Merseyside Mirth Makers - Johnny Hackett

Johnny Hackett

Johnny Hackett was born on December 20th, 1930 in Gerard Street, at the rear of the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool city centre and was one of nine children. Before he turned professional he had a string of jobs including soldier, docker and welder. It is said that when Johnny started work as a docker that on his first day his workmates offered to show him where the canteen was.

"No, I'm going home to my grandma's for dinner." Thereafter he was always known as 'Little Red Riding Hood'.

His showbiz career began with him compering singing sessions at the Blue Ball pub in Prescot Street, Liverpool. He was a regular on the 1960's TV variety series filmed in Leeds 'The Good Old Days' and went on to host his own BBC comedy show 'Let's Laugh' in 1965. Johnny had also made a pilot TV show called 'Two's A Crowd' with Les Dawson but with their styles so very different this one off show didn't find favour. He also made many appearances on Sunday Night At The London Palladium, The Comedians and The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club and also entertained guests on the QE2. He was also an actor, known for 'Play For Today' in 1970, 'Maggies Place' in 1970 and 'Who Do You Do' in 1972.

In 1970 Johnny travelled to Northern Ireland to entertain the troops and in the Falklands 12 years later. He was also quite a good singer, some comparing him to Matt Monroe, as his single ' A Clown Am I' will testify.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrBqSW9wySs

In 1988 Johnny found himself at the centre of a diplomatic row when he was dragged off stage by police in the middle of his act in Benidorm and deported by the Spanish authorities, who accused him of working illegally.

His friend, Liverpool comedian George Roper, said: ``I knew him for 40 years and he was a one-off.
``He always joked that because he came from a poor background, his dad told him he would never go skint if he remembered three little words . . . Stick `em up.''

Sadly Johnny passed away on the 21st of May 2002 after a long illness.

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