Arthur English(1919-1995)
- Actor
- Soundtrack
One of Britain's great variety comedians Arthur English was known as
'The Prince of the Wide Boys', a cockney 'spiv' character outrageously
dressed on stage and wearing a huge kipper tie.
Born in Aldershot, Hants English started his career at an early age
appearing in amateur shows but did not become a professional performer
until he was 30. He served in the Army during World War Two and after
being demobbed worked as a painter and decorator.
In 1949 he auditioned at the famous Windmill Theatre in London and he
was put under contract for several seasons as a principal comic. His
catchphrases became legendary: "They're laughin' at me Mum", "Sharpen
up there, the quick stuff's coming" and his famous exit line "Play the
music - open the cage!".
On radio he starred in BBC's Variety Bandbox alongside comics such as
Reg Dixon and Mrs Shufflewick
(Rex Jameson) and he also appeared in
numerous summer shows, pantomimes and clubs throughout the UK.
English turned to straight acting in the early 1970s both on stage,
screen and on television. He starred in a variety of comic cockney
parts on television in the Comedy Playhouse series and
Hugh and I (1962). In 1987 he
joined fellow veterans Irene Handl and
Charlie Chester in
Never Say Die (1987), a comedy
series set in an old people's home. His greatest success on tv was as
the janitor Mr Harman in the cult series
Are You Being Served? (1972).
'The Prince of the Wide Boys', a cockney 'spiv' character outrageously
dressed on stage and wearing a huge kipper tie.
Born in Aldershot, Hants English started his career at an early age
appearing in amateur shows but did not become a professional performer
until he was 30. He served in the Army during World War Two and after
being demobbed worked as a painter and decorator.
In 1949 he auditioned at the famous Windmill Theatre in London and he
was put under contract for several seasons as a principal comic. His
catchphrases became legendary: "They're laughin' at me Mum", "Sharpen
up there, the quick stuff's coming" and his famous exit line "Play the
music - open the cage!".
On radio he starred in BBC's Variety Bandbox alongside comics such as
Reg Dixon and Mrs Shufflewick
(Rex Jameson) and he also appeared in
numerous summer shows, pantomimes and clubs throughout the UK.
English turned to straight acting in the early 1970s both on stage,
screen and on television. He starred in a variety of comic cockney
parts on television in the Comedy Playhouse series and
Hugh and I (1962). In 1987 he
joined fellow veterans Irene Handl and
Charlie Chester in
Never Say Die (1987), a comedy
series set in an old people's home. His greatest success on tv was as
the janitor Mr Harman in the cult series
Are You Being Served? (1972).