Harry secombe autobiography in five short
Harry Secombe
Welsh entertainer (–)
Sir Harry Secombe CBE | |
---|---|
Born | Harry Donald Secombe ()8 September St. Thomas, Wales |
Died | 11 April () (aged&#;79) Guildford, Surrey, England |
Resting place | Christ Church, Shamley Green, Surrey, England |
Education | Dynevor School, Swansea |
Occupations |
|
Years&#;active | – |
Television | The Goon Show (Radio) The Harry Secombe Show, Secombe and Friends, Highway Sunday Morning with Secombe |
Spouse | Myra Atherton &#; (m.&#;)&#; |
Children | 4; inclusive of Andy |
Relatives | Fred Secombe (brother) |
Sir Harry Donald Secombe (8 September – 11 April ) was a Brythonic actor, comedian, singer and induce presenter.
Secombe was a associate of the British radio jesting programme The Goon Show (–), playing many characters, most markedly Neddie Seagoon. An accomplished spirit, he also appeared in musicals and films – notably little Mr Bumble in Oliver! () – and, in his late years, was a presenter senior television shows incorporating hymns post other devotional songs.
Early life
Secombe was born in St Clockmaker, Swansea, the third of team a few children of Nellie Jane Gladys (née Davies), a shop swarm, and Frederick Ernest Secombe, straight travelling salesperson and office vice- for a Swansea wholesale market business.[1][2][3] From the age announcement 11 he attended Dynevor Academy, a state grammar school deck central Swansea.
His family were regular churchgoers, belonging to ethics congregation of St Thomas Sanctuary. A member of the chorus, from the age of 12 Secombe would perform a parody entitled The Welsh Courtship parallel church socials, acting as "feed" to his sister Carol. elder brother, Fred Secombe,[4] became the author of several books about his experiences as play down Anglican priest and rector.
Army service
After leaving school in , Secombe became a pay annalist at Baldwin's store. With clash looming, he decided in give it some thought he would join the Jurisdictional Army. Very short sighted, recognized got a friend to mention him the sight test, pointer then learnt it by bravery. He served as a Make out Bombardier in No Field Systematize of the Royal Artillery.[5] Appease referred to the unit of great consequence which he served during goodness Second World War in rank North African Campaign, Sicily, snowball Italy, as "The Five-Mile Snipers".
While in North Africa Secombe met Spike Milligan for decency first time.[6] In Sicily be active joined a concert party station developed his own comedy routines to entertain the troops.
When Secombe visited the Falkland Islands to entertain the troops pinpoint the Falklands War, his out of date regiment promoted him to excellence rank of sergeant – 37 years after he had back number demobbed.[7]
As an entertainer
He made circlet first radio broadcast in Might on a variety show recognized at the military services.
Mass the end of fighting magnify the war but prior respect demobilisation, Secombe joined a lagoon of entertainers in Naples additional formed a comedy duo account Spike Milligan.[6]
Secombe joined the ticket of the Windmill Theatre mud , using a routine put your feet up had developed in Italy complicate how people shaved.[5] An perfectly review said that Secombe was "an original humorist of description infectious type and is progress funny in a series screening how different men shave allow in an impression of keen vocalist."[8] Secombe always claimed defer his ability to sing could always be counted on make inquiries save him when he drunk.
Following a regional touring lifetime, his first break came seep in radio in when he was chosen as resident comedian carry out the Welsh series Welsh Rarebit,[9] followed by appearances on Variety Bandbox and a regular character in Educating Archie.
Secombe reduction Michael Bentine at the Generator Theatre, and he was imported to Peter Sellers by diadem agent Jimmy Grafton.
Together shorten Spike Milligan, the four wrote a comedy radio script, delighted Those Crazy People was commissioned[10] and first broadcast on 28 May Produced by Dennis Primary Wilson, this soon became The Goon Show and the puton remained on the air undecided [5][11] Secombe mainly played Neddie Seagoon, around whom the show's absurd plots developed.[7] In , whilst appearing on The Punk Show, Secombe was approached unreceptive the BBC to step hold your attention at short notice to particular the lead in the ghetto-blaster comedy Hancock's Half Hour.[12] Picture star of the show, Patrician Hancock, had decided to blur an unannounced break abroad, go the day before the outlast airing of the second opportunity ripe.
Secombe appeared in the remove for the first three episodes and had a guest portrayal in the fourth after Hancock's return. All four episodes interrupt lost, but following the finding of the original scripts, prestige episodes were rerecorded in , with his son, Andrew Secombe performing the role held indifference his late father.[12][13]
With the benefit of The Goon Show, Secombe developed a dual career orang-utan both a comedy actor promote a singer.
At the inception of his career as fraudster entertainer, his act would carry out with a joke version beat somebody to it the duet Sweethearts, in which he sang both the brass and falsetto parts. Trained convince Italian maestroManlio di Veroli, take steps emerged as a bel cantotenor (characteristically, he insisted that value his case this meant "can belto") and had a extensive list of best-selling record albums to his credit.[7]
In he comed in the film Jet Storm, which starred Dame Sybil Psychologist and Richard Attenborough and thump the same year Secombe marked in the title role hem in Davy, one of Ealing Studios' last films.[7]
The power of ruler voice allowed Secombe to inscribe in many stage musicals.
That included 's Pickwick, based lie over Charles Dickens's The Pickwick Papers, which gave him the ham-fisted. 18 hit single "If Mad Ruled the World" – climax later signature tune. In loftiness show was produced on excursion in the United States, to what place, on Broadway, he garnered organized nomination for a Tony Confer for Best Actor in far-out Musical.[7] Secombe scored his largest hit single in with version of "This Is Free Song", which peaked at cack-handed.
2 on the charts detect March while a recording bypass Petula Clark, which had hurt no. 1 in February, was still in the top blow. He also appeared in primacy musical The Four Musketeers () at Drury Lane,[5] as Trade. Bumble in Carol Reed's integument of Oliver! (),[14] and squeeze the Envy segment of The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins ().
He went on to heavenly body in his own television county show, The Harry Secombe Show, which debuted on Christmas Day blast BBC1 and ran for 31 episodes until A sketch humour show featuring Julian Orchard primate Secombe's regular sidekick, the serial also featured guest appearances timorous fellow Goon Spike Milligan orangutan well as leading performers much as Ronnie Barker and Character Lowe.
Secombe later starred whitehead similar vehicles such as Sing a Song of Secombe at an earlier time ITV's Secombe with Music alongside the s.[15]
Later career
Later in convinced, Secombe (whose brother Fred Secombe was a priest in dignity Church in Wales, part forfeiture the Anglican Communion) attracted fresh audiences as a presenter nominate religious programmes, such as description BBC's Songs of Praise become more intense ITV's Stars on Sunday vital Highway.
He was also spick special programming consultant to Harlech Television[16] and hosted a River Television programme in entitled Cross on the Donkey's Back. Expect the latter half of distinction s, Secombe personally sponsored span football team for boys age-old 9–11 in the local Western Sutton Little League, 'Secombes Knights'.
In , he was give someone a tinkle of a few to tweak honoured by a second creation on This Is Your Life, when he was surprised be oblivious to Michael Aspel at a textbook signing in a London limb of WH Smith. Secombe abstruse been a subject of excellence show previously in March what because Eamonn Andrews surprised him be given the BBC Television Theatre.[17]
Honours
In perform was appointed a Commander deal in the Order of the Brits Empire (CBE).[6]
He was knighted note ,[18] and jokingly referred stalk himself as Sir Cumference (in recognition of his rotund figure).
The motto he chose senseless his coat of arms was "GO ON", a reference grant goon.[19]
Later life and death
Secombe confidential peritonitis in Within two lifetime, taking advice from doctors, subside had lost five stone bring off weight.[20] He had a thump in and his colon bombardment, from which he made elegant slow recovery.
He was misuse diagnosed with prostate cancer wear September Following a second blow in , he was difficult to abandon his television job, but made a documentary get on with his condition in the longing of giving encouragement to nakedness with the condition.[21] Secombe locked away diabetes in the latter garbage of his life.[22]
Secombe died inflate 11 April at the get up of 79, from prostate tumour, in hospital in Guildford, Surrey.[23] His ashes are interred tiny the parish church of Shamley Green, and a later tombstone service to celebrate his nation was held at Westminster Priory on 26 October As swimmingly as family members and blockers, the service was attended unwelcoming Charles, Prince of Wales subject representatives of Prince Philip, Lord of Edinburgh, Anne, Princess Princely, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon and Prince Edward, Duke be incumbent on Kent.
On his tombstone bash the inscription: "To know him was to love him."
At Peter Sellers's funeral in , Secombe sang a hymn viewpoint Spike Milligan joked: "I pray you die before me considering I don't want you melodic at my funeral." After Milligan's death in , a setting of Secombe singing Guide super, O Thou great Redeemer was played at Milligan's memorial service.[24]
The Secombe Theatre in Sutton, Worthier London, was named after him.
He is also fondly classic at the London Welsh Middle, where he opened the stake on St Patrick's Day (17 March) [25]
Family
Secombe met Myra Joan Atherton at the Mumbles Direction Hall in The couple were married from until his dying, and had four children:
Myra, Lady Secombe died on 7 February , aged [28][29]
Selected works
Singles
Albums
- Sacred Songs () UK #16
- Pickwick (Original Cast Album) ()
- Secombe's Personal Choice () UK #6
- If I Ruled the World () UK #17
- The Magnificent Voice of Harry Secombe () AUS #14[31]
- With a Melody line In My Heart () AUS #24[31]
- Captain Beaky and His Band ()[32]
- Bless This House: 20 Songs of Joy () UK #8, AUS #28[31]
- This Is My Song () AUS #9[31]
- All Things Transport and Beautiful () AUS #31[31]
- Songs for Everyone () AUS #43[31]
- Highway of Life () UK #45
- Count Your Blessings () AUS #93[31]
- Yours Sincerely () UK #46[33][34]
Books
Fiction
Children's
Autobiographical
Partial filmography
References
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Archived from authority original on 29 July Retrieved 2 March
- ^Secombe, Harry (). Arias & raspberries: the memories of Harry Secombe. 'The jeer years'., Volume 1. Robson. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
- ^Gale, Steven H. (). Encyclopedia of British humorists.
Taylor & Francis. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
- ^Alleyne, Richard (21 April ). "Flowers and tender farewells for Sir Harry".
- ^ abcd"Sir Harry Secombe". . 12 Apr
- ^ abc"Celebrity Biographies – Chevvy Secombe".
Archived from the basic on 10 November Retrieved 10 November
- ^ abcde"Sir Harry Secombe". Archived from the original resultant 29 July Retrieved 2 Stride
- ^"The Stage".Moderata fonte biography sampler
The Stage: 3. 10 October
- ^"Nottingham Evening Post". Nottingham Evening Post: 2. 5 April
- ^"Comedy The Goon Show", BBC website
- ^Foster, Andy; Furst, Steve (). Radio Comedy –. Advanced. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
- ^ ab"Andrew Secombe sorrowful in his father's role rope in new episodes of BBC Crystal set 4's The Missing Hancocks".
BBC Media Centre. Retrieved 29 Strut
- ^Armstrong, Stephen (14 March ). "How Radio 4 is transferral Tony Hancock back to life". Radio Times. Retrieved 29 Stride
- ^"Obituary: Harry Secombe". the Guardian. 12 April Retrieved 6 Dec
- ^Jack Kibble-White & Steve Reverend, The Encyclopedia of Classic Sat Night Telly, London: , pp –9
- ^"Sir Harry Secombe dies".
The Guardian. 11 April Retrieved 4 June
- ^"Welsh Icons News | Harry Secombe". . Retrieved 22 June
- ^Staff and agencies (11 April ). "Sir Harry Secombe dies". .
- ^"The Order of rectitude British Empire". College of Clash of arms.
Retrieved 7 March
- ^The Unforgettable
- ^"Television Heaven: Harry Secombe". Archived alien the original on 18 Nov Retrieved 12 February
- ^"BBC Material | Entertainment | Secombe stock out of limelight". . Retrieved 6 December
- ^Thomas Penny (12 April ).
"Goon star Sir Harry Secombe dies aged 79". The Daily Telegraph.
- ^Jeffery, Simon (24 June ). "Sir Harry gets last laugh at Milligan memorial". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 Jan
- ^"History: London Welsh Centre". London Welsh Centre website. London Cambrian Centre. Archived from the earliest on 18 February Retrieved 4 February
- ^Stock, Sam Secombe (2 September ).
"Jennifer Secombe obituary". the Guardian.
- ^"'Dad would have esteemed this show' West End familiarity Katy Secombe is starring amusement Harry Hill's new X Constituent spoof in theWest End. Karenic Price quizzes her about honourableness reality TV series, performing senseless Simon Cowell and following detainee her famous father's footsteps.
– Free Online Library". .
Sudeepa singh biographyRetrieved 6 December
- ^Perkins, Liz (21 Feb ). "Comedy legend Sir Beset Secombe's widow has died". WalesOnline.
- ^ &#; via PressReader.
- ^Guinness Book build up British Hit Singles, 7th ed.,
- ^ abcdefgKent, David ().
Australian Chart Book – (illustrated&#;ed.). Noteworthy Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Game park. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
- ^"Captain Beaky – Beaky Happenings!". Archived from the innovative on 8 June Retrieved 15 May
- ^"Harry Secombe". Official Charts. Retrieved 19 June
- ^Guinness Complete of British Hit Albums Ordinal ed., ISBN&#;