Max Bygraves
(born 16 October 1922 in Rotherhithe,London as Walter
William Bygraves) is an English singer songwriter,
famous for his waving hands. He also appeared on his
own television shows, sometimes performing comedy
sketches between songs. Shows he presented included
the gameshow, Family Fortunes.
Life
Max Bygraves was the son of poor parents in London's
East End docklands. His father was a professional
boxer known as Battling Tom Smith, and a casual dockworker.
He went to St. Joseph's Primary school in Rotherhithe.
Max showed talent as a child singer and performed
a solo in Westminster Cathedral. He left school at
14 and became a messenger for W. S. Crawford, an advertising
agency in High Holborn. When World War two broke out
the advertising business collapsed and Max learnt
the trade of carpenter and then volunteered for the
RAF. It was his impression of Max Miller that earned
him the nickname Max from other airmen. He married
WAAF sergeant Blossom Murray in 1942. He was increasingly
called upon to perform in concert parties wherever
he was posted.
After the war the BBC asked him to
perform in a demob show called They're Out with other
wartime new talent such as Frankie Howerd, Benny Hill,
Jimmy Edwards, Harry Secombe and Spike Milligan.This
opened the way to a career in light entertainment.
In 1951 he appeared at the London Palladium. Comedian
Eric Sykes became his scriptwriter. He got the part
of the tutor in the BBC radio comedy show Educating
Archie where Archie was a ventriloquist's dummy. This
made his name nationally and he appeared in a Royal
Variety Show. Judy Garland invited him to support
her for a season in New York.
He starred in many films notably as
Charlie Moon in the film of that name. He also made
a series of hit records including ten albums under
the title Singalongamax.He was awarded the OBE in
1982. In the 1990s he bought an 84 acre property in
northern New South Wales, Australia called Attunga
Park.His last tour was in 2002.
Catch phrases
Max Bygraves is known for the following catch phrases;
I wanna tell you a story
Thats a good idea, - Son!
Let's play BIG MONEY (while hosting Family Fortunes)
UK chart singles
The below singles all made the UK top 75 sales charts
Cowpuncher's Cantata (1952)
(The Gang That Sang) Heart Of My Heart (1954)
Gilly Gilly Ossenfeffer Katzenellen Bogen By The Sea
(1954)
Mister Sandman (1955)
Meet Me On The Corner (1955)
The Ballad Of Davy Crockett (1956)
Out Of Town (1956)
Heart (1957)
You Need Hands / Tulips From Amsterdam (1958)
Little Train / Gotta Have Rain (1958)
My Ukelele (1959): Jingle Bell Rock (1959)
Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'be (1960)
Consider Yourself (1960)
Bells Of Avignon (1951)
You're My Everything (1969)
Deck Of Cards (1973)
White Christmas (1989)
Film parts
Bless 'Em All (1949) playing Tommy Anderson
Skimpy in the Navy (1949) playing Tommy Anderson
Tom Brown's Schooldays (1951) playing a Coach Guard
Charley Moon (1956) playing Charley Moon
A Cry from the Streets (1958) playing Bill Lowther
... aka A Cry from the Street (reissue title)
Bobbikins (1960) playing Benjamin Barnaby
Spare the Rod (1961) playing John Saunders
Autobiography
Max Bygraves in his own words , Breedon Books Publishing
(1997) ISBN 185983079X
source from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki
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