George Formby on screen, stage, record and radio

The English comic, singer and actor George Formby (1904–1961) performed in many mediums of light entertainment, including film, radio and theatre. His career spanned from 1915 until December 1960. During that time he became synonymous with playing "a shy, innocent, gauche, accident-prone Lancashire lad".^[1]

Formby began his working life as a jockey but always held an ambition to become a performer. In 1915, against the wishes of his father, Formby made his screen debut in the film By the Shortest of Heads. Upon his father's death in 1921, he began to build a full-time performing career, and worked predominantly on the variety circuit.^[2] In 1926 he began his music career, singing light, comical songs, and playing the ukulele or banjolele. From 1934 he increasingly worked in film, and had become a major star by the 1930s and '40s. He appeared on television for the first time in 1938 in the festive special Christmas Greetings. He became the UK's highest-paid entertainer during those decades.^[1] The film historian Brian McFarlane writes that Formby portrayed "essentially gormless incompetents, aspiring to various kinds of professional success ... and even more improbably to a middle-class girlfriend, usually in the clutches of some caddish type with a moustache. Invariably he scored on both counts".^[3]

During the Second World War Formby joined the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA),^[4] and entertained civilians and troops; by 1946 it was estimated that he had performed in front of three million service personnel.^[1] Formby appeared in his final film role in 1946, the commercially unsuccessful George in Civvy Street.^[5] He toured Canada, Australia, South Africa and Sweden and appeared on local and national radio during his travels.^[1] He continued to record songs and appear on television into the 1950s; on 16 December 1960 he appeared in The Friday Show: George Formby in a farewell programme looking back at his life. His biographer, David Bret, observes that the show is "generally regarded as George's greatest performance—it was certainly his most sincere".^[6]

Formby died of a heart attack in 1961. His biographer, the academic Jeffrey Richards, considers that Formby "had been able to embody simultaneously Lancashire, the working classes, the people, and the nation", also observing that "his passing was genuinely and widely mourned".^[1]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

Title^[7]^[8]	Release	Director	Studio	Plot	Ref.
By the Shortest of Heads	1915	Bert Haldane	Barker Motion Photography	A ten-year-old stable hand outwits a gang of villains, and wins a £10,000 prize when he comes first in a horse race.^[a]	^[10]^[11]
Boots! Boots!	1934	Bert Tracy	Blakeley's Productions	A boot boy at a prestigious hotel falls in love with a maid who is a niece of a wealthy hotel guest.	^[12]^[13]
Off the Dole	1935	Arthur Mertz	Mancunian Film Corporation	A work-shy young man is struck off the dole and is employed by his uncle's detective agency, tracking down criminals.	^[14]^[15]
No Limit	1935	Monty Banks	Associated Talking Pictures	An amateur racing driver unexpectedly wins the Isle of Man's Tourist Trophy and the heart of a charm-school actress.	^[16]^[17]
Keep Your Seats, Please	1936	Monty Banks	Associated Talking Pictures	A desperate boyfriend pawns his banjo in order to help stop his girlfriend's niece from moving into an orphanage. He then discovers that a late aunt left him a large inheritance which proves to be elusive.^[b]	^[18]^[19]
Feather Your Nest	1937	William Beaudine	Associated Talking Pictures	An incompetent apprentice sound engineer passes off an established performer's song as his own and becomes an overnight star.	^[20]^[21]
Keep Fit	1937	Anthony Kimmins	Associated Talking Pictures	A feeble hairdresser takes up boxing and triumphs in the ring over an athletic opponent.	^[22]^[23]
I See Ice	1938	Anthony Kimmins	Associated Talking Pictures	A prop man with a touring ice ballet invents a new mini camera concealed in a bow-tie. He inadvertently takes a compromising photo of a crook at work.	^[24]
It's in the Air	1938	Anthony Kimmins	Associated Talking Pictures	A bungling recruit begins his R.A.F. training and gets mistaken for a regularly enlisted airman, much to the annoyance of his strict sergeant major.	^[25]^[26]
Trouble Brewing	1939	Anthony Kimmins	Associated Talking Pictures	A young newspaper reporter attempts to expose a gang of counterfeiters.	^[27]^[28]
Come On George!	1939	Anthony Kimmins	Associated Talking Pictures	A stable-hand forms a bond with a nervous horse and encourages the animal to become a success on the racecourse.	^[29]^[30]
Let George Do It!	1940	Marcel Varnel	Associated Talking Pictures	A ukulele player is mistaken for a British spy and unwittingly foils a plot by German intelligence agents.	^[31]^[32]
Spare a Copper	1940	John Paddy Carstairs	Associated Talking Pictures	A policeman during the Second World War foils a plot to destroy a warship.	^[33]^[34]
Turned Out Nice Again	1941	Marcel Varnel	Associated Talking Pictures	An employee at an underwear factory struggles to keep both his modern wife and his battle-axe mother in domestic bliss.	^[35]^[36]
South American George	1941	Marcel Varnel	Columbia Pictures	An eager-to-please show business agent hires a more capable singer in the place of an untalented opera performer.	^[37]
Much Too Shy	1942	Marcel Varnel	Columbia Pictures	A group of art students help a reserved odd-job man pursue his interest in painting nude portraits.	^[38]^[39]
Get Cracking	1943	Marcel Varnel	Columbia Pictures	A vehicle mechanic converts a truck into a tank and defeats a neighbouring town's villagers in a friendly Home Guard exercise.	^[40]^[41]
Bell-Bottom George	1944	Marcel Varnel	Columbia Pictures	A rejected serviceman loses the affections of his girlfriend. To win her back he pretends to be a sailor and in doing so, foils a sinister plan by a group of spies. His success leads to a rekindling of his relationship and fame among the local community.	^[42]^[43]
He Snoops to Conquer	1945	Marcel Varnel	Columbia Pictures	Two London reporters investigate an alleged corruption case in a sleepy town. They are unwittingly assisted by a local handyman who has been ordered to destroy the evidence by his bosses at the council.	^[44]^[45]
I Didn't Do It	1945	Marcel Varnel	Columbia Pictures	An amateur performer in London stays with other entertainers in a hotel, and becomes a murder suspect when an Australian acrobat is killed in the next room.	^[46]^[47]
George in Civvy Street	1946	Marcel Varnel	Columbia Pictures	A publican falls in love with a waitress from a rival establishment who is also being romantically pursued by her boss.	^[48]^[49]

Production^[51]^[52]	Role	Date	Theatre	Notes
Variety		21 March 1921 –	Hippodrome, Earlestown, Lancashire	First professional appearance; billed as George Hoy^[4]
Babes in the Wood		December 1932 –	Bolton	Christmas pantomime^[53]
King Cheer		June 1937 –	Opera House Theatre, Blackpool	Summer season^[54]
Royal Variety Performance		15 November 1937	London Palladium	A 12-minute slot^[55]
Dick Whittington	Idle Jack	1941–1942	Opera House Theatre, Blackpool	Winter season^[56]
Zip Goes a Million	Percy Piggott	20 October 1951 – 27 April 1952	Palace Theatre, London	Formby was replaced following a heart attack on 28 April 1952^[57]
Fun and the Fair		7 October – 19 December 1953	London Palladium	138 performances^[58]
Turned Out Nice Again		25 June 1953 –	Hippodrome Theatre, Blackpool	Six week run^[59]
Too Young to Marry		1954–1956	Touring
Babes in the Wood	Simple Simon	December 1955 –	Liverpool Empire Theatre	Christmas pantomime^[50]
Dick Whittington and His Cat	Idle Jack	19 December 1956 – February 1957	Palace Theatre, London	^[60]
Beside the Seaside		10 March – May 1958	Palace Theatre, London

Broadcast^[67]	Date	Channel	Notes
King Fun	August 1936	BBC Radio
A Lancashire Lad	January 1938	BBC Radio	Ran for several months
Formby Do	19 May 1938	BBC Radio	Three programmes
Troop Concert	26 March 1940	BBC Radio	Recorded in France
Ack-Ack, Beer-Beer	24 July 1940	BBC Radio	Interview only
Let the People Sing	27 November 1940	BBC Radio	Recorded for ENSA at Aldwych tube station
What is the Stuff to give the Troops	10 May 1942	BBC Radio	Recorded for ENSA
The RAF takes the Air	22 July 1942	BBC Radio	Recorded for ENSA
unknown	24 January 1944	BBC Radio	Formby described his experiences touring for ENSA in Europe and the Middle East.^[68]
Interview	17 September 1947	Radio IZB, Auckland, New Zealand
Interview	24 September 1947	BBC Radio
Interview	26 September 1947	2GB, Sydney	Recorded at Rosebay Flying Boat Base, Sydney
Stage Door	January 1948	3AW, Melbourne, Australia	Interview
Interview	3 October 1949	CKOC, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Interview	2 November 1949	CHUB, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
Bill Ward's Dog House	3 November 1949	CKWX, Vancouver, BC, Canada	Interview
Midnite Merry-Go-Round	3 November 1949	CKXL, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Desert Island Discs	20 November 1951	BBC Radio	Bing Crosby, "McNamara's Band" Josef Locke, "Hear My Song, Violetta" Vera Lynn, "Be Like the Kettle and Sing" Tennessee Ernie Ford, "The Shot Gun Boogie" Philharmonia Orchestra, "Londonderry Air" John McCormack, "The Kerry Dance" Phil Harris and His Orchestra, "Never Trust a Woman" George Formby, Sr., "Standing on the Corner of the Street"; his luxury item was his first ukulele.^[69]^[70]
In Town Tonight	5 October 1953	BBC Light Programme
Pied Piper	12 March 1955	BBC Light Programme	Interviewed by Eamonn Andrews
In Town Tonight	16 April 1955	BBC Light Programme
Winnipeg Flood Relief Charity Show	May 1955	CBC Radio

Programme^[7]^[71]	Date	Channel	Role	Notes
Christmas Greetings	1938		On-screen participant
Ask Pickles	1954	BBC Television	On-screen participant
Top of the Town	9 January 1955	BBC Television	On-screen participant	Included a duet of "Leaning on a Lamp-post" with Terry-Thomas
Dick Whittington	January 1957	BBC Television	On-screen participant
Val Parnell's Saturday Spectacular	15 June 1957	ITV	On-screen participant
Top of the Bill	5 October 1957	ITV	On-screen participant
The Frankie Vaughan Show	18 January 1958	BBC Television	On-screen participant
Many Happy Returns	15 February 1958	ITV	On-screen participant
George Formby Presents: Formby Favourites	6 September 1958	BBC Television	Host
Val Parnell's Spectacular: The Atlantic Showboat	10 January 1959	ITV	On-screen participant
Steppin' Out With Formby	25 April 1959	BBC Television	On-screen participant
Showtime	29 November 1959	BBC Television	On-screen participant
The Time of your Life	14 July 1960	BBC Television	On-screen participant	Excerpts from Formby's last summer show at the Queen's Theatre, Blackpool
The Friday Show: George Formby	16 December 1960	BBC Television	On-screen participant

George Formby on screen, stage, record and radio

Filmography

Stage credits

Recordings

Radio

Television

Notes and references

Sources

External links

Wikiwand - on

Recordings by Formby
Title^[61]^[62]^[63]^[64]	Recording date	Label	Record number	Written by
"John Willie Come On"	11 June 1926	Edison Bell/Winner	4409	George Formby Sr
"I was always a Willing Young Lad"	11 June 1926	Edison Bell/Winner	4409	Hargreaves/Damerell
"I Parted my Hair in the Middle"	11 June 1926	Edison Bell/Winner	4418	David/Murphy
"John Willie's Jazz Band"	11 June 1926	Edison Bell/Winner	4418	Hargreaves/Damerell
"The Man was a Stranger to Me"	11 June 1926	Edison Bell/Winner	4437	Connor
"Rolling around Piccadilly"	11 June 1926	Edison Bell/Winner	4437	Hargreaves/Damerell
"In the Congo"	20 October 1929	Dominion	C347	Cobb/Lutzen
"All Going Back"	20 October 1929	Dominion	C347	Formby
"Do De O Do"	1 July 1932	Decca Records	F3079	Hargreaves/Damerell/Formby
"Chinese Laundry Blues"	1 July 1932	Decca Records	F3079	Cottrell/Formby
"I Told My Baby with the Ukulele"	13 October 1932	Decca Records	F3219	Hargreaves
"If You Don't Want the Goods Don't Maul 'Em"	13 October 1932	Decca Records	F3219	Cottrell
"The Old Kitchen Kettle"	13 October 1932	Decca Records	F3222	Woods/Campbell/Connelly
"John Willie at the Licence Office"	18 October 1932	Decca Records	F3259	Cottrell
"I Could Make a Good Living at That"	9 November 1932	Decca Records	F3377	Lawton/Cottrell
"Let's all Go to Reno"	9 November 1932	Decca Records	F3377	Cottrell
"Sitting on the Ice in the Ice Rink"	29 January 1933	Decca Records	F3458	Cottrell
"Levi's Monkey Mike"	29 January 1933	Decca Records	F3458	Rick/Cottrell
"Running Round the Fountains in Trafalgar Square"	29 January 1933	Decca Records	F3524	Cottrell
"Why Don't Women Like Me?"	29 January 1933	Decca Records	F3524	Cottrell/Bennett
"With my Little Ukulele in my Hand"	1 July 1933	Decca Records	F3615	Cottrell/Formby
"As the Hours and the Days and the Weeks..."	1 July 1933	Decca Records	F3615	Formby
"Sunbathing in the Park"	27 August 1933	Decca Records	F3615	Gifford/Cliff/Kendal
"She's Never Been Seen Since Then"	27 August 1933	Decca Records	F3666	Cottrell
"Swimmin with the Wimmin"	27 August 1933	Decca Records	F3666	Cottrell
"I Went all Hot and Cold"	12 November 1933	Decca Records	F3752	Cottrell, arr Formby
"My Ukulele"	12 November 1933	Decca Records	F3752	Cottrell, arr Formby
"The Wedding of Mr Wu"	12 November 1933	Decca Records	F3800	Cottrell
"Baby"	12 November 1933	Decca Records	F3800	Cottrell
"Believe It or Not"	21 March 1934	Decca Records	F3950	Gifford/Cliffe
"In a Little Wigan Garden"	21 March 1934	Decca Records	F3950	Gifford/Cliffe
"You Can't Keep a Growing Lad Down"	12 June 1934	Decca Records	F5813	Gifford/Cliffe
"It's No Use Looking at Me"	12 June 1934	Decca Records	F5813	Gifford/Cliffe/Cottrell
"John Willie's Jazz Band"	11 October 1934	Decca Records	F5232	Hargreaves/Dammerell
"There's Nothing Proud About Me"	11 October 1934	Decca Records	F5232	Gifford/Cliffe
"The Best of Schemes"	11 October 1934	Decca Records	F5287	Gifford/Cliffe
"Madam Moscovitch"	20 October 1934	Decca Records	F5287	Gifford/Cliffe
"John Willie Goes Carolling"	11 November 1934	Decca Records	F5303	Gifford/Cliffe
"Fanlight Fanny"	29 May 1935	Decca Records	F5569	Gifford/Cliffe
"Share and Share alike"	29 May 1935	Decca Records	F5569	Gifford/Cliffe