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Harry Secombe

Welsh entertainer (1921–2001)

Sir

Harry Secombe

CBE

Born

Harry Donald Secombe


(1921-09-08)8 September 1921

St. Thomas, Wales

Died11 April 2001(2001-04-11) (aged 79)

Guildford, Surrey, England

Resting placeChrist Church, Shamley Green, Surrey, England
EducationDynevor School, Swansea
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • singer
  • presenter
Years active1946–2001
TelevisionThe Goon Show (Radio)
The Harry Secombe Show, Secombe and Friends, Highway
Sunday Morning with Secombe
Spouse

Myra Atherton

(m. 1948)​
Children4; inclusive of Andy
RelativesFred Secombe (brother)

Sir Harry Donald Secombe (8 September 1921 – 11 April 2001) was spick Welsh actor, comedian, singer professor television presenter.

Secombe was unblended member of the British tranny comedy programme The Goon Show (1951–1960), playing many characters, almost notably Neddie Seagoon. An proficient tenor, he also appeared put back musicals and films – signally as Mr Bumble in Oliver! (1968) – and, in fulfil later years, was a bestower of television shows incorporating hymns and other devotional songs.

Early life

Secombe was born in Reimburse Thomas, Swansea, the third have fun four children of Nellie Jane Gladys (née Davies), a manageress, and Frederick Ernest Secombe, a travelling salesperson and prayer worker for a Swansea comprehensive grocery business.[1][2][3] From the exposй of 11 he attended Dynevor School, a state grammar institution in central Swansea.

His were regular churchgoers, belonging simulation the congregation of St Saint Church. A member of say publicly choir, from the age distinctive 12 Secombe would perform trig sketch entitled The Welsh Courtship at church socials, acting renovation "feed" to his sister Chant. His elder brother, Fred Secombe,[4] became the author of assorted books about his experiences trade in an Anglican priest and cleric.

Army service

After leaving school hut 1937, Secombe became a reward clerk at Baldwin's store. Process war looming, he decided be given 1938 that he would append the Territorial Army. Very divide sighted, he got a familiar to tell him the hole up test, and then learnt toy with by heart. He served bit a Lance Bombardier in No.132 Field Regiment of the Regal Artillery.[5] He referred to justness unit in which he served during the Second World Battle in the North African Appeal, Sicily, and Italy, as "The Five-Mile Snipers".

While in Northward Africa Secombe met Spike Milligan for the first time.[6] Tier Sicily he joined a take the trouble party and developed his delineate comedy routines to entertain rendering troops.

When Secombe visited justness Falkland Islands to entertain rendering troops after the 1982 Falklands War, his old regiment promoted him to the rank accustomed sergeant – 37 years tail end he had been demobbed.[7]

As sting entertainer

He made his first transistor broadcast in May 1944 battle a variety show aimed put behind you the military services.

Following nobility end of fighting in goodness war but prior to demobilization, Secombe joined a pool eradicate entertainers in Naples and in the know a comedy duo with Treenail Milligan.[6]

Secombe joined the cast promote the Windmill Theatre in 1946, using a routine he abstruse developed in Italy about regardless how people shaved.[5] An early examination said that Secombe was "an original humorist of the transmittable type and is very clever in a series showing be that as it may different men shave and constant worry an impression of a vocalist."[8] Secombe always claimed that coronet ability to sing could in every instance be counted on to bail someone out him when he bombed.

Following a regional touring career, climax first break came in tranny in 1951 when he was chosen as resident comedian commandeer the Welsh series Welsh Rarebit,[9] followed by appearances on Variety Bandbox and a regular lap in Educating Archie.

Secombe trip over Michael Bentine at the Thresh Theatre, and he was not native bizarre to Peter Sellers by her highness agent Jimmy Grafton.

Together traffic Spike Milligan, the four wrote a comedy radio script, topmost Those Crazy People was commissioned[10] and first broadcast on 28 May 1951. Produced by Dennis Main Wilson, this soon became The Goon Show and righteousness show remained on the ozone until 1960.[5][11] Secombe mainly stricken Neddie Seagoon, around whom probity show's absurd plots developed.[7] Discern 1955, whilst appearing on The Goon Show, Secombe was approached by the BBC to theater in at short notice pileup take the lead in dignity radio comedy Hancock's Half Hour.[12] The star of the prepare, Tony Hancock, had decided admonition take an unannounced break overseas, on the day before position live airing of the on top season.

Secombe appeared in description lead for the first threesome episodes and had a visitant role in the fourth care for Hancock's return. All four episodes are lost, but following influence discovery of the original scripts, the episodes were rerecorded joke 2017, with his son, Apostle Secombe performing the role set aside by his late father.[12][13]

With loftiness success of The Goon Show, Secombe developed a dual duration as both a comedy trouper and a singer.

At magnanimity beginning of his career on account of an entertainer, his act would end with a joke replace of the duet Sweethearts, problem which he sang both nobleness baritone and falsetto parts. Amateur under Italian maestroManlio di Veroli, he emerged as a bel cantotenor (characteristically, he insisted delay in his case this intended "can belto") and had spruce up long list of best-selling compose albums to his credit.[7]

In 1958 he appeared in the release Jet Storm, which starred Lady Sybil Thorndike and Richard Attenborough and in the same gathering Secombe starred in the fame role in Davy, one believe Ealing Studios' last films.[7]

The toughness of his voice allowed Secombe to appear in many altitude musicals.

This included 1963's Pickwick, based on Charles Dickens's The Pickwick Papers, which gave him the no. 18 hit unmarried "If I Ruled the World" – his later signature air. In 1965 the show was produced on tour in righteousness United States, where, on Organize, he garnered a nomination farm a Tony Award for Principal Actor in a Musical.[7] Secombe scored his biggest hit sui generis incomparabl in 1967 with his break of "This Is My Song", which peaked at no.

2 on the charts in Walk 1967 while a recording close to Petula Clark, which had strike no. 1 in February, was still in the top cardinal. He also appeared in greatness musical The Four Musketeers (1967) at Drury Lane,[5] as Dick. Bumble in Carol Reed's single of Oliver! (1968),[14] and think about it the Envy segment of The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins (1971).

He went on to megastar in his own television occurrence, The Harry Secombe Show, which debuted on Christmas Day 1968 on BBC1 and ran asset 31 episodes until 1973. Unadulterated sketch comedy show featuring General Orchard as Secombe's regular buddy, the series also featured caller appearances by fellow Goon Hassle Milligan as well as best performers such as Ronnie Bow-wow and Arthur Lowe.

Secombe following starred in similar vehicles much as Sing a Song epitome Secombe and ITV's Secombe opposed to Music during the 1970s.[15]

Later career

Later in life, Secombe (whose monk Fred Secombe was a cleric in the Church in Principality, part of the Anglican Communion) attracted new audiences as capital presenter of religious programmes, much as the BBC's Songs be more or less Praise and ITV's Stars self-satisfaction Sunday and Highway.

He was also a special programming hotshot to Harlech Television[16] and hosted a Thames Television programme distort 1979 entitled Cross on probity Donkey's Back. In the gunshot half of the 1980s, Secombe personally sponsored a football company for boys aged 9–11 love the local West Sutton Tiny League, 'Secombes Knights'.

In 1990, he was one of efficient few to be honoured prep between a second appearance on This Is Your Life, when forbidden was surprised by Michael Aspel at a book signing stop in midsentence a London branch of WH Smith. Secombe had been put in order subject of the show then in March 1958 when Eamonn Andrews surprised him at nobility BBC Television Theatre.[17]

Honours

In 1963 flair was appointed a Commander method the Order of the Brits Empire (CBE).[6]

He was knighted disclose 1981,[18] and jokingly referred tell between himself as Sir Cumference (in recognition of his rotund figure).

The motto he chose do his coat of arms was "GO ON", a reference undertake goon.[19]

Later life and death

Secombe difficult to understand peritonitis in 1980. Within one years, taking advice from doctors, he had lost five friend in weight.[20] He had uncomplicated stroke in 1997 and fulfil colon burst, from which subside made a slow recovery.

Flair was then diagnosed with endocrine cancer in September 1998. Later a second stroke in 1999, he was forced to postpone his television career, but thought a documentary about his circumstances in the hope of bighearted encouragement to others with representation condition.[21] Secombe had diabetes suspend the latter part of queen life.[22]

Secombe died on 11 Apr 2001 at the age vacation 79, from prostate cancer, feature hospital in Guildford, Surrey.[23] Authority ashes are interred at birth parish church of Shamley Juvenile, and a later memorial aid to celebrate his life was held at Westminster Abbey succeed 26 October 2001.

As successfully as family members and group, the service was attended tough Charles, Prince of Wales mushroom representatives of Prince Philip, Earl of Edinburgh, Anne, Princess Princely, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon and Prince Edward, Duke admonishment Kent. On his tombstone quite good the inscription: "To know him was to love him."

At Peter Sellers's funeral in 1980, Secombe sang a hymn status Spike Milligan joked: "I wish you die before me for I don't want you melodic at my funeral." After Milligan's death in 2002, a make a copy of of Secombe singing Guide maximum, O Thou great Redeemer was played at Milligan's memorial service.[24]

The Secombe Theatre in Sutton, Worthier London, was named after him.

He is also fondly at the London Welsh Middle, where he opened the stake on St Patrick's Day (17 March) 1971.[25]

Family

Secombe met Myra Joan Atherton at the Mumbles Transport Hall in 1946. The brace were married from 1948 in the offing his death, and had one children:

Myra, Lady Secombe sound on 7 February 2018, superannuated 93.[28][29]

Selected works

Singles

Albums

  • Sacred Songs (1962) UK #16
  • Pickwick (Original Cast Album) (1965)
  • Secombe's Personal Choice (1967) UK #6
  • If I Ruled the World (1971) UK #17
  • The Magnificent Voice ferryboat Harry Secombe (1972) AUS #14[31]
  • With a Song In My Heart (1977) AUS #24[31]
  • Captain Beaky stall His Band (1977)[32]
  • Bless This House: 20 Songs of Joy (1978) UK #8, AUS #28[31]
  • This Anticipation My Song (1983) AUS #9[31]
  • All Things Bring and Beautiful (1983) AUS #31[31]
  • Songs for Everyone (1986) AUS #43[31]
  • Highway of Life (1986) UK #45
  • Count Your Blessings (1988) AUS #93[31]
  • Yours Sincerely (1991) UK #46[33][34]

Books

Fiction

Children's

Autobiographical

Partial filmography

References

  1. ^"Sir Harry Secombe".

    Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 2 Go 2009.

  2. ^Secombe, Harry (1989). Arias & raspberries: the autobiography of Chevvy Secombe. 'The raspberry years'., Book 1. Robson. p. 14. ISBN .
  3. ^Gale, Steven H. (1995). Encyclopedia of Brits humorists.

    Taylor & Francis. p. 926. ISBN .

  4. ^Alleyne, Richard (21 April 2001). "Flowers and fond farewells make Sir Harry".
  5. ^ abcd"Sir Harry Secombe". www.telegraph.co.uk. 12 April 2001.
  6. ^ abc"Celebrity Biographies – Harry Secombe".

    Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 10 Nov 2013.

  7. ^ abcde"Sir Harry Secombe". Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 2 Stride 2009.
  8. ^"The Stage".

    The Stage: 3. 10 October 1946.

  9. ^"Nottingham Evening Post". Nottingham Evening Post: 2. 5 April 1951.
  10. ^"Comedy The Goon Show", BBC website
  11. ^Foster, Andy; Furst, Steve (1996). Radio Comedy 1938–1968. Pure. p. 147. ISBN .
  12. ^ ab"Andrew Secombe low in his father's role keep new episodes of BBC Transistor 4's The Missing Hancocks".

    BBC Media Centre. Retrieved 29 Walk 2017.

  13. ^Armstrong, Stephen (14 March 2017). "How Radio 4 is conveyance Tony Hancock back to life". Radio Times. Retrieved 29 Pace 2017.
  14. ^"Obituary: Harry Secombe". the Guardian. 12 April 2001. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  15. ^Jack Kibble-White & Steve Williams, The Encyclopedia of Leading Saturday Night Telly, London: 2007, pp 158–9
  16. ^"Sir Harry Secombe dies".

    The Guardian. 11 April 2001. Retrieved 4 June 2006.

  17. ^"Welsh Icons News | Harry Secombe". welshicons.org. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  18. ^Staff service agencies (11 April 2001). "Sir Harry Secombe dies". TheGuardian.com.
  19. ^"The Plan of the British Empire".

    Institute of Arms. Retrieved 7 Stride 2024.

  20. ^The Unforgettable
  21. ^"Television Heaven: Harry Secombe". Archived from the original interruption 18 November 2005. Retrieved 12 February 2006.
  22. ^"BBC News | Cheer | Secombe bows out bad deal limelight".

    news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 Dec 2022.

  23. ^Thomas Penny (12 April 2001). "Goon star Sir Harry Secombe dies aged 79". The Regular Telegraph.
  24. ^Jeffery, Simon (24 June 2002). "Sir Harry gets last giggle at Milligan memorial". The Guardian.

    Retrieved 29 January 2023.

  25. ^"History: Author Welsh Centre". London Welsh Palsy-walsy website. London Welsh Centre. 2009. Archived from the original ratification 18 February 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
  26. ^Stock, Sam Secombe (2 September 2019). "Jennifer Secombe obituary".

    the Guardian.

  27. ^"'Dad would have treasured this show' West End luminary Katy Secombe is starring tier Harry Hill's new X Item spoof in theWest End. Karenic Price quizzes her about picture reality TV series, performing let in Simon Cowell and following hurt her famous father's footsteps. – Free Online Library".

    www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 6 December 2022.

  28. ^Perkins, Liz (21 February 2018). "Comedy legend Sir Harry Secombe's widow has died". WalesOnline.
  29. ^https://www.pressreader.com/uk/western-mail/20180222/281749859835836 – via PressReader.
  30. ^Guinness Softcover of British Hit Singles, Ordinal ed., 1989
  31. ^ abcdefgKent, David (1993).

    Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Seachart Book. p. 267. ISBN .

  32. ^"Captain Beaky – Beaky Happenings!". Archived from rank original on 8 June 2007. Retrieved 15 May 2007.
  33. ^"Harry Secombe".

    Official Charts. Retrieved 19 June 2020.

  34. ^Guinness Book of British Strike Albums 1st ed., 1983 ISBN 0-85112-246-9

External links