Merseyside Mirth Makers - Jackie Hamilton

Jackie Hamilton - 'The Master'

Jackie Hamilton was born Johnny Kearns in St Eldons Parish off Scotland Road, Liverpool on the 12th of July 1937 where he lived with two sisters, Margaret and Susie and a brother Joey.
Unfortunately his problems with alcohol, idiosyncratic delivery and strong Liverpudlian accent were factors in his missing out on national success, but his slick anti-climactic style of observational comedy was well regarded in his home town of Liverpool, and he gave a graphic commentary on the social history of Merseyside.

Jackie Hamilton on 'The Comedians'

He worked casually as a docker and on building sites before becoming an "ale-house comic" who landlords paid in drinks in exchange for a short comedy set. He was nicknamed 'The Pele of Comedy' and was also an actor, known for 'Play For Today in 1970, 2nd House in 1973 and appeared on Johnny Hamp's Granada TV show ' The Comedians' in the 1970's. He also appeared live on both the BBC and ITV, however his unreliability lead to London booking agents avoiding him. Although he had gained a national television audience on 'The Comedians' and won top billing at summer shows and theatres across the north of England and North Wales, Jackie, educated at Our Lady's School, remained true to his Liverpool roots, living in Stockbridge Village, Huyton. Right up until a month before he died he was performing on the Merseyside club circuit, headlining the Radio Merseyside Summer Friday in front of more than 900 people.

Jackie died following a stroke on the 12th of August 2003.

The unveiling of the plaque

A plaque to Jackie Hamilton was unveiled at Eldonian Village Hall in 2004. Amongst his Liverpool peers who gathered in their numbers he was hailed as the funniest of them all. Pete Price had this to say of him, "He was a funny man, the epitome of Liverpool, a staunch Evertonian, there's going to be a million laughs wherever he is. He was a fine actor as well, he's was tremendous, it's just such a loss.

Fellow comic and Radio Merseyside presenter Sean Styles told the Liverpool Daily Post: "In my opinion he was an absolute master-class of comedy timing."I almost learned my trade as a young lad watching Jackie Hamilton, Micky Finn and Stevie Faye. When I worked with him it was a like a young lad playing football with Pele."

Micky Finn said: "We were great mates. He was a one off. If he walked into a room, you started laughing. He will be sadly missed by me particularly.

Terry Cooke, chairman of the Vauxhall History and Heritage Group and author of Scotland Road: The Old Neighbourhood remarked, "He was a good friend to everybody and never forgot his roots. When he left school most of the lads wanted to be footballers, singers or boxers but he used to go to a pub called the Tatlock (Nellies) in Tatlock Street with his pals. Some of them would play guitars and he developed this comedy patter."

See next :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2018/10/merseyside-mirth-makers-eddie-flanagan.html?q=Jackie+Hamilton