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Arthur Askey

Arthur Bowden Askey, CBE (6 June 1900 – 16 November 1982) was an English comedian and actor. Askey was known for his short stature (5' 2", 1.58 m) and distinctive horn-rimmed glasses, and his playful humour incorporating improvisation and catchphrases including "Hello playmates!", "I thank you" (pronounced "Ay-thang-yaw") and "Before your very eyes".

Arthur Askey
CBE

(1900-06-06)6 June 1900
Dingle, Liverpool, England

16 November 1982(1982-11-16) (aged 82)
Lambeth, London, England

Stand-up, comedic acting

Elizabeth Swash
(m. 1925; died 1974)

Samuel Askey
Betsy Bowden

Askey achieved prominence in the 1930s in the BBC's first radio comedy series Band Waggon and subsequently starred in several Gainsborough Pictures comedy films during the Second World War including Charley's (Big-Hearted) Aunt (1940) and The Ghost Train (1941). His novelty recordings for His Master's Voice include "The Bee Song" (1938), a lasting part of his act. From the 1950s, Askey was a prominent television presence and made regular appearances on the BBC's long-running music hall programme The Good Old Days. Askey was made an OBE in 1969 and a CBE in 1981; he continued to appear frequently on television, radio and the stage until his death in 1982.

Early life and education[edit]

Askey was born at 29 Moses Street, Dingle, Liverpool, the eldest child and only son of Betsy (née Bowden, d. 1949), originally from Knutsford, Cheshire and Samuel Askey (d. 1958), company secretary of Sugar Products of Liverpool. Six months after his birth, the family moved to 90 Rosslyn Street, Liverpool. It was here that a sister, Irene Dorothy, was born. Askey was educated at St. Michael's Council School (1905–11) and the Liverpool Institute for Boys (1911–16).[1]

Private Eye[edit]

Private Eye magazine in the 1970s regularly made the comment that he and the Queen Mother had "never been seen in the same room together", referring to the fact that they were about the same age and height and suggesting that the Queen Mother was Askey in drag.

Honours[edit]

Askey was appointed OBE in 1969 and advanced to CBE in 1981.

Personal life[edit]

Askey was married to Elizabeth May Swash in 1925 until her death in 1974; he was the father of actress Anthea Askey (1933–1999).[10]

Death[edit]

Askey carried on working on his comedy career until just before he was hospitalised in July 1982, owing to poor circulation, which resulted in gangrene and the amputation of both legs.[11] He died in London's St Thomas's Hospital on 16 November 1982 and was cremated at Putney Vale Crematorium.

Legacy[edit]

Arthur Askey is among other famous names in the Dirk Wears White Sox version of "Friends" by Adam and the Ants.[12]

Radio comedy

Cinema of the United Kingdom

List of British actors

Arthur Askey (autobiography). Before Your Very Eyes (London: Woburn Press, 1975)  0-7130-0134-8

ISBN

Kurt Ganzl. The Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre (New York: Shirmer Books, 2001) pp. 75  0-02-864970-2

ISBN

Murphy, Robert. (2005). British Cinema and the Second World War. A&C Black

Slide, Anthony. I Thank You: The Arthur Askey Story. (Orlando, Florida: BearManor Media, 2020).

BFI

Arthur Askey

Star Archive: Arthur Askey (1900–1982)

at IMDb

Arthur Askey

at British Comedy Guide

Arthur Askey

Askey and Band Waggon audiobook CD at CD41