Thomas Henry Sargent (21 November 1894 – 7 May 1963), known professionally by his

stage name A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...

Max Miller and billed as The Cheeky Chappie, was an English

comedian A comedian (feminine comedienne) or comic is a person who seeks to entertainment, entertain an audience by making them laughter, laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting foolishly (as in slapstick), or employing prop c ...

often considered the greatest

stand-up Stand-up comedy is a performance directed to a live audience, where the performer stands on a stage (theatre), stage and delivers humour, humorous and satire, satirical monologues sometimes incorporating physical comedy, physical acts. These ...

of his generation. He came from humble beginnings and left school aged 12. At the outbreak of the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he volunteered for the army. During his time in the forces, he started a troupe concert party. On leaving the army, he took up work as a light comedian, dancer and singer. He toured extensively, appearing in variety and

revues A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during ...

, and by the early 1930s reached the top of the bill in the large music halls, including the

London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in Soho. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1910. The auditorium holds 2,286 people. Hundreds of stars have played there, many wit ...

. He recorded many songs, some of which he wrote. He appeared frequently on radio and starred in 14 feature films. He was known for flamboyant suits and his wicked charm, and his risqué jokes often led to difficulties with the censors. He made his last recording in January 1963 and died four months later.

Early years

Miller was born as Thomas Henry Sargent on 21 November 1894 in Hereford Street, Kemptown,

Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...

Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...

. He was the second child of James Sargent, a labourer, and Alice (née West), a flower-seller; Miller had three brothers and two sisters. His parents were poor and often unable to pay rent, so were forced to move to other parts of the town. Owing to this, Miller frequently changed schools until he reached 12, when he left all together. He tried jobs such as labouring, delivering milk, selling fish and chips, and caddying at Brighton and Hove Golf Course, and finally trained to be a motor mechanic. As a youth, he was nicknamed Swanky Sargent. On the outbreak of the

war War is an armed conflict between the armed forces of states, or between governmental forces and armed groups that are organized under a certain command structure and have the capacity to sustain military operations, or between such organi ...

in 1914, Miller volunteered for the army. He joined the

Royal Sussex Regiment The Royal Sussex Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that was in existence from 1881 to 1966. The regiment was formed in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foo ...

and, after serving in France, was posted to India and a year later to

Mesopotamia Mesopotamia is a historical region of West Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent. Today, Mesopotamia is known as present-day Iraq and forms the eastern geographic boundary of ...

, where he was temporarily blinded for three days. This experience stayed with him all his life, and in later years he did much work to help the blind including giving his home in Brighton over to St Dunstans during World War 2. During his time in the army, he started a troops' concert party.

Career

Early performing experiences

Demobilised from the army, Miller found work to be in short supply, and he had lost his mother to the

1918 flu pandemic The 1918–1920 flu pandemic, also known as the Great Influenza epidemic or by the common misnomer Spanish flu, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the Influenza A virus subtype H1N1, H1N1 subtype of the influenz ...

. He had his sights on performing in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, and obtained a booking at the

Shoreditch Shoreditch is an area in London, England and is located in the London Borough of Hackney alongside neighbouring parts of Tower Hamlets, which are also perceived as part of the area due to historic ecclesiastical links. Shoreditch lies just north ...

Hall in 1919. He was not experienced enough for the type of venue, however, and lasted only a week. Returning to

, he saw an advertisement for artists to join Jack Sheppard's concert party in an alfresco theatre on Brighton beach. He applied and joined as a light comedian for the 1919 summer season. While with the concert party, he met his future wife, Frances Kathleen Marsh, who was a

contralto A contralto () is a classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range is the lowest of their voice type, voice types. The contralto's vocal range is fairly rare, similar to the mezzo-soprano, and almost identical to ...

in the group. Kathleen Marsh came from a

middle-class The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. Commo ...

family whose parents came to Brighton from

Dorset Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...

shortly before she was born in 1896. Her elder brother Ernest Marsh served as a Brighton

alderman An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law with similar officials existing in the Netherlands (wethouder) and Belgium (schepen). The term may be titular, denotin ...

for 43 years and became

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

of the then town from 1949 to 1950. In the summer of 1920, Harry toured nationwide in ''The Rogues'', a concert party. The following year, Harry and Kathleen toured in a

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatre, theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketch comedy, sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural pre ...

called ''The Girl''. While in

Plymouth Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...

, the couple married at the parish church in Tormoham,

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

on 17 February 1921. (Tormoham is better known today as Torre in the seaside resort of Torquay.) As well as being a performer, Kathleen was an astute businesswoman, and thereafter did much to develop her husband's career. She suggested that he should change his name to Max Miller. Later, a press notice described Max as the Cheeky Chappie, and the nickname stuck. Max and Kathleen formed a

double act A double act (also known as a comedy duo) is a form of comedy originating in the British music hall tradition, and American vaudeville, in which two comedians perform together as a single act, often highlighting differences in their characters' ...

for a while, but it became obvious to her that Max was the stronger performer and that he would be better as a solo act.

Apprenticeship

Through the 1920s, Miller was regularly touring in revues. In 1922 he was in a show presented by the Sydney Syndicate, ''There You Are Then''. The following year, he toured with the Ernest Binn Arcadians. 1924 saw him joining a revue called ''Crisps''. However, during that summer, he returned to Jack Sheppard's Concert Party on the Brighton seafront. In 1925, he continued in the revue ''Crisps'', and in November that year joined the cast of ''Ten to One On'', which starred Jimmy James. This show ran until February 1926, when Miller gained work in variety or

cine-variety Cine-variety is a form of entertainment with a mix of Music hall, variety acts performing in between the showing of films all for the price of one admission fee. It was popular in the United Kingdom and Ireland between 1900 and the 1930s. Cine-var ...

, the latter a show consisting half of film and half of live acts. In September, he was booked in the Holborn Empire, his first engagement there, where he was spotted by impresario Tom Arnold, who booked him to star in his next revue, ''Piccadilly''. It opened in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

and toured the country. His co-star was the 21-year-old Florence Desmond. After that, he was booked by

Fred Karno Frederick John Westcott (26 March 1865 – 17 September 1941), best known by his stage name Fred Karno, was an English theatre impresario of the British music hall. As a comedian of slapstick he is credited with popularising the custard-pie-in ...

to appear in ''The Show'', and in May joined a touring cabaret revue called ''XYZ'' until the end of the year. After a few weeks in variety, he was back in revue, starring in Francis Laider's ''Tipperary Tim''. This kept him busy until February 1929, when he appointed a new agent, Julius Darewski. This was a turning point in his career. In May, Miller made his first appearance at the

in variety. He returned there in October and, in November, joined the cast of ''Fools in Paradise'', which took him to March 1930. This would be his last revue for some time. Miller much preferred to perform solo, and from 1930 onwards, he appeared in variety in large theatres, including the London Palladium and the Holborn Empire. In those days, instant success was unheard of, and Miller, like any other performer, had to earn his fame through a long apprenticeship. In May 1931, he appeared in his first

Royal Variety Performance The ''Royal Variety Performance'' is a televised variety show held annually in the United Kingdom to raise money for the Royal Variety Charity (of which King Charles III is life-patron). It is attended by senior members of the British royal ...

. Radio broadcasts followed. In 1932, he made his first recording, ''Confessions of a Cheeky Chappie'', on the Broadcast Twelve Records label. After this initial success, he was wooed by

His Master's Voice His Master's Voice is an entertainment trademark featuring a dog named Nipper, curiously peering into the horn of a wind-up gramophone. Painted by Francis Barraud in 1898, the image has since become a global symbol used across consumer elect ...

and recorded for them. In 1953, he changed to

Philips Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), simply branded Philips, is a Dutch multinational health technology company that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, its world headquarters have been situated in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarter ...

, and then to Pye. Miller was given a

cameo role A cameo appearance, also called a cameo role and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief guest appearance of a well-known person or character in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking one ...

in the film ''

The Good Companions ''The Good Companions'' is a novel by the English author J. B. Priestley. Written in 1929, it follows the fortunes of a Concert Party (entertainment), concert party on a tour of England. It is Priestley's most famous novel and established hi ...

'' (1933) in the part of a

music publisher A music publisher is a type of publisher that specializes in distributing music. Music publishers originally published sheet music. When copyright became legally protected, music publishers began to play a role in the management of the intellectu ...

selling a song to a pianist, played by

John Gielgud Sir Arthur John Gielgud ( ; 14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000) was an English actor and theatre director whose career spanned eight decades. With Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier, he was one of the trinity of actors who dominated the Britis ...

. Although he was not credited for his role, his three-minute debut was impressive, got him noticed and led to his making a further 13 films working up from small parts to starring roles. Considered his best film, '' Educated Evans'' (1936), which was based on an

Edgar Wallace Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1 April 1875 – 10 February 1932) was a British writer of crime and adventure fiction. Born into poverty as an illegitimate London child, Wallace left school at the age of 12. He joined the army at age 21 and was ...

story and filmed by

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

, it has been lost. His last but one film was '' Hoots Mon!'' (1940). He played the part of a southern English comedian called Harry Hawkins. In the film there is a scene in which Harry Hawkins appears on the stage in a

variety theatre Variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is entertainment made up of a variety of acts including musical performances, sketch comedy, magic, acrobatics, juggling, and ventriloquism. It is normally introduced by a compè ...

. The act is Miller's, and the sequence is the only one in existence giving us an idea of his stage act. It is invariably included in any

documentary A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...

made about him.

Stardom

Miller's act on a variety bill usually lasted between 20 and 30 minutes. It would begin with the orchestra playing his signature tune, '' Mary from the Dairy''. A spotlight aimed on the curtain by the wings would anticipate his appearance. There would be excitement in the audience; he would sometimes wait for up to ten seconds until he appeared, leading to resounding applause. Miller would walk to the

microphone A microphone, colloquially called a mic (), or mike, is a transducer that converts sound into an electrical signal. Microphones are used in many applications such as telephones, hearing aids, public address systems for concert halls and publi ...

and just stand there in his costume, a colourful suit with

plus-fours Plus fours are breeches or trousers that extend four inches (10 cm) below the knee (and thus four inches longer than traditional knickerbockers, hence the name). Knickerbockers have been traditionally associated with sporting attire sinc ...

, a kipper tie,

trilby A trilby is a narrow-brimmed type of hat. The trilby was once viewed as the rich man's favored hat; it is sometimes called the "brown trilby" in UK, BritainBernhard Roetzel, Roetzel, Bernhard (1999). ''Gentleman's Guide to Grooming and Style''. B ...

and co-respondent shoes, and wait for the laughter to begin. Although Miller's material was risqué, he never swore on stage and disapproved of those who did. He used

double entendre A double entendre (plural double entendres) is a figure of speech or a particular way of wording that is devised to have a double meaning, one of which is typically obvious, and the other often conveys a message that would be too socially unacc ...

, and when telling a joke would often leave out the last word or words for the audience to complete. His act would be punctuated by songs: sentimental material like "My Old Mum", or comic numbers such as "Twin Sisters". Sometimes he would accompany himself on guitar or entertain with a

soft shoe Tap dance (or tap) is a form of dance that uses the sounds of tap shoes striking the floor as a form of percussion; it is often accompanied by music. Tap dancing can also be performed with no musical accompaniment; the sound of the taps is its own ...

shuffle. He wrote and co-wrote a number of songs. Miller was very much a southern English comedian. He preferred being booked in theatres in London or the south, so he could return to his beloved Brighton after a show. However, in 1932 he embarked on his only overseas tour, when he sailed to

Cape Town Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...

to appear in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...

and

Pretoria Pretoria ( ; ) is the Capital of South Africa, administrative capital of South Africa, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to the country. Pretoria strad ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

. After many years as a solo act in variety, he appeared in George Black's wartime

''Haw Haw!'' at the Holborn Empire from December 1939 to July 1940. George Black's next revue, ''Apple Sauce'', opened in August 1940 at the Holborn Empire, co-starring

Vera Lynn Dame Vera Margaret Lynn (; 20 March 1917 – 18 June 2020) was an English singer and entertainer whose musical recordings and performances were very popular during World War II. She is Honorific nicknames in popular music, honorifically known ...

. After the theatre was bombed, the show transferred to the London Palladium, where it ran until November 1941. After that, Miller was back touring in variety, and broke all records as the highest paid variety artist, earning £1,025 in a single week at the

Coventry Coventry ( or rarely ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands county, in England, on the River Sherbourne. Coventry had been a large settlement for centurie ...

Hippodrome in February, 1943. In 1947, he topped the bill in '' Bernard Delfont presents International Variety'' at the London Casino. In his review of the show, ''

Daily Mail The ''Daily Mail'' is a British daily Middle-market newspaper, middle-market Tabloid journalism, tabloid conservative newspaper founded in 1896 and published in London. , it has the List of newspapers in the United Kingdom by circulation, h ...

'' theatre critic Lionel Hale described Miller as the "gold of the music hall".

The comeback

Miller appeared in three

s (1931, 1937 and 1950). In the last of these, he was annoyed that he was only given six minutes, while the American comedian

Jack Benny Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky; February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success as a violinist on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century with ...

got twenty minutes, so he abandoned his script and went on for twelve minutes, ending with riotous applause. However, this had a devastating effect on the schedule. Val Parnell, the producer, who ran the

Moss Empires Moss Empires was a company formed in Edinburgh in 1899, from the merger of the theatre companies owned by Sir Edward Moss, Richard Thornton and Sir Oswald Stoll. This created the largest chain of variety theatres and music halls in the United ...

circuit of theatres, was furious, and told Miller that he would never work for him again. Despite this, after eighteen months of Miller's touring in secondary theatres, he was invited back to the "number ones" – the Moss Empires – and returned in triumph to the London Palladium. One of these "number two" theatres was

Hulme Hippodrome The Hulme Hippodrome in Manchester, England, is a shuttered Grade II listed building, a proscenium arch theatre with two galleries and a side hall. It was originally known as the Grand Junction Theatre and Floral Hall, and opened on 7 October 19 ...

, where

Ken Dodd Sir Kenneth Arthur Dodd (8 November 1927 – 11 March 2018) was an English stand-up comedy, comedian, actor and singer. He was described as "the last great music hall entertainer" and was primarily known for his live stand-up comedy, stand-up pe ...

said he appeared as a younger performer on the same bill as Max Miller in "about 1951, 1952". This return to the Palladium revitalised his career, and with it came a new recording contract, this time with

. He was back on radio and appeared on television, but his television appearances were never a great success. The new medium did not suit his style; he needed the feedback only a live theatre audience could give him and the freedom to use his naughty material. Miller appeared regularly in all the large variety halls in and around London: the Hackney Empire, Chelsea Palace, Chiswick Empire, Finsbury Park Empire, Wood Green Empire and Metropolitan Music Hall. It was in the latter that he recorded the LP ''Max at the Met'' in 1957.

The final years

In 1958, Miller suffered a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

. After recovery, he needed to take life easier. His last West End appearance took place at the Palace Theatre in April 1959, and his last ever appearance in variety was in

Folkestone Folkestone ( ) is a coastal town on the English Channel, in Kent, south-east England. The town lies on the southern edge of the North Downs at a valley between two cliffs. It was an important harbour, shipping port, and fashionable coastal res ...

in December 1960. Miller continued to make records, his last being in January 1963 with

Lonnie Donegan Anthony James "Lonnie" Donegan (29 April 1931 – 3 November 2002) was a British skiffle singer, songwriter and musician, referred to as the " King of Skiffle", who influenced 1960s British pop and rock musicians. Born in Scotland and brought ...

Death

Miller died at home on 7 May 1963, aged 68, and was cremated at the Downs Crematorium, Brighton. A memorial tablet is mounted on a wall in the Garden of Remembrance. His wife Kathleen outlived him by nine years, dying in a

Hove Hove ( ) is a seaside resort in East Sussex, England. Alongside Brighton, it is one of the two main parts of the city of Brighton and Hove. Originally a fishing village surrounded by open farmland, it grew rapidly in the 19th century in respon ...

nursing home in 1972. With dwindling work in variety, brought about by the rise of television, he had commented, "When I'm dead and gone, the game's finished." It has frequently been suggested that

John Osborne John James Osborne (12 December 1929 – 24 December 1994) was an English playwright, screenwriter, actor, and entrepreneur, who is regarded as one of the most influential figures in post-war theatre. Born in London, he briefly worked as a jo ...

modelled the character Archie Rice in his play '' The Entertainer'' on Miller. John Osborne denied it and in his autobiography he wrote, "This is not so. Archie was a man. Max was a god, a saloon-bar

Priapus In Greek mythology, Priapus (; ) is a minor rustic fertility god, protector of livestock, fruit plants, gardens, and male genitalia. Priapus is marked by his oversized, permanent erection, which gave rise to the medical term priapism. He becam ...

Censorship

The laws on censorship were strict during Miller's lifetime. Those responsible for censorship were the

Lord Chamberlain The Lord Chamberlain of the Household is the most senior officer of the Royal Households of the United Kingdom, Royal Household of the United Kingdom, supervising the departments which support and provide advice to the Monarchy of the United Ki ...

in London and local watch committees in the regions. Miller's material needed approval by those bodies but by using

innuendo An innuendo is a wikt:hint, hint, wikt:insinuation, insinuation or wikt:intimation, intimation about a person or thing, especially of a denigrating or derogatory nature. It can also be a remark or question, typically disparaging (also called in ...

, leaving out the last word or words of a joke, he could get away with much risqué and saucy material. However, he never swore or told a "dirty joke" on stage. In one of his acts he would take from his pocket two books, one a white book and the other a blue book, explaining to the audience that these are joke books and asking them which the audience would like; the crowd almost always chose the blue book. The jokes in the blue book were the naughty ones. For example:

I went skating the other week with a young lady on ice and we'd been going around for quite a while and she kept on falling down.
I said, "Have you hurt yourself?”
She said, "No, I'm sorry to spoil your fun".
I said, "You're not spoiling my fun. It'll keep on ice".

Or he would leave the last word out for the audience to finish and blamed them if they laughed.

When roses are red,
They're ready for plucking.
When a girl is sixteen,
She's ready for ... 'Ere

He would then say, "I know exactly what you are saying to yourself, you're wrong, I know what you're saying. You wicked lot. You're the sort of people that get me a bad name!" It was said that Miller was banned by the BBC twice, first in the 1930s, and then in the 1950s. However, these rumours only helped Miller's reputation as daring and naughty, and led to increased box office sales.

Legacy

Miller influenced many comedians during his lifetime and since. His jokes live on and are often told by other comedians. The comedian Walter William Bygraves became known as Max Bygraves after his impersonation of Miller. Miller was one of the many famous people on the cover of

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

' "

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'' (often referred to simply as ''Sgt. Pepper'') is the eighth studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. Released on 26May 1967, ''Sgt. Pepper'' is regarded by musicologists as an early concept ...

". The biography, ''Max Miller the Cheeky Chappie'' by John M. East was published in 1977. A paperback version was issued in 1993 with additional material. Two paperbacks containing Miller's jokes have been published: ''The Max Miller Blue Book'' compiled by

Barry Took Barry Took (19 June 192831 March 2002) was an English writer, television presenter and comedian. His decade-and-a-half writing partnership with Marty Feldman led to the television series '' Bootsie and Snudge'', the radio comedy ''Round the Hor ...

and illustrated by cartoonist Trog (1975) and ''The Max Miller Appreciation Society's Blue Book'' compiled by members with a foreword by Roy Hudd (2001). Several radio and television documentaries have been produced including

Gerald Scarfe Gerald Anthony Scarfe (born 1 June 1936) is an English satirical cartoonist and illustrator. He has worked as editorial cartoonist for ''The Sunday Times (UK), The Sunday Times'' and illustrator for ''The New Yorker''. Scarfe’s other work in ...

's ''The Girls Who Do'' ('' 40 Minutes'', BBC, 1989) and '' Heroes of Comedy: Max Miller'' (1995).
Here's a Funny Thing
', a play featuring John Bardon by R.W. Shakespeare, was staged at the

Edinburgh Fringe The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as the Edinburgh Fringe, the Fringe or the Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest performance arts festival, which in 2024 spanned 25 days, sold more than 2.6 million tickets and featur ...

, and at the

Fortune Theatre The Fortune Theatre is a 432-seat West End theatre in Russell Street, near Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster. From 1989 until 2023 the theatre hosted the long running play '' The Woman in Black''. History The site was acquired by aut ...

in London; it was broadcast on

Channel Four Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded entirely by its commer ...

in November 1982. In 1999, the Max Miller Appreciation Society was formed in Brighton. Its main purpose is to keep his memory alive. It has erected a bronze statue sculptured by Peter Webster in the

Royal Pavilion The Royal Pavilion (also known as the Brighton Pavilion) and surrounding gardens is a Grade I listed former royal residence located in Brighton, England. Beginning in 1787, it was built in three stages as a seaside retreat for George, Prince o ...

Gardens, New Road, Brighton (unveiled 1 May 2005; re-sited August 2007) and mounted two

blue plaque A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom, and certain other countries and territories, to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving a ...

s on his former homes on Ashcroft in Kingston Lane,

Shoreham-by-Sea Shoreham-by-Sea (often shortened to Shoreham) is a coastal town and port in the Adur District, Adur district, in the county of West Sussex, England. In 2011 it had a population of 20,547. The town is bordered to its north by the South Downs, to ...

(2000) and at 160 Marine Parade, Brighton (2006). In 2009, the Society curated an exhibition devoted to Miller's life and career in Bardsley's Fish Restaurant, Baker Street, Brighton. In the British drama ''

The Triple Echo ''The Triple Echo'' (U.S title: ''Soldier in Skirts'') is a 1972 British drama film directed by Michael Apted starring Glenda Jackson, Brian Deacon and Oliver Reed, and based on The Triple Echo (novel), the 1970 novella by H.E. Bates. It was sho ...

'' from 1972, set during World War II, Glenda Jackson and Brian Deacon are listening to him (and laughing aloud) on the radio. He's telling a story about finding a man without any clothes on, standing in his house, and his wife said he's a nudist who came to use the phone.

Catchphrases

''He was renowned for his use of

catchphrase A catchphrase (alternatively spelled catch phrase) is a phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Such phrases often originate in popular culture and in the arts, and typically spread through word of mouth and a variety of mass ...

s, in performance'' *"Now, there's a funny thing" *"Listen! Listen!" *"There'll never be another" *"They don't make 'em anymore, duck!" *"It's people like you who give me a bad name" *"It's all clever stuff, no rubbish!" *"How's your memory, gal?" *"Miller's the name, Lady" *"I don't care what I say, do I?" *"That's nice, Maxie" *"You can't help liking him" *" 'Ere!"

Filmography

Discography

* Oct 1932 ''Confessions of a Cheeky Chappie'', pts 1 and 2: 78 rpm Broadcast Twelve 3266 * Oct 1935 ''Confessions of a Cheeky Chappie'', pts 1 and 2: 78 rpm Rex 8604 * Mar 1935 ''Max the Auctioneer'', pts 1 and 2: 78 rpm Rex 8665 * Dec 1936 '' Mary from the Dairy/ The Woman Improver'': 78 rpm

BD385 * Jan 1937 ''Ophelia/Down in the Valley'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD396 * Jan 1937 ''Backscratcher/Impshe'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD408 * Feb 1937 ''Why Should the Dustman Get It All? /You Can't Blame Me for That'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD417 * May 1937 ''How the So and So Can I Be Happy? /The Girl Next Door'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD419 * Jun 1937 ''The Love Bug Will Bite You/Julietta'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD427 * Jul 1937 ''You Can't Go Away Like That/Weeping Willow'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD432 * Sep 1937 ''The Windmill/La De Da'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD439 * Oct 1937 ''Put It Down/The Old Oak Tree'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD450 * Nov 1937 ''I Never Thought That She'd Do That To Me/Let's All Have a Charabanc Ride'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD458 * Mar 1937 ''Voice of the Stars extracts from the film Don't Get Me Wrong'': 78 rpm VS4 * Dec 1937 ''Just Another Sally/The Christmas Dinner'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD475 * Jan 1938 ''Annie the Farmer's Daughter/Ain't Love Grand?'': 78 rpm His Master's VoiceBD482 * Mar 1938 ''She Said She Wouldn't/I'm the Only Bit of Comfort She's Got'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD505 * Apr 1938 ''Winnie the Whistler/Doh Rae Me'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD533 * May 1938 ''Every Sunday Afternoon/Um Ta Ra Rae'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD541 * Jul 1938 ''Does She Still Remember? /I Bought a Horse'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD563 * Sep 1938 ''The Girls Who Work Where I Work/Happy School Days'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD583 * Nov 1938 ''She Was She Was She Was/Just in Fun'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD597 * Dec 1938 ''Max Miller in the Theatre: At the Holborn Empire'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD615 * Dec 1938 ''Max Miller in the Theatre: At the Holborn Empire'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD616 * Dec 1938 ''Max Miller in the Theatre: At the Holborn Empire'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD617 * Mar 1939 ''Max Miller in the Theatre Again: Holborn Empire: Second House'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD646 * Mar 1939 ''Max Miller in the Theatre Again: Holborn Empire: Second House'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD647 * Mar 1939 ''Max Miller in the Theatre Again: Holborn Empire: Second House'': 78 rpm His Master's VoiceBD648 * Jun 1939 ''At the Bathing Parade/Everything Happens to Me'' 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD697 * Jul 1939 ''No, No, No/Maria Fell for Me'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD710 * Dec 1939 ''Max Miller in the Theatre: At the Finsbury Park Empire'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD770 * Dec 1939 ''Max Miller in the Theatre: At the Finsbury Park Empire'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD771 * Dec 1939 ''Max Miller in the Theatre: At the Finsbury Park Empire'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD772 * Dec 1940 ''Max Miller with the Forces (Somewhere in England)'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD883 * Dec 1940 ''Max Miller with the Forces (Somewhere in England)'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD884 * Dec 1940 ''Max Miller with the Forces (Somewhere in England)'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD885 * Dec 1941 ''Max Miller Entertains the War Workers'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD980 * Dec 1941 ''Max Miller Entertains the War Workers'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD981 * Dec 1941 ''Max Miller Entertains the War Workers'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD982 * Jan 1942 ''That's the Way to Fall in Love/When You're Feeling Lonely/She'll Never Be the Same Again'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD987 * Nov 1942 ''Max Miller in the Theatre: At the Finsbury Park Empire'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD1022 * Nov 1942 ''Max Miller in the Theatre: At the Finsbury Park Empire'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD1023 * Mar 1950 ''Come Hither with Your Zither/ I Never See Maggie Alone'': 78 rpm His Master's Voice BD9878 * Dec 1953 ''Let's Have a Ride on Your Bicycle/My Old Mum'': 78 rpm

PB199 * Mar 1954 '' Mary from the Dairy/ Voulez Vous Promenade?'': 78 rpm Philips PB236 * Apr 1954 ''Pleasant Dreams/Oh Yes! She Knows Her Onions'': (with the

Beverley Sisters The Beverley Sisters were an English female close harmony traditional pop vocal and light entertainment trio, consisting of three sisters from London. They were eldest sister Joy (born Joycelyn Victoria Chinery, 5 May 1924 – 31 August 201 ...

) 78 rpm Philips PB274 * Jun 1954 ''Friends and Neighbours/Two Little People'': 78 rpm Philips PB296 * Nov 1954 ''Someone Else I'd Like to Be/Don't Forget Your First Sweetheart'': 78 rpm Philips PB362 * Apr 1955 ''Something Money Can't Buy/London Belongs to Me'': 78 rpm Philips PB427 * Oct 1955 ''The Budgie Song/Ain't It Ni-ice!'': 78 rpm Philips PB518 * May 1956 ''The Girls I Like/The Mother Brown Story'': 78 rpm Nixa N15050 * Nov 1957 ''Max at the Met (recorded at The Metropolitan Music Hall, London)'': LP Nixa NPT19026 * Jun 1958 ''Be Sincere/

With a Little Bit of Luck "With a Little Bit of Luck" is a popular song by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, written for the 1956 Broadway play ''My Fair Lady''. It was sung by Stanley Holloway as Alfred P. Doolittle in both the original stage and film versions. I ...

'': 78 rpm Nixa N15141 * Jun 1961 ''Influence/There's Always Someone Worse Off Than You'': 45 rpm Pye 7N15349 * Jun 1961 ''That's Nice Maxie (recorded at the Black Lion, Patcham, Brighton)'': LP Pye NPL18064 * Sep 1962 ''The Cheeky Chappie (recorded at the Star Sound Studios, London)'': LP Pye NPL18079 * Jan 1963 ''The Market Song/Tit Bits'': with Lonnie Donegan 45 rpm Pye 7N 15493 Since these recordings were released, most have been re-issues as compilations on LPs, cassettes and CDs)

Notes

References

*Fisher, John (1973), ''Funny Way to be a Hero'', London, Muller, pp. 86–96, *East, John M. (1977), ''Max Miller the Cheeky Chappie'', London, W H Allen, *Osborne, John (1981), ''A Better Class of Person: An Autobiography: 1929-1956'', London, Dutton, pp. 203–205, *Wilmot, Roger (1986), ''Kindly Leave the Stage: The Story of Variety 1919-1960'' Methuen, pp. 122–125, *Baker, Richard Anthony (2011), ''Old Time Variety: An Illustrated History'' Barnsley, Remember When, pp. 52–59,

External links

* * *
Max Miller
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Great Lives ''Great Lives'' is a BBC Radio 4 biography series, produced in Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the re ...

'',

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasti ...

, first broadcast 15 August 2006. {{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, Max 1894 births 1963 deaths 20th-century English comedians 20th-century English male actors Comedians from Brighton and Hove English comedy musicians English male comedians English male film actors English male stage actors English radio personalities Male actors from Brighton British music hall performers British novelty song performers