Bobby Thompson (comedian)
| Bobby Thompson | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Robert Michael Thompson 18 November 1911 Penshaw, County Durham, England |
| Died | 16 April 1988 (aged 76) North Shields, Tyne and Wear, England |
| Occupation | Comedian |
| Spouse(s) | Eleanor Cicely Palmer |
| Parent(s) | John and Mary Thompson |
Robert Michael "Bobby" Thompson (18 November 1911 – 16 April 1988) was a stand-up comedian, actor and entertainer from Penshaw, County Durham. Although he was raised in Penshaw, he also lived in Great Lumley and Barley Mow, near Chester-le-Street, later moving to Whitley Bay.
He was the seventh child of John and Mary Thompson, who both died by the time he was 8 years old. He was then raised by his elder sister in the village of Fatfield.
After leaving school at 15, he started worked at North Biddick Colliery, earning 7 shillings and sixpence a week. He would supplement his income by playing the harmonica around local working men's clubs and competing in domino tournaments. His first stand-up performance took place at the Gem Cinema in Penshaw as a young boy.
The comedian was married three times. His second wife, Phyllis, died on 25 April 1967. He announced his engagement to Mary Douglass, 62, of Annfield Plain a few years later, but the engagement was broken off. In 1980, Bobby married his housekeeper, Eleanor Cicely Palmer, more commonly known as Cissy Ward (maiden name Wake). Bobby was her third husband and she was famously taller than he was.
Famous for his broad Pitmatic (County Durham pit village) accent (often mistaken for Geordie), self-deprecating humour and mastery of the mother-in-law joke, Thompson was affectionately known as The Little Waster due to his short stature, which he often played on during his act, describing himself as 'Little Bobby'. His most famous outfit was a worn out stripey jumper (Wooly gansey) and flat cap. His ever-present Woodbine cigarette stub, hanging from the corner of his mouth, was also an integral part of his on-stage persona.
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