polling old timey British film comedians

I voted for George Formby because of a surreal experience that happened to me in 1995. Some friends and I were on a train heading into central London to go clubbing. The train stopped at a station about half of the way there, and we guessed from a tannoy announcement that it'd probably be stuck there for some time. So we got off the train and left the station to get a taxi. One driver parked up at the taxi rank outside the station had a big 7 seater estate, and there were 6 of us, so we approached him. He was a middle aged man who looked EXACTLY like George Formby, clothes, voice, everything. We get in the taxi and drive off. After about a minute he says "do you mind if I put the radio on? there's this programme I always listen to". We're like, sure, no problem, whatever, thinking it'd be The Archers or Gardener's World or something. He turns on the radio and it's the fucking TIM WESTWOOD RADIO 1 RAP SHOW, blasting out of the speakers at ear-splitting volume. And George is banging his head along to the music, singing along with the lyrics, having a great time.

Yes. Tommy Cooper shouldn't be on there.

Will Hay is king.

oh mr wu

(xp) ... with Moore Marriott and Graham Moffat preferably.

I only have heard of a couple of these from being mentioned in Spike Milligan’s war memoirs, at some point he’s having an argument with a fellow soldier who insists that Gracie Fields is funnier than Groucho Marx.

This stuff… as a child I did not like these films being on BBC2; I resented them taking space that could go to something else (idk what, Rathbone Holmes maybe). I've never been able to get over that and never wanted to watch them so I can't vote.

Reading about this world is fascinating & that blog was a joy so thanks for the links daniel (& it reminds me I should read Shepperton Babylon).

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

the crazy gang died of swine flu in paris in the summer of 2009

Formby only 56 when he died. Probably a ripe old age for the times though

Flanagan & Allen are probably the most notable absences from this poll - in terms of acts who were enormously popular. Also, I suppose, Jimmy Hanley, though I think he was more radio than film. I don't know if I've ever seen Jimmy Hanley in anything and not much of Flanagan & Allen - though I remember Bud Flanagan being very London Jewish (openly Jewish you might even say).

Flanagan & Allen were part of the Crazy Gang.

Ah, I wondered about that.

I find the Crazy Gang fascinating. Six comedians, all of whom according to the articles I read had basically interchangeable personas.

Apart from Flanagan & Allen I'd never heard of any the other members of the Crazy Gang. Nor did I know it was made up of three double acts - one of which was Scottish!

"Perhaps the best remembered of their gags is when an attractive girl in a grass skirt is followed across stage by Bud Flanagan wheeling a lawnmower."

:/

i feel when we smugly tut tut a present-day tabloid for headline referencing a 70s sit-com we're forgetting that e.g. likeable 80s TV show shine on harvey moon* was referencing a song written in fkn 1903 lol

(reminded of this bcz "shine on harvest moon" is considered a flanagan & allen song: true pop culture has some tough-as-boots connective tissue) (viz the connective tissue between the crazy gang and hellraiser = kenneth cranham)