I suppose you could say that this chap is one of the reasons that sites like Quintessential Comedy exist.
Without his commitment, show’s like Morecambe & Wise would never have had the massive following that they did during what many call the “Golden Age” of British Television.
It was certainly the golden age of Light Entertainment, and was presided over by Mr Bill Cotton as the BBC’s head of department from 1970-1977.
He was also one of the main supporters of Dad’s Army, a show which we may never have seen thanks to BBC internal politics.
British character actor Hugh Lloyd has sadly died aged 85. The actor was best known for appearing opposite Tony Hancock as a multitude of characters in the classic sitcom Hancock’s Half Hour in 1960-61, as well as partnering Terry Scott in Hugh and I from 1962-1968.
His later career mixed appearances in comedy series with straight roles, such as Last of the Summer Wine and Heartbeat, My Family and Foyles’ War.
Lloyd also appeared in the Doctor Who adventure Delta and the Bannermen in 1987, as well as appearing in the 1979 movie Quadrophenia.
A keen football supporter, Lloyd was a lifelong fan of Chester City, and in 2005 received an MBE for services to theatre and charity.
Former Chester Chronicle colleague Eddie McDonald paid tribute to a man he says was well known for comedy shows in local halls in Chester before finding fame.
“It’s fair to say that he remained a true Cestrian. He didn’t spend enough time on the Chronicle to leave a deep impression there but everybody knew him and most people were proud of the fact that a Chester lad had got so far in television.”
Not British, but very nearly Quintessential, George Carlin was an American standup comic best known to international audiences as Rufus in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure back in 1989.
His recent death has reminded comedy fans of the “Seven Words You Can’t Say on Television” routine, plus hosting the first ever Saturday Night Live while high on cocaine.
Can’t think of a better way to enjoy Saturday Night Live these days…
It’s with a sad heart that I relate the news of Humphrey Lyttleton’s passing. The jazz musician extraordinaire and host of the long running “antidote to panel games” I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue passed away yesterday at the age of 86, following surgery for an aortic aneurysm.
Lyttleton was born into the landed gentry, but a short career spell in Wales amongst steel workers set him on the road to socialism. His trumpet playing began soon before the war, during which he took the instrument with him wherever he went, and can (possibly) be heard on footage of VE Day in London. the following 60 or so years saw him marry twice, develop his musical, his artistic ability and forge careers in music, broadcasting, cartoons and of course as the deadpan host of a comedy institution. (There is so much more about Humprey Lyttleton’s life in this excellent obituary in The Telegraph.)
There is little else I can add, other than to remind us of some wonderful double entrendres, from the exploits of the fictitious scoring girl Samantha…
- Samantha’s just started keeping bees and already has three dozen or so. She says she’s got an expert handler coming round to give a demonstration. He’ll carefully take out her 38 bees and soon have them flying round his head.
- Samantha has to nip out to the House of Lords with her constituency friend. He’s looking for support for his MP who’s facing expulsion, and Samantha says it’s important to have a good peer if his member’s likely to be out.
- Samantha spent many hours in conversation with the BBC gramophone library research staff for this round, deliberating over the fine old 7-inchers they presented for inspection. She says before deciding which she was going to spin she had to think about each one long and hard
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