection of memorabilia until his own death in 2009.
Death
Having contracted a virus during a Christmas trip to theAmazon
Amazon most often refers to:
* Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology
* Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin
* Amazon River, in South America
* Amazon (company), an American multinational technology c ...
in 1991, Howerd suffered respiratory
The respiratory system (also respiratory apparatus, ventilatory system) is a biological system consisting of specific organs and structures used for gas exchange in animals and plants. The anatomy and physiology that make this happen varies grea ...
problems at the beginning of April 1992 and was taken to a clinic in London's Harley Street
Harley Street is a street in Marylebone, Central London, which has, since the 19th century housed a large number of private specialists in medicine and surgery. It was named after Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer.< ...
, but was discharged at Easter. He collapsed and died of heart failure
Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome, a group of signs and symptoms caused by an impairment of the heart's blood pumping function. Symptoms typically include shortness of breath, excessive fatigue, a ...
two weeks later, on the morning of 19 April 1992, aged 75. Two hours before he died, he was speaking on the telephone to his TV producer about new ideas for his next show.
Howerd died the day before fellow comedian Benny Hill
Alfred Hawthorne "Benny" Hill (21 January 1924 – 20 April 1992) was an English comedian, actor, singer and writer. He is remembered for his television programme ''The Benny Hill Show'', an amalgam of slapstick, burlesque and double ente ...
. News of the two deaths broke almost simultaneously and some newspapers ran an obituary of Howerd in which Hill was quoted as regretting Howerd's death, saying "We were great, great friends". The quote was released by Hill's unofficial press agent and friend, who was not aware that Hill had died.
Howerd's grave is at St. Gregory's Church in Weare, Somerset
Weare is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, on the River Axe, south of the Mendip Hills. Other settlements in the parish are the village of Lower Weare, the hamlets of Alston Sutton, Brinscombe, and Sparrow Hill, and part of the h ...
. In May 2009, when Heymer died, he was buried near him.
Legacy
A BBC TV biography about Frankie Howerd, ''Rather You Than Me'', was broadcast by BBC Four
BBC Four is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002
on 9 April 2008, and repeated on 10 February 2013. The script was written by Peter Harness, after extensive interviews with Howerd's partner, Dennis Heymer. The comedian David Walliams
David Edward Williams (born 20 August 1971), known professionally as David Walliams, is an English comedian, actor, writer, and television personality. He is best known for his work with Matt Lucas on the BBC sketch comedy series '' Little B ...
was cast as Howerd.
On 15 May 2009, Heymer died in the home that he and Howerd had shared. He was 79.
Howerd's home, Wavering Down, is a tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement.
Types
Places of natural b ...
and, in the summer, hosts concerts and opens regularly as a museum of Howerd's collection of memorabilia
A souvenir (), memento, keepsake, or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. A souvenir can be any object that can be collected or purchased and transported home by the traveler as a m ...
and personal effects such as his false teeth and ill-fitting toupee, to raise funds for charity.
Howerd also lived at 27 Edwardes Square
Edwardes Square is a garden square in Kensington, London, W8. The square was built between 1811 and 1820. 1–23 and 25–48 Edwardes Square are listed Grade II for their architectural merit.
Gardens
The communal gardens were laid out in 1820 ...
, Kensington
Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the West End of London, West of Central London.
The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up b ...
, London W8. The house bears a blue plaque
A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom and elsewhere to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving as a historical marker. The term i ...
installed by the Dead Comics' Society in 1993. In March 1999 former colleagues and friends and Howerd's sister Betty attended a fund-raising weekend in York and a blue plaque was placed on the Cumberland Street entrance to the Grand Opera House where it was thought that the general public was more likely to see it, with the inscription: "Frankie Howerd OBE 1917-1992. Son of York". On 26 July 2016, a York Civic Trust plaque was unveiled at 53, Hartoft Street, Howerd's childhood home, by York-born actor Mark Addy
Mark Ian Addy (born 14 January 1964) is an English actor. His roles in British television include Detective Constable Gary Boyle in the sitcom '' The Thin Blue Line'' (1995–1996) and Hercules in the fantasy drama series ''Atlantis'' (2013–2 ...
and the Lord Mayor of York Councillor Dave Taylor.
The church hall of St Barnabas Church, Eltham
Eltham ( ) is a district of southeast London, England, within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It is east-southeast of Charing Cross, and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. The three wards of Elt ...
, is called the Frankie Howerd Centre.
Howerd's career was described by the comedian Barry Cryer
Barry Charles Cryer (23 March 1935 – 25 January 2022) was an English writer, comedian, and actor. As well as performing on stage, radio and television, Cryer wrote for many performers including Dave Allen, Stanley Baxter, Jack Benny, Rory ...
as being "a series of comebacks".
Works
Recordings
Singles
*" Three Little Fishies" (1949), Harmony A1001, acc. by Billy Ternent and His Orchestra *"English As She Is Spoken"/"I'm The Man Who's Deputising for the Bull" (1952),Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
, written by Eric Sykes
Eric Sykes (4 May 1923 – 4 July 2012) was an English radio, stage, television and film writer, comedian, actor, and director whose performing career spanned more than 50 years. He frequently wrote for and performed with many other leading com ...
, acc. by Billy Ternent and His Orchestra
*"All's Going Well"/"Nymphs and Shepherds
Nymphs and Shepherds is a song by the English composer Henry Purcell, from the play ''The Libertine'' by Thomas Shadwell. When the play was first performed, in 1675, the accompanying music was by William Turner. Purcell's music was first use ...
" (1953), Philips Records
Philips Records is a record label founded by the Dutch electronics company Philips. It was founded as Philips Phonographische Industrie in 1950. In 1946, Philips acquired the company which pressed records for British Decca's Dutch outlet in A ...
PB214, with Margaret Rutherford
Dame Margaret Taylor Rutherford, (11 May 1892 – 22 May 1972) was an English actress of stage, television and film.
She came to national attention following World War II in the film adaptations of Noël Coward's '' Blithe Spirit'', and Osca ...
*" Up Je t'aime" (1971), with June Whitfield
Dame June Rosemary Whitfield (11 November 1925 – 29 December 2018) was an English radio, television, and film actress.
Her big break was a lead in the radio comedy '' Take It from Here'', which aired on the BBC Light Programme in 1953. ...
Albums
* ''At The Establishment and at the BBC'' (1963, Decca, scripted byBarry Took
Barry Took (19 June 192831 March 2002) was an English writer, television presenter and comedian. His decade-and-a-half writing partnership with Marty Feldman led to the television series ''Bootsie and Snudge'', the radio comedy ''Round the Horn ...
and Marty Feldman
Martin Alan Feldman (8 July 1934 – 2 December 1982) was a British actor, comedian and comedy writer. He was known for his exophthalmos, prominent, strabismus, misaligned eyes. He initially gained prominence as a writer with Barry Took on ...
)
* ''Please Yourselves'' (1976, Polydor, scripted by David Nobbs
David Gordon Nobbs (13 March 1935 – 8 August 2015"C ...
and David McKellar
David Norwood McKellar (born 22 May 1956) is a Scottish retired professional footballer, best remembered for his time as a goalkeeper in the Football League with Carlisle United, for whom he made 160 appearances for the club over two spells. ...
)
Radio
* ''The Frankie Howerd Show'' (1966) * ''The Frankie Howerd Show'' (1973–75) * ''The Frankie Howerd Variety Show'' (1978) * ''Frankie Howerd's Memoirs'' (date unknown, but often repeated)Television
* ''Frankly Howerd
''Frankly Howerd'' is a British comedy television series which aired on the BBC in six episodes between 1 May and 5 June 1959. It starred Frankie Howerd. It also featured Sidney Vivian and Helen Jessop. It was one of a number of series Howerd m ...
'' (1959)
* ''That Was The Week That Was
''That Was the Week That Was'', informally ''TWTWTW'' or ''TW3'', is a satirical television comedy programme that aired on BBC Television in 1962 and 1963. It was devised, produced, and directed by Ned Sherrin and Jack (aka John) Duncan, and pre ...
'' (1962) – Himself
* ''The Frankie Howerd Show'' (1964-1966)
* ''East of Howerd'' (1966)
* ''Howerd's Hour'' (1968)
* '' Carry On Christmas'' (1969) – Robert Browning / Fairy Godmother
* ''Up Pompeii!
''Up Pompeii!'' is a British television comedy series broadcast between 1969 and 1970, starring Frankie Howerd. The first series was written by Talbot Rothwell, a scriptwriter for the ''Carry On'' films, and the second series by Rothwell and S ...
'' (1969–1970) – Lurcio
* ''Whoops Baghdad
''Whoops Baghdad'' is a BBC television comedy programme first broadcast from 25 January to 1 March 1973.
It stars Frankie Howerd, and was similar to his earlier programme ''Up Pompeii!'', with the setting moved from Ancient Rome to mediaeval Ba ...
'' (1973) – Ali Oopla
* ''Further Up Pompeii!'' (1975) – Lurcio
* ''The Frankie Howerd Show
''The Frankie Howerd Show'' is a Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connecti ...
'' (1976)
* ''Up the Convicts'' (1976) – Jonathan Shirk
* ''The Howerd Confessions
''The Howerd Confessions'' is a British comedy television series which originally aired between 2 September and 7 October 1976 on ITV. It featured comedian Frankie Howerd "confessing" various indiscretions.
Each of the 6 episodes was a self-co ...
'' (1976)
* ''Frankie Howerd Strikes Again
''Frankie Howerd Strikes Again'' is a British comedy television series which originally aired on ITV in 1981. It was a sketch show produced by Yorkshire Television, in the style of Howerd's earlier series.Newcomb p.1146
As well as Howerd, other ...
'' (1981)
* ''Then Churchill Said to Me
''Then Churchill Said to Me'' is a television comedy series starring Frankie Howerd and Nicholas Courtney. Made in 1982, the series was not screened until 1993.
Outline
The comedy is set in Winston Churchill's secret underground wartime bunker. ...
'' (1982)
* '' The Blunders'' (1986) – cartoon series voiced by Howerd
* '' Superfrank!'' (1987) – Himself
* ''All Change
''All Change'' is an English children's television show on ITV in two series. Originally broadcast in 1989 and 1991, it starred Frankie Howerd, Peggy Mount, Maggie Steed, Tony Haygarth and Pam Ferris. The series was devised by Morwenna Banks a ...
'' (1989) – Uncle Bob
* ''Frankie Howerd on Campus'' (1990)
* ''Further Up Pompeii'' (1991) – Lurcio
* ''Frankie's On...'' (1992)
Video
* ''Frankie Howerd at His Tittermost'' (1991) at theBirmingham Hippodrome
The Birmingham Hippodrome is a theatre situated on Hurst Street in the Chinese Quarter of Birmingham, England.
Although best known as the home stage of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, it also hosts a wide variety of other performances including vi ...
Selected filmography
* ''The Runaway Bus
''The Runaway Bus'' is a 1954 British comedy film produced, written, and directed by Val Guest. It stars Frankie Howerd, Margaret Rutherford and Petula Clark and an ensemble cast of character actors in a story about a bus caught in fog while ...
'' (1954) – Percy Lamb
* '' The Ladykillers'' (1955) – The Barrow Boy
* ''An Alligator Named Daisy
''An Alligator Named Daisy'' is a 1955 British comedy film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Donald Sinden, Jeannie Carson, James Robertson Justice, Diana Dors, Roland Culver and Stanley Holloway.
Plot
Returning from a cricket match in I ...
'' (1955) – M.C. at Alligator Rally (uncredited)
* ''Jumping for Joy
''Jumping for Joy'' is a 1956 British comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Frankie Howerd, Stanley Holloway, Joan Hickson and Lionel Jeffries.
Plot
Willie Joy (Frankie Howerd) works at a greyhound track as a cleaner, whic ...
'' (1956) – Willie Joy
* '' A Touch of the Sun'' (1956) – William Darling
* ''Further Up the Creek
''Further Up the Creek'' is a 1958 British comedy film written and directed by Val Guest and starring David Tomlinson, Frankie Howerd, Shirley Eaton, Thora Hird, Desmond Llewelyn and Lionel Jeffries. It served as a follow up to '' Up the Creek'' ...
'' (1958) – Bosun
* '' Watch It, Sailor!'' (1961) – Church organist (guest appearance)
* ''The Fast Lady
''The Fast Lady'' is a 1962 British comedy film, directed by Ken Annakin. The screenplay was written by Henry Blyth and Jack Davies, based on the 1925 novel of the same name by Keble Howard. Don Sharp directed second unit.
"The Fast Lady" is th ...
'' (1962) – Road workman in hole
* ''The Cool Mikado
''The Cool Mikado'' is a British musical film released in 1963, directed by Michael Winner (who makes a short appearance as an airline passenger à la Hitchcock near the start of the film), and produced by Harold Baim, with music arranged by Mart ...
'' (1963) – Ko-Ko Flintridge
* ''The Mouse on the Moon
''The Mouse on the Moon'' is a 1963 British comedy film, the sequel to ''The Mouse That Roared''. It is an adaptation of the 1962 novel ''The Mouse on the Moon'' by Irish author Leonard Wibberley, and was directed by Richard Lester. In it, the p ...
'' (1963) – Himself
* ''The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery
''The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery'' is a British comedy film, directed by Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat, written by Sidney and Leslie Gilliat, and released on 4 April 1966. It is the last of the original series of films based on the '' ...
'' (1966) – Alphonse of Monte Carlo / Alfred Askett
* ''Carry On Doctor
''Carry On Doctor'' is a 1967 British comedy film, the 15th in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). It is the second in the series to have a medical theme. Frankie Howerd makes the first of his two appearances in the film series ...
'' (1967) – Francis Bigger
* '' Carry On Up the Jungle'' (1970) – Professor Inigo Tinkle
* ''Up Pompeii
''Up Pompeii!'' is a British television comedy series broadcast between 1969 and 1970, starring Frankie Howerd. The first series was written by Talbot Rothwell, a scriptwriter for the ''Carry On'' films, and the second series by Rothwell and S ...
'' (1971) – Lurcio
* ''Up the Chastity Belt
''Up the Chastity Belt'' (also released as ''Naughty Knights'' in the United States) is a 1971 British comedy film directed by Bob Kellett and starring Frankie Howerd. It was a spin-off from the TV series '' Up Pompeii!''
Plot
Eleanor of Aquit ...
'' (1971) – Richard / Lurkalot
* ''Up the Front
''Up the Front'' is a 1972 British comedy film directed by Bob Kellett and starring Frankie Howerd, Bill Fraser, and Hermione Baddeley. It is the third film spin-off from the television series '' Up Pompeii!'' (the previous films being ''Up t ...
'' (1972) – Lurk
* ''The House in Nightmare Park
''The House in Nightmare Park'' (known as ''Crazy House'' in the U.S.) is a 1973 British comedy horror film directed by Peter Sykes and starring Frankie Howerd, Ray Milland and Hugh Burden. It was one of a number of British comedy films which pa ...
'' (1973) – Foster Twelvetrees
* '' Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band'' (1978) – Mr. Mustard
Selected bibliography
* Howerd, Frankie (1976). ''On the Way I Lost It''. W. H. Allen & Co., . * Robert Ross (2001). ''The Complete Frankie Howerd''. Reynolds and Hearn, . *References
External links
Frankie Howerd
at the
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
*
*
*
Frankie Howerd: Gay Great
From Fyne Times Magazine
Frankie Howerd Week
from British Classic Comedy {{DEFAULTSORT:Howerd, Frankie 1917 births 1992 deaths 20th-century English comedians 20th-century English male actors British Army personnel of World War II British male comedy actors Comedians from Yorkshire English male comedians English male film actors English male stage actors English male television actors Gay comedians English gay actors LGBT broadcasters from the United Kingdom Male actors from York Officers of the Order of the British Empire Royal Artillery soldiers 20th-century LGBT people