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Will Hay
William Thomson Hay (6 December 1888 – 18 April 1949) was an English comedian who wrote and acted in a schoolmaster sketch that later transferred to the screen, where he also played other authority figures with comic failings. His film '' Oh, Mr Porter!'' (1937), made by Gainsborough Pictures, is often cited as the supreme British-produced film-comedy, and in 1938 he was the third highest-grossing star in the UK. Many comedians have acknowledged him as a major influence. Hay was also a keen amateur astronomer. Early life Hay was born at 23 Durham Street in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham. He was one of two sons and three daughters of William Robert Hay (1859–1920) and his wife, Elizabeth (1859–1910) (née Ebden). When Will Hay Jr. was less than a year old the family moved to Lowestoft in Suffolk. By his late teens, Hay had become fluent in Italian, French and German and secured employment as an interpreter. Career Early career Hay decided to become an actor when he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fellow Of The Royal Astronomical Society
The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) is a learned society and charity that encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. Its headquarters are in Burlington House, on Piccadilly in London. The society has over 4,000 members, known as fellows, most of whom are professional researchers or postgraduate students. Around a quarter of Fellows live outside the UK. The society holds monthly scientific meetings in London, and the annual National Astronomy Meeting at varying locations in the British Isles. The RAS publishes the scientific journals ''Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society'', ''Geophysical Journal International'' and ''RAS Techniques and Instruments'', along with the trade magazine '' Astronomy & Geophysics''. The RAS maintains an astronomy research library, engages in public outreach and advises the UK government on astronomy education. The society recognises achievement in astronomy a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moore Marriott
George Thomas Moore Marriott (14 September 1885 – 11 December 1949) was an English character actor best remembered for the series of films he made with Will Hay. His first appearance with Hay was in the film '' Dandy Dick'' (1935), but he was a significant supporting performer in Hay's films from 1936 to 1940, and while he starred with Hay during this period he played a character called "Harbottle" that was based on a character Marriott usually played. His character Harbottle was originally created by Hay when he used the character in his "The fourth form at St. Michael's" sketches in the 1920s. Career Marriott was born at Alpha Place, Yiewsley, Middlesex, on 14 September 1885, the son of George Matthew Marriott (1859–1940), who was then a commercial traveller, and his wife, Edith Rousby, née Coleman (1864–1946). His parents were actors, and his father became a theatrical manager. Moore Marriott made his stage debut at the age of five. He had originally intended to t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Convict 99
''Convict 99'' is a 1938 British comedy film directed by Marcel Varnel and starring Will Hay, Moore Marriott, Graham Moffatt and Googie Withers. It was one of several comedies Hay made for producer Ted Black. Plot Incompetent Dr Benjamin Twist is dismissed from his job as headmaster at St. Michael's School (the school returns in a later film '' The Ghost of St. Michael's''), and applies for a job in another school. Going for interview, he is called into another office where they are expecting John Benjamin, a strict prison governor recently arrived from Australia who is applying for the vacancy at Blackdown Prison in Devon. On the way to what Twist believes is the school, he becomes drunk, and on arrival is mistaken for Max Slessor, a prisoner who had escaped during a jailbreak. Designated Convict 99 and in for seven years for forgery, Twist is soon discovered to be the new Prison Governor, and once put in his (dubiously) rightful place embarks on a programme to make the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dr Benjamin Twist
Dr. Benjamin Twist is a recurring fictional character who appears in several films featuring comedian Will Hay, who portrays the character in all mediums. Character history Dr. Benjamin Twist is a bumbling, fraudulent but lovable science teacher of the fictional St. Michael's School, which forms the backdrop of the films he appears in. Twist's typical appearance was with a mortarboard at an angle on his head and a pince-nez on his nose, as he squinted in a bewildered way at his unruly pupils. Appearances ''Good Morning, Boys'' Twist's first appearance was in the 1937 film '' Good Morning, Boys'', in which he is presented as the laid-back headmaster of St. Michael's, a boys' school for the sons of rich gentry, where he also teaches Science. Initially, he turns a blind eye to the misbehaviour of the boys under his eye and teaches the children using his method of ''Twisterism'', which is somehow related to Astrology and the signs of the Zodiac. However, he is later ordered by the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Windbag The Sailor
''Windbag the Sailor'' is a 1936 British comedy film directed by William Beaudine and starring Will Hay. The film marked the first appearance of Hay with Graham Moffatt and Moore Marriott acting as his straight men, however both Moffatt and Marriott had previously acted separately in films starring Hay, namely in '' Dandy Dick'' and ''Where There's a Will'', respectively. Plot Ben Cutlet is a retired barge captain who entertains his bar room audience with tales of his alleged days at sea, although his maritime experience extends no further than navigating a coal barge. His tall tales catch him out when he is conned into commanding the unseaworthy ''Rob Roy'' to the West Indies by a gang of criminals who mean to scuttle the ship for the insurance money. Cutlet gets the upper hand however when he and his companions fall in with West Indian natives who mistake their radio set for a god. Cast * Will Hay as Captain Ben Cutlet *Moore Marriott as Jerry Harbottle * Graham Moffatt ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dandy Dick (film)
''Dandy Dick'' is a 1935 British comedy film directed by William Beaudine and starring Will Hay. It was based on the 1887 play '' Dandy Dick'' by Arthur Wing Pinero. It is the second and last of his films to be based on a play by Arthur Wing Pinero – the first was ''Those Were the Days'' which was based on '' The Magistrate''. Moore Marriott, who played an uncredited role in the film, later became a famous foil to Hay in films later on alongside Graham Moffatt, it was during the film of Dandy Dick that Marriott introduced the idea of being a supporting player to Hay. Plot A vicar who lives in the country with his daughter and grandson discovers he owns a share in a racehorse. He must now put his principles aside and attempt to save the church by gambling. A doping scandal ensues. Partial cast * Will Hay as Vicar the Reverend Richard Jedd *Nancy Burne as Pamela Jedd *Esmond Knight as Tony Mardon * Davy Burnaby as Sir William Mardon * Mignon O'Doherty as Georgiana Jedd ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dad's Army
''Dad's Army'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard (United Kingdom), Home Guard during the World War II, Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft (TV producer), David Croft, and originally broadcast on BBC One, BBC1 from 31 July 1968 to 13 November 1977. It ran for nine series and 80 episodes in total; a Dad's Army (1971 film), feature film released in 1971, a Dad's Army (stage show), stage show and a Dad's Army#Radio series, radio version based on the television scripts were also produced. The series regularly gained audiences of 18 million viewers and is still shown internationally. The Home Guard consisted of local volunteers otherwise ineligible for military service, either because of age (hence the title ''Dad's Army''), medical reasons, or by being in Reserved occupation, professions exempt from conscription. Most of the platoon members in ''Dad's Army'' are over military age and the series stars seve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jimmy Perry
James Perry (20 September 1923 – 23 October 2016) was an English scriptwriter and actor. He devised and co-wrote the BBC sitcoms ''Dad's Army'' (1968–1977), '' It Ain't Half Hot Mum'' (1974–1981), '' Hi-de-Hi!'' (1980–1988) and '' You Rang, M'Lord?'' (1988–1993), all with David Croft. Perry co-wrote the theme tune of ''Dad's Army'', "Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Mr. Hitler?" along with Derek Taverner, for which Perry received an Ivor Novello Award from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors in 1971. Early life Perry was born in Barnes, Surrey on 20 September 1923.Simon Morgan-Russell, "Perry, James (Jimmy) (1923–2016)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, Jan 202available online Retrieved 25 August 2020. His father, Arthur, was an antiques dealer, whose shop was in South Kensington, London. He was a founder of the British Antique Dealers' Association. His son was educated at two independent schools, Colet ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Times
''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (founded in 1821), are published by Times Media, since 1981 a subsidiary of News UK, in turn wholly owned by News Corp. ''The Times'' and ''The Sunday Times'' were founded independently and have had common ownership only since 1966. It is considered a newspaper of record in the UK. ''The Times'' was the first newspaper to bear that name, inspiring numerous other papers around the world. In countries where these other titles are popular, the newspaper is often referred to as or , although the newspaper is of national scope and distribution. ''The Times'' had an average daily circulation of 365,880 in March 2020; in the same period, ''The Sunday Times'' had an average weekly circulation of 647,622. The two ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Graham Moffatt
Graham Victor Harold Moffatt (6 December 1919 – 2 July 1965) was an English comedic character actor. He is best known for a number of films where he appeared with Will Hay and Moore Marriott as 'Albert': a plump cheekily insolent street-savvy youth. Early life Moffatt was born on 6 December 1919 in Hammersmith, West London, the son of Frederick Victor Moffatt (1896–1977) and Daisy Eleonora née Whiteside (1895–1969), both of whom outlived him. He had two sisters, one being Rita Doreen Moffatt (1936–1991). He was born exactly 31 years after Will Hay, with whom Moffatt would perform with in a string of successful cinema films in the 1930s. He wanted to act from an early age. He first worked as a call boy (theatre), call boy at Shepherd's Bush Studios, and often saw actor Tom Walls going in and out of the sound stages. Walls took a liking to Moffatt, and chose him for a bit part in the 1934 film ''A Cup of Kindness (film), A Cup of Kindness''. He then gave up his job as a c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gracie Fields
Dame Gracie Fields (born Grace Stansfield; 9 January 189827 September 1979) was a British actress, singer and comedian. A star of cinema and music hall, she was one of the top ten film stars in Britain during the 1930s and was considered the highest paid film star in the world in 1937. Fields was known affectionately as ''Our Gracie'' and ''the Lancashire Lass'' and for never losing her strong, native Lancashire accent. She was appointed a Order of the British Empire, Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) and an Venerable Order of Saint John, Officer of the Venerable Order of St John (OStJ) in 1938, and a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1979. Life and work Early life Fields was born Grace Stansfield, a daughter of Frederick Stansfield (1874–1956) and his wife Sarah Jane 'Jenny' Stansfield née Bamford (1879–1953), over a Fish and chips, fish and chip shop owned by her grandmother, Sar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Formby
George Formby, (born George Hoy Booth; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961), was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he sang light, Novelty song, comic songs, usually accompanying himself on the ukulele or banjolele, and became the UK's highest-paid entertainer. Born in Wigan, Lancashire, he was the son of George Formby Sr, from whom he later took his stage name. After an early career as a stable boy and jockey, Formby took to the music hall stage after the early death of his father in 1921. His early performances were taken exclusively from his father's act, including the same songs, jokes and characters. In 1923 he made two career-changing decisions – he purchased a ukulele, and married Beryl Ingham, a fellow performer who became his manager and transformed his act. She insisted that he appear on stage formally dressed, and introduced the ukulele to his ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
