Arthur Askey
| Arthur Askey | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Birth name | Arthur Bowden Askey |
| Born |
6 June 1900 Dingle, Liverpool, England |
| Died | 16 November 1982 (aged 82) St Thomas's Hospital, London, England |
| Genres | Stand-up |
| Spouse | Elizabeth May Swash (m.1925–1974) |
| Children | Anthea Askey |
| Parent(s) | Samuel and Betsy Askey, née Bowden |
Arthur Bowden Askey, CBE (6 June 1900 – 16 November 1982) was an English comedian and actor. Askey's humour owed much to the playfulness of the characters he portrayed, his improvisation, and his use of catchphrases, which included "Hello playmates!", "I thank you" (pronounced "Ay-Thang-Yaw"), and "Before your very eyes".
Askey was born at 29 Moses Street, Dingle, Liverpool, the eldest child and only son of Samuel Askey (d. 1958), secretary of the firm Sugar Products of Liverpool, and his wife, Betsy Bowden (d. 1949), of Knutsford, Cheshire. Six months after his birth the family moved to 90 Rosslyn Street, Liverpool.
Askey was educated at St. Michael's Council School (1905–11) and the Liverpool Institute for Boys (1911–16). He was small in stature at 5' 2" (1.58 m), with a breezy, smiling personality, and wore distinctive horn-rimmed glasses.
He served in the armed forces in World War I and performed in army entertainments. After working as a clerk for Liverpool Corporation, Education Department, he was in a touring concert party and the music halls, but he rose to stardom in 1938 through his role in the first regular radio comedy series, Band Waggon on the BBC.
Band Waggon began as a variety show, but had been unsuccessful until Askey and his partner, Richard Murdoch, took on a larger role in the writing. During the broadcasting of Band Waggon they attempted to advertise a scouring powder with the chant of "Askeytoff will take it off" with the result that an announcer came on and shut the show down as advertising was strictly prohibited on the BBC.
During the Second World War Askey starred in several Gainsborough Pictures comedy films, including Band Waggon (1940), based on the radio show; Charley's (Big-Hearted) Aunt (1940); The Ghost Train (1941); I Thank You (1941); Back Room Boy (1942);King Arthur Was a Gentleman (1942); Miss London Ltd. (1943) and Bees in Paradise (1944). His last film was Rosie Dixon - Night Nurse (1978), starring Debbie Ash.
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