Favourite Comedians

[fluffymoat4]

I liked Dave Allen's sense of humour. Many a night I'd spend with tears rolling down my cheeks at one of his jokes and yet I can't remember any of them now.

Was sad to hear of the sudden death of another funnyman John Inman - I thought he was so funny. He didn't even have to SAY anything!!

I hear they are trying to raise enough money to make a statue of Les Dawson - I do hope so as he was another comedian I had a lot of time for.

I so liked Morcambe and Wise and the two Ronnies too. I don't mind a little naughtiness or a little swearing from comedians, especially if we go to see them live. The one that opened my eyes was Bob Monkhouse - he was so blue!!! I liked Bob Hope too. Jimmy Tarbuck was another favourite. My all time favourite though was indeed Tommy Cooper - I was devastated as we watched him live on t.v. actually dying for real - it haunted me for a long time. I also like Ken Dodd and his sense of humour (probably because I am a DIDDY PERSON lol).

[lin]

YES MO...SEEMS THEY ARE ALL DYING OR HAVE DIED, THERE USED TO BE SO MANY OF THEM AS WELL.

LIN

[johnnyowen]

i saw dave allen live at f*gins night club in manchester in the mid 70s he was brilliant.. the best ive ever seen by a mile..he was on stage for about two hours and the whole place was rocking it was a fantastic night.

i interviewed john inman about 12 years ago ..his p/a warned me that he'd been on the gin all day but he was lovely much the same as his telly persona..when i first left school i worked at burtons on piccadilly and it was very much like "are you being served" colleagues really did say "are you free" and we all walked about with tape measures round our necks and of course john was a former window dresser so we had a lot to talk about.

[fluffymoat4]

I suddenly remembered Charlie Drake today. I used to find the sketches on t.v., with him in them, hilarious. He was another one who used to have me in stitches. Frankie Howerd was weird - he was so funny looking - he didn't quite make me laugh all of the time though. We lost a good Yorkshire comedian when we lost Charlie Wiliiams eh?

[lin]

I REMEMBER LITTLE CHARLIE DRAKE AS WELL....AND I DID LIKE CHARLIE WILLIAMS...I CAN SEE A FEW IN MY HEAD AT THE MOMENT BUT CAN'T THINK OF THEIR NAMES RIGHT NOW...THAT IS SO DARN FRUSTRATING.

LIN

[fluffymoat4]

What did everyone think of Mike and Bernie Winters? I wasn't a fan and didn't find them at all funny (although they did have their moments I suppose). Lenny Henry - absolutely brilliant! I shall try and think of some female comediennes now! I used to find Marti Caine funny and I was very sad when she died. Hatti Jacques used to have me in stitches as did Hilda Baker. (Don't tell my mum but she reminds me so much of Hilda - in looks as well as height!)

[lin]

FUNNY I WAS THINKING ERIC SYKES LAST NIGHT...STAN BORDMAN, ROY WALKER...JACK SMETHURST...I LIKE YOOTHA JOYCE SHE WAS SO DRY, REG VARNEY ON THE BUSES....THE LIST GOES ON AND ON, BUT WHERE ARE ALL OUR COMEDIANS TODAY? WE'VE NOT GOT THAT MANY HAVE WE?

LIN

[fluffymoat4]

Working on the garden today (in that lovely sunshine) gave me time to think and I kept jotting names down as the came to me. I am adding the following to my LIKE list. (Excuse me if I inadvertently mention some I've listed previously).

Oldies:- Jasper Carrott, Eddie Izzard, Bobby Ball and Tommy Cannon, Michael Barrymore and Dudley Moore.

Newbies:- Harry Hill, Julian Clary, Paul O'Grady, Catherine Tate, Johnny Vegas, Matt Lucas, David Walliams, Jo Brand, Alan Partridge, Peter Kay, Ricky Gervais, Graham Norton and Lee Evans.

I also like Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders but wasn't sure which category to put them in! Also liked all the cast of the Young Ones - now that WAS a funny show!

I'm hoping to do more gardening tomorrow - weather permitting so if I think of any more of my faves.......? Watch this space.....!

[fluffymoat4]

By Marjorie:- "HIYA LITLE MO, WHAT ABOUT VICTORIA WOODS, HOW ON EARTH COULD YOU LEAVE HER OUT, SHE MUST BE MY FAVORITE THEN JULIE WALTERS, ALSO LIKED PAM EAYRES, THINK IV'E SPELT THAT WRONG, KNOW I HAVE. LOVED HILDA BAKER, MUST GET A LITTLE FINGER PUT ON THIS WATCH, ELECTRIC,THORA HERD,YES SHE WAS FOREMOST AN ACTRESS BUT SHE COULD DO COMEDY BRILLIANT, AGOOD ALL ROUNDER,SHE ALWAYS REMINDED ME OF MY FAVORITE AUNT."

You are so right Marjorie, how dare I forget to mention Victoria and Julie. I too liked Pam Ayres but not ALL the time. Thora Hird = MAGIC!! Hope that more names are added to further jolt my memory!! LOL

[fluffymoat4]

Thanks to Frank Walsh: "dont forget Norman Wisdom, and Al Read, a great programme on the wireless, was workers playtime it used to come from different works canteens, some smashing acts, i first heard Johny Dankworth, and the lovely Cleo Laine on there back in the early 50's also Tommy Handley, Ben Warris, Bebe Daniels, in my opinion the funniest of all was the late great, TONY HANc*ck".

Frank, I so agree about Norman Wisdom being funny. The only others I recognise from your list were Cleo Laine and Tony Hanc o c k!

[Lisa]

Does anyone remember BENNY LEE from the radio? I was temping in London and asked to do some reception work on Park Street (off Park Lane)for a Theatrical Agency. One of the partners looked very familiar and he was really charming and chatty. After I'd been there for a week, this Partner asked me if I was interested in taking the job on permanently because he said I was the best-looking and efficient receptionist they'd every had (he was a liar ) but, sadly, I had to decline the offer. Just before I left I asked one of the staff where I'd seen the partner before and she told me it was Benny Lee. Wherever you are Benny, thanks for being so lovely to me in my short time at your company.

[roofingman]

My favorite comedian is Tony Hancck...I was lucky enough to buy on VHS about 50 episodes circa 1961.(in the USA).....I still love them and of course it featured Sid James..When I watch them altho dated ,I still think he was ahead of his time and still very funny..I also loved his Punch and Judy Man movie...His disdane for local seaside town councillors is still appropo today.........Theres a show around Chester right now called a Night out with Tony Hanc*ck,,which should be good for his fans....Of course the great John Le Mesurier (Hattie Jacques hubby) featured in his movies too.....When you read about Tony in books, you realise what a genius he really was...............I saw Bob Monkhouse at Fgins many years ago,,I laughed so hard--the tears were rolling down my face...I was always convinced that Bob had the mind of a computor....Great guys--Honorable mentions for Harry Worth,,Tommy Trinder,,Charlie Chester,,,Hilda Baker and Cynthia..("she knows yer know")..Charkes Hawtrey,,Kenneth Williams---the lists go on and on........Ian...vancouver..

[lin]

HI IAN, THEY MIGHT BE DATED BUT THEY WERE ALL GREATS.

LIN

[lin]

Does anyone remember Arthur Askey?
I used to love the comedy program "Bread" ;D
Was looking back at one of the postings and seeing 'Ben Warris' mentioned...he was the most tight fisted people I have ever met...I met him at 'St. Mellion Golf and country club', he refused to play golf unless they paid him, and it was a charity event...All the golfers had local kids as their caddies, and they all paid them for doing it...all but 'Ben Warris.

[Belinda]

lin said:

Does anyone remember Arthur Askey?
I used to love the comedy program "Bread" ;D
Was looking back at one of the postings and seeing 'Ben Warris' mentioned...he was the most tight fisted people I have ever met...I met him at 'St. Mellion Golf and country club', he refused to play golf unless they paid him, and it was a charity event...All the golfers had local kids as their caddies, and they all paid them for doing it...all but 'Ben Warris.

Hi Lin,I loved Arthur Askey,Did you see him in the film"Ghost Train"Its one of my favourite films.If you havent its well worth a watch. x Belinda

[lin]

HI BELINDA...YES I DID SEE HIM IN THAT FILM, VERY GOOD.
I'VE BEEN GOING NUTS ALL WEEKEND TRYING TO THINK OF A FEW MORE PROGRAMS I USED TO LIKE, I CAN SEE THEM AND THE FACES OF THE PPL IN MY MINDS EYE, BUT CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAMES FOR THE LIFE OF ME FRUSTRATING OR WHAT?

[tony38337]

All these great names and no mention of Arthur Haynes ("Up t' me neck in muck'n bullets") with the lovely Patti Hayes who later played one of the most powerful TV roles as "Edna the Inebriate Woman" Speaking of Charlie Drake who remembers Mick & Montmorency I think that Charlie's partner was Jack Edwards who was twice the size of Charlie, they were a children's favourite of the 1950's. Max Wall was another favourite, Bernard Cribbins, Peter Sellers. Someone mentioned Jasper Carrot, I remember one of his sketches because it could have been me he was talking about. I used to go out with a girl whose parents lived in Quinton Birmingham, one weekend she talked me into driving her down for a Sunday visit, Jasper's story goes like this: "Y'know how it is, y'go into the lounge and they're all sat round in a circle, Mum & Dad, Granny who's a bit deaf, the younger sibling and the odd Aunt & Uncle and they invite you to sit in between two total strangers usually in the middle of the settee. By now you feel all eyes on you and your beginning to go a bit red in the face and you look down and there's the dog lay on the floor in the centre of the circle back leg raised licking his nuts, with a nervous laugh you say "I wish I could do that" and Mummy fires back "If you give him a biscuit he would probably let you" My experience wasn't quite like that but I did empathise with the scenario. Then there was the Cheeky Chappie Max Miller, Charlie Chester, Norman Evans (Over the Garden Wall) I always thought Les Dawson based one of his characters on Norman. Who remembers Comedy Bandbox? later renamed to Saturday Bandbox used to record at ABC Capitol Didsbury. Who mentioned Ban Warris without Jimmy Jewel and Yootha Joyce without Brian Murphy? Harry Hill reminds me quit a lot of Harry Worth another great comedian of the 50's/60's. Another blast from the past, Radio Fun, the comic that featured so many of the old characters Ronald Shiner for one Benny Hill another Sandy Powell was getting on by this time but Bernard Bresslaw had a way to go with the Army Game with Ted Lune and Alfie Bass and Bill Fraser (I've got my beady eye on you Bisley) So many names come to mind, thingy Emery, Marty Feldman who could look up and down a street at the same time.

Blimey someone take over me fingers are aching.

Tony T.

[lin]

HI TONY...I THINK THESE WERE ALL MENTIONED AT SOME POINT, MAY EVEN BE ON A DIFFERENT THREAD...BUT YES I REMEMBER THEM ALL WELL...LOVED "EDNA THE INEBRIATE WOMAN"...SO MANY GOOD ONES ALL GONE NOW...I MENTIONED BEN WARRIS BECAUSE OF HIM BEING A MEANIE, BUT I DO REMEMBER HIM WITH JIMMY JEWELL, AND OF COURSE JIMMY JEWELL WITH HILDA BAKER..I TAKE IT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT D.I.C.K EMERY?
SOME OF COURSE WERE MORE FUNNY THAN OTHERS AS WERE SOME OF THE COMEDY SHOWS...JIMMY EDWARDS, "WHACKO"....SORRY I STILL CAN'T THINK OF THE ONES I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER THE OTHER NIGHT....SO AS ANYONE ELSE GOT ANY COMEDIANS THEY REMEMBER THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE MENTIONED?

[frankwalsh]

Hi all, one of my favourite comedians from the 40's /50's was Al Read, one sketch I remember, he's at the barbers with his young son for the first time, the kid keeps asking his dad what is he doing now? he is stropping his razor, what for? he's going to give him a shave,OH, DAD, DAD,he's going to cut his ear off, no he wont, DAD,DAD, what? if he does can I have it.

Regards, Frank Walsh.

[moonshine]

Don't forget Benny Hill.

[lin]

NO , WE ALREADY MENTIONED HIM ON ANOTHER THREAD I THINK? , TROUBLE IS WE PUT THINGS DOWN ON HERE AND FORGET WHAT WE'VE PUT, WELL I CERTAINLY DO..I MUST BE AGING QUICKER THAN I THOUGHT

[Belinda]

moonshine said:

Don't forget Benny Hill.

Hi Moonshine,yes,Benny Hill was great ;D x Belinda

[mauger]

I remember one.I never liked him.Bunny Lewis.I very nearly lamped him.if it hadn't been for my Mates.It took 3 of them to stop me.Happy days.Ex Wythenshawe.Charlie White was my favourite.