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| Hello Playmates |
Arthur Bowden Askey was born on the 6th of June 1900 at 29 Moses Street, Dingle, Liverpool, and six months after his birth the family moved to 90 Rosslyn Street, Liverpool and then on to 58 Sandhurst Street a short distance away. He was educated at St Michael’s-in-the-Hamlet Primary School and at the Liverpool Institute where, legend has it that, Arthur and Paul McCartney sat at the same desk, albeit 40 years apart, with Paul later sending Arthur a telegram saying: "From the guy who inherited your old desk. It is still there with your name carved on it!"
Arthur also sang in the Liverpool Cathedral choir and began work in the Liverpool Education Offices as a clerk. At the age of 16 he gave this up and began to learn a new trade as an entertainer around the local clubs and soon began to emerge as a true all-rounder in the grand tradition of the British Music Hall. During the First World War he joined the forces and soon began performing at army shows. Following this, Arthur spent 14 years honing his skills working the concert party circuit before landing a part in 1938 on BBC radio in a new series called Band Waggon. After a shaky start with partner Richard Murdoch the public suddenly caught on to their particular brand of anarchic humour and 'Big-Hearted Arthur' and 'Stinker Murdoch' soon became huge stars with Arthur famous for his catchphrase 'Ay-Thang-Yew' believed to have been gleaned from a tram ticket collector and which was to become the first of a treasure-chest full of catchphrases to permeate his career.
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| 'Stinker Murdoch' & 'Big Hearted Arthur' |
Arthur went on to star in a number of successful features for Gainsborough Pictures, including 'Charlie's Aunt', 'Ghost Train', 'I Thank You', 'Back Room Boy', 'King Arthur Was A Gentleman', 'Miss London Ltd.', and 'Bees in Paradise'. His persona was that of a hyperactive schoolboy and he would often perform skipping around the stage or incorporating an energetic song and dance into his act. He was also the master of the ad-lib. Although they were distinctly different in style, Arthur claimed to be influenced by the great American comedian Jack Benny.
Following the Second World War, 'Big Hearted Arthur' remained as popular as ever and became one of the first regular performers on early BBC television. This despite his first TV series 'Before Your Very Eyes!' in 1952, another of his catchphrases, being only moderately well received by critics and public alike, that is until the introduction of the completely dumb voluptuous blonde, Sabrina (Norma Sykes) who was to become British TV's first sex-symbol.
He remained a constant on television and in 1957 writers Sid Colin and Talbot Rothwell revived the Band Waggon format for 'Living It Up', a series that was to reunite the Askey and Murdoch partnership after an absence of 18 years. The flat they shared was now on top of Television House with many people believing that they actually lived there.
There were other TV series but in the main Arthur would be content to be a 'special guest star' or topping the bill at the London Palladium. More catchphrases became so well known, such as 'Hello Playmates' and 'Doesn't it make you want to spit?', and he continued to work into his eighties until 1980 when he made one of his last appearances at The Royal Variety Show. Following this he suffered from circulatory problems in his legs, which ultimately led him to having both amputated. Arthur Askey died on 16th November 1982.
His career had lasted a good four decades, overlapping the worlds of Radio, Television, Variety, and Pantomime, and he had also done very well in writing songs for a newly developing market of children's' records in the 1950s. Although diminutive in stature he became a giant of British comedy with his genial, superbly honed comedic talent. This big hearted, cheekily grinning comic lad from Liverpool will forever ensure that his trademark brand of quick-fire humour and masterly use of the ad-lib will continue to elicit big bouts of appreciative laughter wherever and whenever vintage British television comedy is screened.
See next :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2018/07/merseyside-mirth-makers-ted-ray.html?q=Tommy+Handley
Following the Second World War, 'Big Hearted Arthur' remained as popular as ever and became one of the first regular performers on early BBC television. This despite his first TV series 'Before Your Very Eyes!' in 1952, another of his catchphrases, being only moderately well received by critics and public alike, that is until the introduction of the completely dumb voluptuous blonde, Sabrina (Norma Sykes) who was to become British TV's first sex-symbol.
He remained a constant on television and in 1957 writers Sid Colin and Talbot Rothwell revived the Band Waggon format for 'Living It Up', a series that was to reunite the Askey and Murdoch partnership after an absence of 18 years. The flat they shared was now on top of Television House with many people believing that they actually lived there.
There were other TV series but in the main Arthur would be content to be a 'special guest star' or topping the bill at the London Palladium. More catchphrases became so well known, such as 'Hello Playmates' and 'Doesn't it make you want to spit?', and he continued to work into his eighties until 1980 when he made one of his last appearances at The Royal Variety Show. Following this he suffered from circulatory problems in his legs, which ultimately led him to having both amputated. Arthur Askey died on 16th November 1982.
His career had lasted a good four decades, overlapping the worlds of Radio, Television, Variety, and Pantomime, and he had also done very well in writing songs for a newly developing market of children's' records in the 1950s. Although diminutive in stature he became a giant of British comedy with his genial, superbly honed comedic talent. This big hearted, cheekily grinning comic lad from Liverpool will forever ensure that his trademark brand of quick-fire humour and masterly use of the ad-lib will continue to elicit big bouts of appreciative laughter wherever and whenever vintage British television comedy is screened.
See next :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2018/07/merseyside-mirth-makers-ted-ray.html?q=Tommy+Handley
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