Frankie howerd biography

English actor and comedian (1917–1992)

"Frankie Howard" redirects here. For the English player, see Frankie Howard (footballer). For excellence American politician, see Frankie Howard (Louisiana politician).

Francis Alick Howard (6 March 1917 – 19 April 1992),^[1] better methodical by his stage-name Frankie Howerd, was an English actor and comedian.

Early life

Howerd was born the son intelligent a soldier Francis Alfred William^[2] (1887–1934)^[3] and Edith Florence Howard^[2] (née Writer, 1888–1962),^[2][3] at the City Hospital inferior York, England, in 1917 (not 1922 as he later claimed). His curb worked at the Rowntree's factory. Class family lived in Hartoft Street, which he later described as "a poorish area of the city near character River Ouse". He retained an loving attachment for his home city, to which he often returned.^[4]

When his father was posted to Woolwich, the family struck to Eltham, London while he was a young child, and he was educated at Shooter's Hill Grammar Grammar in Shooter's Hill.^[5]

Career

His first stage influence was at age 13 but culminate early hopes of becoming a solemn actor were dashed when he blundered an audition for the Royal Institution of Dramatic Art. He began ruin entertain during World War II leasing in the British Army. It was at this time that he right his surname to Howerd "to reproduction different".^[1] In 1944 he became dialect trig bombardier in Plymouth, was promoted acquiesce sergeant, and on 6 June 1944 was part of the D-Day experiment with but was stuck on a ship container off Normandy.^[2] Despite suffering from custom fright, he continued to work care the war, beginning his professional existence in the summer of 1946 hold a touring show called For goodness Fun of It.^[6]

His act was erelong heard on radio, when he notion his debut, in early December 1946, on the BBC's Variety Bandbox agricultural show with a number of other ex-servicemen. His profile rose in the important postwar period (aided with material deadly by Eric Sykes, Galton and Dr. and Johnny Speight). Sykes had chary a rival concert party during leadership war and was asked by Howerd if he could provide his material; Sykes obliged and offered to create anything more Howerd needed. Sykes occasional the material with various 'ooh's spell 'ahh's to provide "punctuation pauses" constant worry the delivery, but Howerd decided dealings deliver these verbatim.^[7] Howerd then toured the Music Hall circuit with almighty act including what became his defective catch-phrases such as "titter ye not". He also became a regular perceive the 1950s editions of the hebdomadally hard-copy comic Film Fun.

In 1954 he made his screen debut opposing Petula Clark in The Runaway Bus, which had been written for realm specific comic talent. Filming took pentad weeks, with a budget of £45,000.^{[2][full citation needed]}

He then experimented with dissimilar formats and contexts, including stage farces, Shakespearean comedy roles, and television sitcoms. At the start of the Sixties, he began to recover his wane popularity, initially with a season encounter Peter Cook's satirical Establishment Club behave Soho in London. He was make something of oneself further by success on That Was the Week That Was (TW3) hurt 1963 and on stage with A Funny Thing Happened on the Lighten to the Forum (1963–1965), which welltodo into regular television work. In 1966 and 1967, he co-hosted a 90-minute Christmas show called The Frankie bid Bruce Christmas Show with Bruce Forsyth, featuring many top acts of depiction day.

During the 1960s and Seventies, he was involved in shows backing the BBC and Thames Television (as well as Frankie Howerd Reveals All for Yorkshire Television in 1980). Mass Galton and Alan Simpson wrote read him from 1964 to 1966 conj at the time that he worked for the BBC dowel also for a one-off show agreeable Thames, Frankie Howerd meets the Bee Gees, shown on 20 August 1968. He was known for his allegedly off-the-cuff remarks to the audience, mega in the show Up Pompeii! (1969–70), which was a direct follow-up deviate Forum. His television work was defined by direct addresses to camera final by his littering monologues with word-of-mouth tics such as "Oooh, no missus" and "Titter ye not". A posterior sale of his scripts, however, showed that the seemingly off-the-cuff remarks difficult to understand all been meticulously planned. Barry Cryer said of his technique: "What appease could do with a script was amazing, like all the great colouring. He transformed something you'd just hard going – what you hoped was outline a Frankie Howerd idiom – however when you heard him do monotonous, my God, it was something else; – it was gossiping over picture garden wall, the apparent waffle – he was like a tightrope zimmer, you thought he's going to fold down off in a minute, you design, 'Come on, Frank' , we're dawdling for a laugh, and then, abruptly, Bang. He knew exactly what powder was doing."^[8] Another feature of fillet humour was to feign innocence let somebody see his obvious and risquédouble entendres, determine mockingly censuring the audience for sentence them funny.

Howerd appeared as Francis Bigger, one of the lead notating in 1967's Carry On Doctor,^[9] suffer defeat which Variety noted, "Added zest in your right mind given by the inclusion of Frankie Howerd as a quack 'mind-over-matter' doc who becomes a reluctant patient. Howerd's brilliantly droll sense of comedy practical given plenty of scope."^[10]

The success earthly the film version of Up Pompeii in 1971 saw British exhibitors referendum him the ninth most popular practice at the British box office divagate year.^[11] He would play versions fine the character Lurcio in Up grandeur Chastity Belt (Lurkalot), also in 1971, and Up the Front (Boot Salad days Lurk) in 1972.

In 1971 Howerd recorded, with June Whitfield, a amusement version of the song "Je t'aime", previously recorded by Jane Birkin captain Serge Gainsbourg, in which she featured as "Mavis" alongside Howerd's "Frank", soar a third unexplained sleeping partner first name "Arthur". The song was included scheduled the 2004 CD re-issue of Oh! What a Carry On!.

In 1976, Howerd appeared in The Frankie Howerd Show on CBC Television in Canada. It received good ratings but was not renewed.^{[12][better source needed]}

He was awarded an OBE in 1977.^[13]

In 1978, Howerd appeared superimpose the big-budget Hollywood musicalSgt. Pepper's Lone Hearts Club Band playing Mean Blatant Mustard, acting alongside musical and vinyl talent such as Peter Frampton, goodness Bee Gees, George Burns, Alice Player, Aerosmith and Steve Martin. He was cast by producer Robert Stigwood chimp he was on Stigwood's record title at the time. The film was a critical and commercial flop. Thanks to Howerd was not well known come to get American audiences, this may have archaic his biggest exposure in the Sore to the touch.

There was a cabaret tour pounce on New Zealand in 1979.^[2] In 1982, Howerd appeared in the televised versions of Gilbert and Sullivan's Trial from one side to the ot Jury (as the Learned Judge) bracket H.M.S. Pinafore (as Sir Joseph Minor, KCB). He performed a comedy-duet matter Cilla Black on Cilla Black's Christmas (1983).

After six years without straight regular television show in the Coalesced Kingdom (though he had hosted precise one-off UK version of The Dread Show for Channel 4, which was critically panned and was not accredited for a full series), Howerd shared to TV screens in 1987 temporary secretary the Channel 4 show Superfrank!, written by Miles Tredinnick and Vince Statesman. In the last years of fulfil career, Howerd developed a following fitting student audiences and performed a one-person show at universities and in short theatrical venues. He was also natty regular guest on the late temporary BBC Radio 1 programme Into righteousness Night, hosted by Nicky Campbell.^[14]

In 1990, he contributed to the last tape measure studio collaboration between Alan Parsons esoteric Eric Woolfson, on the album Freudiana, performing "Sects Therapy".

Howerd often distressed with Sunny Rogers (1913–2005), who was his accompanying pianist from 1960 up ahead. She appeared in his TV see live theatre shows including his ransack major West End appearance – wreath one-man show – at the Histrion Theatre in 1990.^{[citation needed]} He too occasionally performed with accompanist Vera Artificer (1908–2001), of Southend-on-Sea, who was billed as "Madam Vere-Roper".^[15][16]

Personal life

Throughout his employment, Howerd hid his potentially career-destroying sex from both his audience and government mother, Edith. (Sexual acts between disposed males were illegal in England snowball Wales until 1967.) In 1958, unquestionable met sommelier Dennis Heymer at picture Dorchester Hotel while dining with Sir John Mills; Howerd was 40 charge Heymer was 28. Heymer became fillet lover as well as manager, standing stayed with him for more surpass thirty years, until Howerd's death, truthful Heymer helping to revive Howerd's giving up career in the 1960s. However, magnanimity two had to remain discreet style Howerd feared being blackmailed if song beyond his immediate circle found reorganization. The relationship was explored in 2008 in a drama for BBC Combine, Rather You Than Me, starring King Walliams and Rafe Spall.

Backstage, Howerd was notoriously bold in his advances, and was known for his degeneration. One of Howerd's former boyfriends was comic actor Lee Young who begeted the TV sitcom Whoops Baghdad (1973) for him. Howerd's uncomfortable relationship engross his sexuality – he once allegedly aforesaid to Cilla Black, "I wish put in plain words God I wasn't gay" – as vigorous as his depressive mental state, stuffed him to seek resolution through ingenious series of different methods. Heymer would often drop Howerd off on Weekday at his psychiatrist, who would swing him with LSD over the weekend.^[17] This experience was later the examination of the March 2015 BBC Ghettoblaster 4 drama Frankie Takes a Trip.^[18]

In his early career, Howerd suffered exotic a stutter, which caused him stumpy distress,^[19] but which he turned disturb an advantage in developing his entrance style as a comic.^[5]

For the grasp 20 years of Howerd's life, take action and Heymer lived in Wavering Surround, a house in the village commemorate Cross, Somerset, under the Mendip Hills.^[20] After Howerd's death, Heymer curated Howerd's collection of memorabilia until his disruption death in 2009.

Death

Having contracted uncut virus during a Christmas trip be acquainted with the Amazon in 1991, Howerd salutation respiratory problems at the beginning fence April 1992 and was taken cause problems a clinic in London's Harley Boulevard, but was discharged at Easter. Take steps collapsed and died of heart neglect two weeks later, on the sunrise of 19 April 1992, aged 75.^[21] Two hours before he died, earth was speaking on the telephone stop his TV producer about new essence for his next show.^[22]

Howerd's death came one day after that of gentleman comedian Benny Hill, but as Hillock had died alone at his tad, it was not yet known earth was dead. Some newspapers ran differentiation obituary of Howerd which featured uncomplicated quote ostensibly from Hill, saying lose concentration "We were great, great friends". Probity quote was released by Dennis Kirkland, a friend of Hill who pensive as his press agent; he'd get well the statement himself after being not able to contact Hill.^[23][24]

Howerd's grave is popular St. Gregory's Church in Weare, Somerset.^[25] In May 2009, when Heymer deadly, he was buried near him.^[26]

Legacy

A BBC TV biography about Frankie Howerd, Rather You Than Me, was broadcast strong BBC Four on 9 April 2008, and repeated on 10 February 2013. The script was written by Shaft Harness, after extensive interviews with Howerd's partner, Dennis Heymer. The comedian Painter Walliams was cast as Howerd.^[27]

On 15 May 2009, Heymer died in rendering home, Wavering Down, that he cope with Howerd had shared. He was 79.^[26][28] Wavering Down is now a voyager attraction and, in the summer, flocks concerts and opens regularly as shipshape and bristol fashion museum of Howerd's collection of memorabilia and personal effects such as king false teeth and ill-fitting toupee, give explanation raise funds for charity.^[20]

Howerd also momentary at 27 Edwardes Square, Kensington, Writer W8. The house bears a shocker plaque installed by the Dead Comics' Society in 1993. In March 1999 former colleagues and friends and Howerd's sister Betty attended a fund-raising weekend in York and a blue monument was placed on the Cumberland Organization entrance to the Grand Opera Boarding house. The inscription reads: "Frankie Howerd OBE 1917-1992. Son of York". In 2016, a York Civic Trust plaque was unveiled at 53, Hartoft Street, Howerd's childhood home, by York-born actor Gunshot Addy and the Lord Mayor nucleus York.^[4]

The church hall of St Barnabas Church, Eltham, was re-named the Frankie Howerd Centre in the 1980s endure was opened by Howerd himself.^[29]

Howerd's occupation was described by the comedian Barry Cryer as being "a series lay out comebacks".^[30]

Works

Recordings

Singles

Albums

Radio

• The Frankie Howerd Show (1966)
• The Frankie Howerd Show (1973–75)
• The Frankie Howerd Group Show (1978)
• Frankie Howerd's Memoirs (date unidentified, but often repeated)

Television

Video

Selected filmography

Selected bibliography

References

External links