- Served in the Royal Marines during the Second World War.
- He wore a hairpiece to cover his bald spot from the second season of Steptoe and Son (1962). By the end of the series he wore a full wig.
- He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1976 Queen's New Year Honours List for his services to drama. Prime Minister Harold Wilson intended the award to go to him partly because he was a Labour Party supporter but the "H" got missed out of the name and the offer initially went to Sooty and Sweep entertainer Harry Corbett instead. Both were eventually included in the same honours list.
- He suffered a heart attack in September 1979 and was involved in a serious car crash shortly afterwards. Corbett had smoked 60 cigarettes a day for years, but cut down to 20 a day after the heart attack.
- The middle initial 'H' was just to avoid confusion with the other Harry Corbett (who operated the glove puppet "Sooty"). He said it stood for "Hanyfink" (anything).
- He could do a very accurate impression of British prime minister Harold Wilson and used it for the film It's Not the Size That Counts (1974).
- Got the part of Detective Sergeant Sidney Bung in Carry on Screaming! (1966) after Sidney James became unavailable due to a theatre commitment. His fee of £12,000 was the highest paid to a Carry On actor at that time.
- Auditioned for the role of Harry Palmer in The Ipcress File (1965) but ultimately lost out to Sir Michael Caine.
- Contrary to popular belief, Corbett didn't begin wearing a wig in "Steptoe and Son" until 1972, although he was already losing his hair when the series began in January 1962. When the series was revived in 1970 after a five year absence he wore a piece at the front.
- He deserted from the army after being posted to Tonga, but later handed himself in to the military police.
- Although he claimed to have handled the fame of "Steptoe and Son" fairly well, the actor was privately harboring feelings of disappointment at the idea of being typecast.
- A memorial service was held for him at St. Paul's Church, Covent Garden on 29th April 1982.
- His military service left him with a damaged bladder following an infection, and a red mark on his eye caused by a thorn, which was not treated until late in his life.
- He may have killed two Japanese soldiers during hand-to-hand fighting in New Guinea in 1945, although this is unconfirmed.
- He kept a high profile in British cinema, courtesy of the serious films he appeared in. Quite a few consisted of being Crime films.
- He used his actual accent to play Harold Steptoe, but sometimes affected a more upper-class accent in interviews.
- He declined to convert to Judaism to marry his first wife in 1958.
- Corbett was a Labour Party campaigner, a personal friend of Prime Minister Harold Wilson, and recorded a party political broadcast.
- Had been a member of Joan Littlewood's workshop company.
- Father of Jonathan Corbett and actress Susannah Corbett.
- He was cast in Carry on Screaming due to Si James not being available.
- Used to be a plumber's mate.
- Was a stage manager in a repertory theatre.
- Says that his first stage part was playing the front legs of a cow in panto cow.
- Worked as a car sprayer before acting.
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