George Formby - Revision history

Kurt at 12:53, 16 March 2023

2023-03-16T12:53:06Z

Kurt: /* Early life: 1904–1921 */

2022-12-21T18:39:39Z

Early life: 1904–1921

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:39, 21 December 2022
Line 33:		Line 33:
	George Formby was born George Hoy Booth at 3 Westminster Street, [[Wigan]], [[Lancashire]], on 26 May 1904. He was the eldest of seven surviving children born to James Lawler Booth and his wife Eliza, {{nee}} Hoy,{{sfn\|Richards\|2004}} although this marriage was [[bigamous]] because Formby Sr was still married to his first wife, Martha Maria Salter, a twenty-year-old music hall performer.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|pp=65–67}} Booth was a successful [[music hall]] comedian and singer who performed under the name [[George Formby Sr\|George Formby]] (he is now known as George Formby Sr). Formby Sr suffered from a chest ailment, identified variously as [[bronchitis]], [[asthma]] or [[tuberculosis]],{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=4}} and would use the cough as part of the humour in his act, saying to the audience, "Bronchitis, I'm a bit tight tonight", or "coughing better tonight".<ref name="South Bank Show" /> One of his main characters was that of John Willie, an "archetypal Lancashire lad".{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=23}} In 1906 Formby Sr was earning £35 a week at the music halls, which rose to £325 a week by 1920, and Formby grew up in an affluent home.<ref name="Skinner docu" />{{efn\|Formby Sr's weekly salary of £35 in 1906 is approximately £3,188 in 2014; the £325 weekly salary in 1920 is approximately £15,000.{{inflation-fn\|UK}}}} Formby Sr was so popular that [[Marie Lloyd]], the influential music hall singer and actress, would only watch two acts: his and that of [[Dan Leno]].{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=5}}		George Formby was born George Hoy Booth at 3 Westminster Street, [[Wigan]], [[Lancashire]], on 26 May 1904. He was the eldest of seven surviving children born to James Lawler Booth and his wife Eliza, {{nee}} Hoy,{{sfn\|Richards\|2004}} although this marriage was [[bigamous]] because Formby Sr was still married to his first wife, Martha Maria Salter, a twenty-year-old music hall performer.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|pp=65–67}} Booth was a successful [[music hall]] comedian and singer who performed under the name [[George Formby Sr\|George Formby]] (he is now known as George Formby Sr). Formby Sr suffered from a chest ailment, identified variously as [[bronchitis]], [[asthma]] or [[tuberculosis]],{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=4}} and would use the cough as part of the humour in his act, saying to the audience, "Bronchitis, I'm a bit tight tonight", or "coughing better tonight".<ref name="South Bank Show" /> One of his main characters was that of John Willie, an "archetypal Lancashire lad".{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=23}} In 1906 Formby Sr was earning £35 a week at the music halls, which rose to £325 a week by 1920, and Formby grew up in an affluent home.<ref name="Skinner docu" />{{efn\|Formby Sr's weekly salary of £35 in 1906 is approximately £3,188 in 2014; the £325 weekly salary in 1920 is approximately £15,000.{{inflation-fn\|UK}}}} Formby Sr was so popular that [[Marie Lloyd]], the influential music hall singer and actress, would only watch two acts: his and that of [[Dan Leno]].{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=5}}

	[[File:George Formby in 1915.jpg\|thumb\|~~left~~\|Formby while employed as a jockey, aged 10 in 1915]]		[[File:George Formby in 1915.jpg\|thumb\|right\|Formby while employed as a jockey, aged 10 in 1915]]
	Formby was born blind owing to an obstructive [[caul]], although his sight was restored during a violent coughing fit or sneeze when he was a few months old.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=5}} After briefly attending school—at which he did not prosper, and did not learn to read or write—Formby was removed from formal education at the age of seven and sent to become a [[stable boy]], briefly in Wiltshire and then in [[Middleham]], Yorkshire.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=49}} Formby Sr sent his son away to work as he was worried Formby would watch him on stage; he was against Formby following in his footsteps, saying "one fool in the family is enough".<ref name="Guard: Obit" />{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=6–7}} After a year working at Malton, he was apprenticed to Thomas Scholfield at Epsom, where he ran his first professional races at the age of 10, when he weighed less than {{convert\|4\|st\|lk=in}}.<ref name="D Mirror: Jockey" />{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=7}}		Formby was born blind owing to an obstructive [[w:caul\|caul]], although his sight was restored during a violent coughing fit or sneeze when he was a few months old.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=5}} After briefly attending school—at which he did not prosper, and did not learn to read or write—Formby was removed from formal education at the age of seven and sent to become a [[stable boy]], briefly in Wiltshire and then in [[Middleham]], Yorkshire.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=49}} Formby Sr sent his son away to work as he was worried Formby would watch him on stage; he was against Formby following in his footsteps, saying "one fool in the family is enough".<ref name="Guard: Obit" />{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=6–7}} After a year working at Malton, he was apprenticed to Thomas Scholfield at Epsom, where he ran his first professional races at the age of 10, when he weighed less than {{convert\|4\|st\|lk=in}}.<ref name="D Mirror: Jockey" />{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=7}}

	In 1915 Formby Sr allowed his son to appear on screen, taking the lead in ''[[By the Shortest of Heads]]'', a thriller directed by [[Bert Haldane]] in which Formby played a stable boy who outwits a gang of villains and wins a £10,000 prize when he comes first in a horse race.{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|p=49}} The film is now considered [[lost film\|lost]], with the last-known copy having been destroyed in 1940.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=51}} Later in 1915, and with the closure of the English racing season because of the [[First World War]], Formby moved to Ireland where he continued as a jockey until November 1918.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=9}} Later that month he returned to England and raced for [[Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby\|Lord Derby]] at his [[Newmarket, Suffolk\|Newmarket]] stables.<ref name="Friday Show" /> Formby continued as a jockey until 1921, although he never won a race.{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=37}}		In 1915 Formby Sr allowed his son to appear on screen, taking the lead in ''[[By the Shortest of Heads]]'', a thriller directed by [[Bert Haldane]] in which Formby played a stable boy who outwits a gang of villains and wins a £10,000 prize when he comes first in a horse race.{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|p=49}} The film is now considered [[lost film\|lost]], with the last-known copy having been destroyed in 1940.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=51}} Later in 1915, and with the closure of the English racing season because of the [[First World War]], Formby moved to Ireland where he continued as a jockey until November 1918.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=9}} Later that month he returned to England and raced for [[Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby\|Lord Derby]] at his [[Newmarket, Suffolk\|Newmarket]] stables.<ref name="Friday Show" /> Formby continued as a jockey until 1921, although he never won a race.{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=37}}

Kurt: /* Beginning a stage career: 1921–1934 */

2022-12-21T18:32:15Z

Beginning a stage career: 1921–1934

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:32, 21 December 2022
Line 48:		Line 48:
	In 1923 Formby started to play the ukulele, although the exact circumstances of how he came to play the instrument are unknown,{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=13}}{{efn\|There are numerous versions of the story surrounding Formby's purchase of the ukulele, including that it was obtained while it was appearing in revue, from a hard-up fellow performer for 50 shillings, in any one of Bolton, Barnsley, Bradford or Aberdeen. It is also reported that he purchased it from a shop in Manchester for 15 shillings.{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=42}}}} and he introduced it into his act during a run at the Alhambra Theatre in Barnsley. When the songs—still his father's material—were well received, he changed his stage name to George Formby, and stopped using the John Willie character.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=14}} Another significant event was his appearance in [[Castleford]], [[West Yorkshire]], where appearing on the same bill was [[Beryl Ingham]], an [[Accrington]]-born champion [[Clog dancing\|clogdancer]] and actress who had won the All England Step Dancing title at the age of 11. Beryl, who had formed a dancing act with her sister, May, called "The Two Violets",{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|pp=48–49}} had a low opinion of Formby's act, and later said that "if I'd had a bag of rotten tomatoes with me I'd have thrown them at him".{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|p=19}} Formby and Beryl entered into a relationship and married two years later, on 13 September 1924, at a [[register office]] in Wigan, with Formby's aunt and uncle as witnesses.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=85}}{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=85}} Upon hearing the news, Eliza insisted on the couple having a church wedding, which followed two months later.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=18}}		In 1923 Formby started to play the ukulele, although the exact circumstances of how he came to play the instrument are unknown,{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=13}}{{efn\|There are numerous versions of the story surrounding Formby's purchase of the ukulele, including that it was obtained while it was appearing in revue, from a hard-up fellow performer for 50 shillings, in any one of Bolton, Barnsley, Bradford or Aberdeen. It is also reported that he purchased it from a shop in Manchester for 15 shillings.{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=42}}}} and he introduced it into his act during a run at the Alhambra Theatre in Barnsley. When the songs—still his father's material—were well received, he changed his stage name to George Formby, and stopped using the John Willie character.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=14}} Another significant event was his appearance in [[Castleford]], [[West Yorkshire]], where appearing on the same bill was [[Beryl Ingham]], an [[Accrington]]-born champion [[Clog dancing\|clogdancer]] and actress who had won the All England Step Dancing title at the age of 11. Beryl, who had formed a dancing act with her sister, May, called "The Two Violets",{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|pp=48–49}} had a low opinion of Formby's act, and later said that "if I'd had a bag of rotten tomatoes with me I'd have thrown them at him".{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|p=19}} Formby and Beryl entered into a relationship and married two years later, on 13 September 1924, at a [[register office]] in Wigan, with Formby's aunt and uncle as witnesses.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=85}}{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=85}} Upon hearing the news, Eliza insisted on the couple having a church wedding, which followed two months later.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=18}}

	[[File:George Hoy (Formby) ad from 1921.jpg\|thumb\|~~left~~\|upright=1.35\|An advertisement from ''The Burnley News'', May 1921 for George Hoy]]		[[File:George Hoy (Formby) ad from 1921.jpg\|thumb\|right\|upright=1.35\|An advertisement from ''The Burnley News'', May 1921 for George Hoy]]
	Beryl took over as George's manager, and changed aspects of his act, including the songs and jokes. She instructed him on how to use his hands, and how to work his audience. She also persuaded him to change his stage dress to [[black tie]]—although he appeared in a range of other costumes too—and to take lessons in how to play the ukulele properly.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=20 & 24–25}} By June 1926 he was proficient enough to earn a one-off record deal—negotiated by Beryl—to sing six of his father's songs for the [[The Winner Records\|Edison Bell/Winner]] label.{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=54}} Formby spent the next few years touring, largely in the north, but also appearing at the [[Shepherd's Bush Empire]], his official London debut.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=88}} Although he had a further recording session in October 1929, performing two songs for Dominion Records, "Beryl's avaricious demands would prevent any serious contract from coming George's way", according to [[David Bret]], Formby's biographer.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=25}} That changed in 1932, when Formby signed a three-year deal with [[Decca Records]]. One of the songs he recorded in July was "Chinese Laundry Blues", telling the story of Mr Wu, which became one of his standard songs, and part of a long-running series of songs about the character.{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|pp=34–35}}{{efn\|The other songs are "The Wedding of Mr Wu", "I'm the Husband of the Wife of Mr Wu", "Mr Wu's a Window Cleaner Now", "Mr Wu's an Air Raid Warden Now" and "Mr Wu was in the Air Force".{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|p=35}}}} Over the course of his career Formby went on to record over 200 songs, around 90 of which were written by [[Fred Cliffe]] and [[Harry Gifford (songwriter)\|Harry Gifford]].{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=106}} In the 1932 winter season Formby appeared in his first [[pantomime]], ''[[Babes in the Wood]]'', in Bolton, after which he toured with the ''George Formby Road Show'' around the north of England, with Beryl acting as the [[Master of ceremonies\|commère]]<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE SPELLING: THIS IS THE FEMALE FORM OF ADDRESS -->; the show also toured in 1934.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|pp=97–98}}		Beryl took over as George's manager, and changed aspects of his act, including the songs and jokes. She instructed him on how to use his hands, and how to work his audience. She also persuaded him to change his stage dress to [[black tie]]—although he appeared in a range of other costumes too—and to take lessons in how to play the ukulele properly.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=20 & 24–25}} By June 1926 he was proficient enough to earn a one-off record deal—negotiated by Beryl—to sing six of his father's songs for the [[The Winner Records\|Edison Bell/Winner]] label.{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=54}} Formby spent the next few years touring, largely in the north, but also appearing at the [[Shepherd's Bush Empire]], his official London debut.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=88}} Although he had a further recording session in October 1929, performing two songs for Dominion Records, "Beryl's avaricious demands would prevent any serious contract from coming George's way", according to [[David Bret]], Formby's biographer.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=25}} That changed in 1932, when Formby signed a three-year deal with [[Decca Records]]. One of the songs he recorded in July was "Chinese Laundry Blues", telling the story of Mr Wu, which became one of his standard songs, and part of a long-running series of songs about the character.{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|pp=34–35}}{{efn\|The other songs are "The Wedding of Mr Wu", "I'm the Husband of the Wife of Mr Wu", "Mr Wu's a Window Cleaner Now", "Mr Wu's an Air Raid Warden Now" and "Mr Wu was in the Air Force".{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|p=35}}}} Over the course of his career Formby went on to record over 200 songs, around 90 of which were written by [[Fred Cliffe]] and [[Harry Gifford (songwriter)\|Harry Gifford]].{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=106}} In the 1932 winter season Formby appeared in his first [[pantomime]], ''[[Babes in the Wood]]'', in Bolton, after which he toured with the ''George Formby Road Show'' around the north of England, with Beryl acting as the [[Master of ceremonies\|commère]]<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE SPELLING: THIS IS THE FEMALE FORM OF ADDRESS -->; the show also toured in 1934.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|pp=97–98}}

Kurt: /* Burgeoning film career: 1934–1940 */

2022-12-21T18:29:11Z

Burgeoning film career: 1934–1940

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:29, 21 December 2022
Line 60:		Line 60:
	The formula used for ''No Limit'' was repeated in his following works: Formby played "the urban 'little man' defeated—but refusing to admit it".<ref name="S. Times: profile" />{{efn\|Also described as a "hapless 'everyman' character who manages to prevail against overwhelming odds".{{sfn\|King\|2002\|p=37}}}} He portrayed a good-natured, but accident-prone and incompetent Lancastrian, who was often in a skilled trade, or the services. The plots were geared to Formby trying to achieve success in a field unfamiliar to him (in horse racing, the TT Races, as a spy or a policeman), and by winning the affections of a middle-class girl in the process.{{sfn\|Richards\|2004}}<ref name="BFISO: formby" />{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|pp=53–54}} Interspersed throughout each film is a series of songs by Formby, in which he plays the banjo, banjolele or ukulele. The films are, in the words of the academic Brian McFarlane, "unpretentiously skilful in their balance between broad comedy and action, laced with [Formby's] shy ordinariness".<ref name="BFISO: formby" />		The formula used for ''No Limit'' was repeated in his following works: Formby played "the urban 'little man' defeated—but refusing to admit it".<ref name="S. Times: profile" />{{efn\|Also described as a "hapless 'everyman' character who manages to prevail against overwhelming odds".{{sfn\|King\|2002\|p=37}}}} He portrayed a good-natured, but accident-prone and incompetent Lancastrian, who was often in a skilled trade, or the services. The plots were geared to Formby trying to achieve success in a field unfamiliar to him (in horse racing, the TT Races, as a spy or a policeman), and by winning the affections of a middle-class girl in the process.{{sfn\|Richards\|2004}}<ref name="BFISO: formby" />{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|pp=53–54}} Interspersed throughout each film is a series of songs by Formby, in which he plays the banjo, banjolele or ukulele. The films are, in the words of the academic Brian McFarlane, "unpretentiously skilful in their balance between broad comedy and action, laced with [Formby's] shy ordinariness".<ref name="BFISO: formby" />

	{{quote box\|width=225px\|align=~~left~~\|quote=		{{quote box\|width=225px\|align=right\|quote=
	"To overcrowded flats I've been,<br />		"To overcrowded flats I've been,<br />
	Sixteen in one bed I've seen,<br />		Sixteen in one bed I've seen,<br />

Kurt: /* Second World War: service with ENSA */

2022-12-21T18:27:10Z

Second World War: service with ENSA

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:27, 21 December 2022
Line 98:		Line 98:
	At the end of August 1941 production began on Formby's first film for Columbia, ''[[South American George]]'', which took six weeks to complete. Formby's move to an American company was controversial, and although his popular appeal seemed unaffected, his "films were treated with increasing critical hostility", according to John Mundy in his 2007 examination of British musical film.{{sfn\|Mundy\|2007\|p=88}} The reviewer for ''[[The Times]]'' wrote that the story was "confused" and considered that "there is not sufficient comic invention in the telling" of it.<ref name="Times: SA George" /> Murphy writes that the criticism "had more to do with the inadequate vehicles which he subsequently appeared in than in any diminution of his personal popularity."{{sfn\|Murphy\|1989\|p=195}}		At the end of August 1941 production began on Formby's first film for Columbia, ''[[South American George]]'', which took six weeks to complete. Formby's move to an American company was controversial, and although his popular appeal seemed unaffected, his "films were treated with increasing critical hostility", according to John Mundy in his 2007 examination of British musical film.{{sfn\|Mundy\|2007\|p=88}} The reviewer for ''[[The Times]]'' wrote that the story was "confused" and considered that "there is not sufficient comic invention in the telling" of it.<ref name="Times: SA George" /> Murphy writes that the criticism "had more to do with the inadequate vehicles which he subsequently appeared in than in any diminution of his personal popularity."{{sfn\|Murphy\|1989\|p=195}}

	{{quote box\|width=225px\|align=~~left~~\|quote="Standing with his back to a tree or a wall of sandbags, with men squatting on the ground in front of him, he sang song after song, screwing up his face into comical expressions of fright whenever shells exploded in the near distance, and making little cracks when the firing drowned the point lines in his songs".\|salign=right\|source=– [[Basil Dean]], the head of ENSA, on some of Formby's work with the organisation.{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|p=81}}}}		{{quote box\|width=225px\|align=right\|quote="Standing with his back to a tree or a wall of sandbags, with men squatting on the ground in front of him, he sang song after song, screwing up his face into comical expressions of fright whenever shells exploded in the near distance, and making little cracks when the firing drowned the point lines in his songs".\|salign=right\|source=– [[Basil Dean]], the head of ENSA, on some of Formby's work with the organisation.{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|p=81}}}}
	In early 1942 Formby undertook a three-week, 72-show tour of Northern Ireland, largely playing to troops but also undertaking fund-raising shows for charity—one at the Belfast Hippodrome raised £500. He described his time in Ulster as "the pleasantest tour I've ever undertaken". He returned to the mainland by way of the Isle of Man, where he entertained the troops guarding the [[internment camps]].{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=165}} After further charity shows—raising £8,000 for a tank fund—Formby was the [[associate producer]] for the [[Vera Lynn]] film ''[[We'll Meet Again (1943 film)\|We'll Meet Again]]'' (1943). In March he also filmed ''[[Much Too Shy]]'' which was released in October that year. Although the film was poorly received by the critics, the public still attended in large numbers, and the film was profitable.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=124}}{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=167}}		In early 1942 Formby undertook a three-week, 72-show tour of Northern Ireland, largely playing to troops but also undertaking fund-raising shows for charity—one at the Belfast Hippodrome raised £500. He described his time in Ulster as "the pleasantest tour I've ever undertaken". He returned to the mainland by way of the Isle of Man, where he entertained the troops guarding the [[internment camps]].{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=165}} After further charity shows—raising £8,000 for a tank fund—Formby was the [[associate producer]] for the [[Vera Lynn]] film ''[[We'll Meet Again (1943 film)\|We'll Meet Again]]'' (1943). In March he also filmed ''[[Much Too Shy]]'' which was released in October that year. Although the film was poorly received by the critics, the public still attended in large numbers, and the film was profitable.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=124}}{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=167}}

	In the summer of 1942 Formby was involved in a controversy with the [[Lord's Day Observance Society]], who had filed law suits against the BBC for playing secular music on Sunday. The society began a campaign against the entertainment industry, claiming all theatrical activity on a Sunday were unethical, and cited a 1667 law which made it illegal. With 60 leading entertainers already avoiding Sunday working, Dean informed Formby that his stance would be crucial in avoiding a spread of the problem. Formby issued a statement, "I'll hang up my uke on Sundays only when our lads stop fighting and getting killed on Sundays ... as far as the Lord's Day Observance Society are concerned, they can mind their own bloody business. And in any case, what have ''they'' done for the war effort except get on everyone's nerves?" The following day it was announced that the pressure from the society was to be lifted.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=125–26}}		In the summer of 1942 Formby was involved in a controversy with the [[w:Lord's Day Observance Society\|Lord's Day Observance Society]], who had filed law suits against the BBC for playing secular music on Sunday. The society began a campaign against the entertainment industry, claiming all theatrical activity on a Sunday were unethical, and cited a 1667 law which made it illegal. With 60 leading entertainers already avoiding Sunday working, Dean informed Formby that his stance would be crucial in avoiding a spread of the problem. Formby issued a statement, "I'll hang up my uke on Sundays only when our lads stop fighting and getting killed on Sundays ... as far as the Lord's Day Observance Society are concerned, they can mind their own bloody business. And in any case, what have ''they'' done for the war effort except get on everyone's nerves?" The following day it was announced that the pressure from the society was to be lifted.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=125–26}}

	At the end of the year Formby started filming ''[[Get Cracking]]'', a story about the [[Home Guard (United Kingdom)\|Home Guard]], which was completed in under a month, the tight schedule brought about by an impending ENSA tour of the Mediterranean.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=129}}{{efn\|While on leave from the [[Irish Guards]], [[Harry Parr-Davies]] was given just ten days to complete the music for the film before returning to service.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=129}}}} Between the end of filming ''Get Cracking'' and the release of the film in May 1943, Formby undertook a tour of Northern Scotland and the Orkney Islands, and had nearly completed shooting on his next film, ''[[Bell-Bottom George]]''.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=129}}{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=168}} The reviewer for ''The Times'' opined that "''Get Cracking'', although a distinct improvement on other films in which Mr Formby has appeared, is cut too closely to fit the demands of an individual technique to achieve any real life of its own".<ref name="Times: Cracking" />		At the end of the year Formby started filming ''[[Get Cracking]]'', a story about the [[Home Guard (United Kingdom)\|Home Guard]], which was completed in under a month, the tight schedule brought about by an impending ENSA tour of the Mediterranean.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=129}}{{efn\|While on leave from the [[Irish Guards]], [[Harry Parr-Davies]] was given just ten days to complete the music for the film before returning to service.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=129}}}} Between the end of filming ''Get Cracking'' and the release of the film in May 1943, Formby undertook a tour of Northern Scotland and the Orkney Islands, and had nearly completed shooting on his next film, ''[[Bell-Bottom George]]''.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=129}}{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=168}} The reviewer for ''The Times'' opined that "''Get Cracking'', although a distinct improvement on other films in which Mr Formby has appeared, is cut too closely to fit the demands of an individual technique to achieve any real life of its own".<ref name="Times: Cracking" />

Kurt: /* Screen persona and technique */

2022-12-21T18:24:43Z

Screen persona and technique

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:24, 21 December 2022
Line 179:		Line 179:
	On an edition of ITV's ''[[The South Bank Show]]'' in November 1992, Richards commented that Formby "embodied qualities that people admired and found reassuring in the depression ... and you thought that here's a man whom whatever is thrown at him, will come through and come out smiling—and people wanted that".<ref name="South Bank Show" /> H.J. Igoe, writing in ''[[The Catholic Herald]]'', thinks that "Formby has a common English touch. We warm to the kindly turnip face, the revolving eyes, the mouth like a slashed coconut, the silly little songs ... the melodiously tinny voice and twanging banjo. The comedian is the universal works—platoon and bar-room simpleton—mother's boy—the beloved henpeck—the father who cannot hang a picture and underlying his everyday folly there is the sublime wisdom of the ordinary fool who loves and trusts the world. His comedy is earthy, but never lascivious".<ref name="Catholic H" />		On an edition of ITV's ''[[The South Bank Show]]'' in November 1992, Richards commented that Formby "embodied qualities that people admired and found reassuring in the depression ... and you thought that here's a man whom whatever is thrown at him, will come through and come out smiling—and people wanted that".<ref name="South Bank Show" /> H.J. Igoe, writing in ''[[The Catholic Herald]]'', thinks that "Formby has a common English touch. We warm to the kindly turnip face, the revolving eyes, the mouth like a slashed coconut, the silly little songs ... the melodiously tinny voice and twanging banjo. The comedian is the universal works—platoon and bar-room simpleton—mother's boy—the beloved henpeck—the father who cannot hang a picture and underlying his everyday folly there is the sublime wisdom of the ordinary fool who loves and trusts the world. His comedy is earthy, but never lascivious".<ref name="Catholic H" />

	{{quote box\|width=225px\|align=~~left~~\|quote="You know, some of the songs are a bit near. But they'll take them from me in evening dress; they wouldn't take them if I wore baggy pants and rednose".\|salign=right\|source=– Formby on his suggestive lyrics.{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|pp=37–38}}}}		{{quote box\|width=225px\|align=right\|quote="You know, some of the songs are a bit near. But they'll take them from me in evening dress; they wouldn't take them if I wore baggy pants and rednose".\|salign=right\|source=– Formby on his suggestive lyrics.{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|pp=37–38}}}}
	Richards identifies in Formby "an innocence that was essentially childlike ... which explains why George was as popular with children as he was with adults";{{sfn\|Richards\|2010\|p=192}} Igoe agrees, and writes that "we know he loves children, because himself he is a child".<ref name="Catholic H" /> Formby's screen and stage persona of innocence and simplicity was not seen as ignorance or stupidity,{{sfn\|Murphy\|1989\|p=195}} although Basil Dean disagreed and thought that Formby "didn't act gormless as many successful Lancashire comedians have done, he was gormless".{{sfn\|Murphy\|1989\|p=193}} Much of the innocence in Formby's performance is connected to sex, and the use of [[double entendre]]s within his songs. [[John Caughie]] and [[Kevin Rockett]], in their examination of British film, and Richards, see a connection between Formby's approach to sex and the [[Postcard#British seaside postcards\|saucy seaside postcards]] of [[Donald McGill]].{{sfn\|Caughie\|Rockett\|1996\|p=67}} Richards sees the function of Formby's humour as being the same as McGill's: "the harmless diffusion of a major source of tension in a deeply repressed and conventional society".{{sfn\|Richards\|2004}} Formby's delivery of the sexual content—what McFarlane identifies as being "sung with such a toothy grin and air of innocence"—negated any possible indignation,<ref name="BFISO: formby" /> and this contrasts with the more overtly sexual delivery of other performers of the time, such as [[Max Miller (comedian)\|Max Miller]] and [[Frank Randle]].{{sfn\|Richards\|2010\|p=192}}		Richards identifies in Formby "an innocence that was essentially childlike ... which explains why George was as popular with children as he was with adults";{{sfn\|Richards\|2010\|p=192}} Igoe agrees, and writes that "we know he loves children, because himself he is a child".<ref name="Catholic H" /> Formby's screen and stage persona of innocence and simplicity was not seen as ignorance or stupidity,{{sfn\|Murphy\|1989\|p=195}} although Basil Dean disagreed and thought that Formby "didn't act gormless as many successful Lancashire comedians have done, he was gormless".{{sfn\|Murphy\|1989\|p=193}} Much of the innocence in Formby's performance is connected to sex, and the use of [[double entendre]]s within his songs. [[John Caughie]] and [[Kevin Rockett]], in their examination of British film, and Richards, see a connection between Formby's approach to sex and the [[Postcard#British seaside postcards\|saucy seaside postcards]] of [[Donald McGill]].{{sfn\|Caughie\|Rockett\|1996\|p=67}} Richards sees the function of Formby's humour as being the same as McGill's: "the harmless diffusion of a major source of tension in a deeply repressed and conventional society".{{sfn\|Richards\|2004}} Formby's delivery of the sexual content—what McFarlane identifies as being "sung with such a toothy grin and air of innocence"—negated any possible indignation,<ref name="BFISO: formby" /> and this contrasts with the more overtly sexual delivery of other performers of the time, such as [[Max Miller (comedian)\|Max Miller]] and [[Frank Randle]].{{sfn\|Richards\|2010\|p=192}}

Kurt: /* External links */

2022-12-14T16:29:03Z

External links

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:29, 14 December 2022
Line 384:		Line 384:

	==External links==		==External links==
	~~{{Commons category\|George Formby}}~~* {{IMDb Name\|nm0286399\|George Formby}}		* {{IMDb Name\|nm0286399\|George Formby}}
	* {{BFI\|id=4ce2b9f471218\|name=George Formby}}		* {{BFI\|id=4ce2b9f471218\|name=George Formby}}
	* {{Screenonline name\|id=450806\|name=George Formby}}		* {{Screenonline name\|id=450806\|name=George Formby}}

Kurt: /* External links */

2022-12-14T16:28:28Z

External links

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:28, 14 December 2022
Line 384:		Line 384:

	==External links==		==External links==
	{{Commons category\|George Formby}}		{{Commons category\|George Formby}}* {{IMDb Name\|nm0286399\|George Formby}}
	* {{IMDb Name\|nm0286399\|George Formby}}
	* {{BFI\|id=4ce2b9f471218\|name=George Formby}}		* {{BFI\|id=4ce2b9f471218\|name=George Formby}}
	* {{Screenonline name\|id=450806\|name=George Formby}}		* {{Screenonline name\|id=450806\|name=George Formby}}
Line 392:		Line 391:
	* [http://www.georgeformby.co.uk The George Formby Society]		* [http://www.georgeformby.co.uk The George Formby Society]
	* {{British Comedy Guide\|people\|george_formby}}		* {{British Comedy Guide\|people\|george_formby}}
	~~{{Authority control}}~~

	~~{{featured article}}~~

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Formby, George}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Formby, George}}

Kurt at 02:58, 1 October 2022

2022-10-01T02:58:58Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:58, 30 September 2022
Line 17:		Line 17:
	\| known_for =		\| known_for =
	\| notable_works =		\| notable_works =
			\| spouse = {{Marriage\|Beryl Ingham\|13 September 1924\|1961\|end=d.}}
	}}		}}
	'''George Formby''', {{Post-nominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|OBE}} (born '''George Hoy Booth'''; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961) was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he sang light, [[Novelty song\|comical songs]], usually playing the [[ukulele]] or [[banjolele]], and became the United Kingdom's highest-paid entertainer.		'''George Formby''', {{Post-nominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|OBE}} (born '''George Hoy Booth'''; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961) was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he sang light, [[Novelty song\|comical songs]], usually playing the [[ukulele]] or [[banjolele]], and became the United Kingdom's highest-paid entertainer.

Kurt at 02:52, 1 October 2022

2022-10-01T02:52:54Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:52, 30 September 2022
Line 2:		Line 2:
	{{short description\|English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian}}		{{short description\|English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian}}
	{{Use British English\|date=August 2011}}{{Use dmy dates\|date=March 2020}}		{{Use British English\|date=August 2011}}{{Use dmy dates\|date=March 2020}}
	~~<!-- There is a consensus not to have an infobox on this page. Please do not add one without discussing the matter first on the talk page. -->~~
	~~[[File:George Formby with the army in France, 1940 cropped.jpg\|thumb\|upright=1.15\|right\|Formby in France during the [[Second World War]]]]~~

			{{Infobox person
			\| image = George Formby.webp
			\| alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software -->
			\| caption =
			\| birth_name = George Hoy Booth
			\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1904\|05\|26\|df=y}}
			\| birth_place = [[w:Wigan\|Wigan]], [[w:Lancashire\|Lancashire]]
			\| death_date = {{Death date and age\|1961\|03\|06\|1904\|05\|26\|df=y}}
			\| death_place = [[w:Lytham St Annes\|Lytham St Annes]], [[w:Lancashire\|Lancashire]]
			\| resting_place = [[w:Warrington\|Warrington Cemetery]]
			\| occupation = Actor, singer-songwriter and comedian
			\| years_active =
			\| known_for =
			\| notable_works =
			}}
	'''George Formby''', {{Post-nominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|OBE}} (born '''George Hoy Booth'''; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961) was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he sang light, [[Novelty song\|comical songs]], usually playing the [[ukulele]] or [[banjolele]], and became the United Kingdom's highest-paid entertainer.		'''George Formby''', {{Post-nominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|OBE}} (born '''George Hoy Booth'''; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961) was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he sang light, [[Novelty song\|comical songs]], usually playing the [[ukulele]] or [[banjolele]], and became the United Kingdom's highest-paid entertainer.

	Born in [[Wigan]], [[Lancashire]], he was the son of [[George Formby Sr]], from whom he later took his stage name. After an early career as a stable boy and jockey, Formby took to the [[music hall]] stage after the early death of his father in 1921. His early performances were taken exclusively from his father's act, including the same songs, jokes and characters. In 1923 he made two career-changing decisions – he purchased a ukulele, and married [[Beryl Ingham]], a fellow performer who became his manager and transformed his act. She insisted that he appear on stage formally dressed, and introduced the ukulele to his performance. He started his recording career in 1926 and, from 1934, he increasingly worked in film to develop into a major star by the late 1930s and 1940s, and became the UK's most popular entertainer during those decades. The media historian Brian McFarlane writes that on film, Formby portrayed gormless Lancastrian innocents who would win through against some form of villainy, gaining the affection of an attractive middle-class girl in the process.		Born in [[w:Wigan\|Wigan]], [[w:Lancashire\|Lancashire]], he was the son of [[George Formby Sr]], from whom he later took his stage name. After an early career as a stable boy and jockey, Formby took to the [[music hall]] stage after the early death of his father in 1921. His early performances were taken exclusively from his father's act, including the same songs, jokes and characters. In 1923 he made two career-changing decisions – he purchased a ukulele, and married [[Beryl Ingham]], a fellow performer who became his manager and transformed his act. She insisted that he appear on stage formally dressed, and introduced the ukulele to his performance. He started his recording career in 1926 and, from 1934, he increasingly worked in film to develop into a major star by the late 1930s and 1940s, and became the UK's most popular entertainer during those decades. The media historian Brian McFarlane writes that on film, Formby portrayed gormless Lancastrian innocents who would win through against some form of villainy, gaining the affection of an attractive middle-class girl in the process.

	During the [[Second World War]] Formby worked extensively for the [[Entertainments National Service Association]] (ENSA), and entertained civilians and troops, and by 1946 it was estimated that he had performed in front of three million service personnel. After the war his career declined, although he toured [[Commonwealth of Nations\|the Commonwealth]], and continued to appear in [[Variety show\|variety]] and [[pantomime]]. His last television appearance was in December 1960, two weeks before the death of Beryl. He surprised people by announcing his engagement to a school teacher, Pat Howson, seven weeks after Beryl's funeral, but died in [[Preston, Lancashire\|Preston]] three weeks later, at the age of 56; he was buried in [[Warrington]], alongside his father.		During the [[Second World War]] Formby worked extensively for the [[Entertainments National Service Association]] (ENSA), and entertained civilians and troops, and by 1946 it was estimated that he had performed in front of three million service personnel. After the war his career declined, although he toured [[Commonwealth of Nations\|the Commonwealth]], and continued to appear in [[Variety show\|variety]] and [[pantomime]]. His last television appearance was in December 1960, two weeks before the death of Beryl. He surprised people by announcing his engagement to a school teacher, Pat Howson, seven weeks after Beryl's funeral, but died in [[Preston, Lancashire\|Preston]] three weeks later, at the age of 56; he was buried in [[Warrington]], alongside his father.
Line 77:		Line 90:

	Formby's ENSA commitments were heavy, touring factories, theatres and concert halls around Britain.{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=92}} He also gave free concerts for charities and worthy causes, and raised £10,000 for the Fleetwood Fund on behalf of the families of missing trawlermen. He and Beryl also set up their own charities, such as the OK Club for Kids, whose aim was to provide cigarettes for Yorkshire soldiers,{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=133}} and the Jump Fund, to provide home-knitted balaclavas, scarves and socks to servicemen.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=98–99}} Formby also joined the [[Home Guard (United Kingdom)\|Home Guard]] as a dispatch rider, where he took his duties seriously, and fitted them around his other work whenever he could.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=96}}		Formby's ENSA commitments were heavy, touring factories, theatres and concert halls around Britain.{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=92}} He also gave free concerts for charities and worthy causes, and raised £10,000 for the Fleetwood Fund on behalf of the families of missing trawlermen. He and Beryl also set up their own charities, such as the OK Club for Kids, whose aim was to provide cigarettes for Yorkshire soldiers,{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=133}} and the Jump Fund, to provide home-knitted balaclavas, scarves and socks to servicemen.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=98–99}} Formby also joined the [[Home Guard (United Kingdom)\|Home Guard]] as a dispatch rider, where he took his duties seriously, and fitted them around his other work whenever he could.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=96}}
			[[File:George Formby with the army in France, 1940 cropped.jpg\|thumb\|upright=1.15\|right\|Formby in France during the [[w:Second World War\|Second World War]]]]
	Formby continued filming with ATP, and his second film of 1940, ''[[Spare a Copper]]'', was again focused on an aspect of the war, this time combating [[fifth column]]ists and saboteurs in a [[Merseyside]] dockyard.{{sfn\|Burton\|O'Sullivan\|2009\|p=15}}{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=99–100}} Cinema-goers had begun to tire of war films, and his next venture, ''[[Turned Out Nice Again]]'' returned to less contentious issues, with Formby's character caught in a domestic battle between his new wife and mother.{{sfn\|Burton\|O'Sullivan\|2009\|p=15}} Early in the filming schedule, he took time to perform in an ENSA show that was broadcast on the BBC from [[Aldwych tube station]] as ''Let the People Sing''; he sang four songs, and told the audience, "Don't forget, it's wonderful to be British!"{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=106–07}} Towards the end of 1940 Formby tried to enlist for active military service, despite Beryl informing him that by being a member of ENSA he was already signed up. The examining board rejected him as being unfit, because he had [[sinusitis]] and arthritic toes.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=110}}{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=156}} He spent the winter season in pantomime at the Opera House Theatre, Blackpool, portraying Idle Jack in ''[[Dick Whittington and His Cat\|Dick Whittington]]''. When the season came to an end the Formbys moved to London and, in May 1941, [[Royal Command Performance\|performed for the royal family]] at [[Windsor Castle]]. He had commissioned a new set of inoffensive lyrics for "When I'm Cleaning Windows", but was informed that he should sing the original, uncensored version, which was enjoyed by the royal party, particularly Queen Mary, who asked for a repeat of the song. [[George VI\|King George VI]] presented Formby with a set of gold cuff links, and advised him to "wear them, not put them away".{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=110–11}}{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=159}}		Formby continued filming with ATP, and his second film of 1940, ''[[Spare a Copper]]'', was again focused on an aspect of the war, this time combating [[fifth column]]ists and saboteurs in a [[Merseyside]] dockyard.{{sfn\|Burton\|O'Sullivan\|2009\|p=15}}{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=99–100}} Cinema-goers had begun to tire of war films, and his next venture, ''[[Turned Out Nice Again]]'' returned to less contentious issues, with Formby's character caught in a domestic battle between his new wife and mother.{{sfn\|Burton\|O'Sullivan\|2009\|p=15}} Early in the filming schedule, he took time to perform in an ENSA show that was broadcast on the BBC from [[Aldwych tube station]] as ''Let the People Sing''; he sang four songs, and told the audience, "Don't forget, it's wonderful to be British!"{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=106–07}} Towards the end of 1940 Formby tried to enlist for active military service, despite Beryl informing him that by being a member of ENSA he was already signed up. The examining board rejected him as being unfit, because he had [[sinusitis]] and arthritic toes.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=110}}{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=156}} He spent the winter season in pantomime at the Opera House Theatre, Blackpool, portraying Idle Jack in ''[[Dick Whittington and His Cat\|Dick Whittington]]''. When the season came to an end the Formbys moved to London and, in May 1941, [[Royal Command Performance\|performed for the royal family]] at [[Windsor Castle]]. He had commissioned a new set of inoffensive lyrics for "When I'm Cleaning Windows", but was informed that he should sing the original, uncensored version, which was enjoyed by the royal party, particularly Queen Mary, who asked for a repeat of the song. [[George VI\|King George VI]] presented Formby with a set of gold cuff links, and advised him to "wear them, not put them away".{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=110–11}}{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=159}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:39, 21 December 2022
Line 33:		Line 33:
	George Formby was born George Hoy Booth at 3 Westminster Street, [[Wigan]], [[Lancashire]], on 26 May 1904. He was the eldest of seven surviving children born to James Lawler Booth and his wife Eliza, {{nee}} Hoy,{{sfn\|Richards\|2004}} although this marriage was [[bigamous]] because Formby Sr was still married to his first wife, Martha Maria Salter, a twenty-year-old music hall performer.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|pp=65–67}} Booth was a successful [[music hall]] comedian and singer who performed under the name [[George Formby Sr\|George Formby]] (he is now known as George Formby Sr). Formby Sr suffered from a chest ailment, identified variously as [[bronchitis]], [[asthma]] or [[tuberculosis]],{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=4}} and would use the cough as part of the humour in his act, saying to the audience, "Bronchitis, I'm a bit tight tonight", or "coughing better tonight".<ref name="South Bank Show" /> One of his main characters was that of John Willie, an "archetypal Lancashire lad".{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=23}} In 1906 Formby Sr was earning £35 a week at the music halls, which rose to £325 a week by 1920, and Formby grew up in an affluent home.<ref name="Skinner docu" />{{efn\|Formby Sr's weekly salary of £35 in 1906 is approximately £3,188 in 2014; the £325 weekly salary in 1920 is approximately £15,000.{{inflation-fn\|UK}}}} Formby Sr was so popular that [[Marie Lloyd]], the influential music hall singer and actress, would only watch two acts: his and that of [[Dan Leno]].{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=5}}		George Formby was born George Hoy Booth at 3 Westminster Street, [[Wigan]], [[Lancashire]], on 26 May 1904. He was the eldest of seven surviving children born to James Lawler Booth and his wife Eliza, {{nee}} Hoy,{{sfn\|Richards\|2004}} although this marriage was [[bigamous]] because Formby Sr was still married to his first wife, Martha Maria Salter, a twenty-year-old music hall performer.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|pp=65–67}} Booth was a successful [[music hall]] comedian and singer who performed under the name [[George Formby Sr\|George Formby]] (he is now known as George Formby Sr). Formby Sr suffered from a chest ailment, identified variously as [[bronchitis]], [[asthma]] or [[tuberculosis]],{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=4}} and would use the cough as part of the humour in his act, saying to the audience, "Bronchitis, I'm a bit tight tonight", or "coughing better tonight".<ref name="South Bank Show" /> One of his main characters was that of John Willie, an "archetypal Lancashire lad".{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=23}} In 1906 Formby Sr was earning £35 a week at the music halls, which rose to £325 a week by 1920, and Formby grew up in an affluent home.<ref name="Skinner docu" />{{efn\|Formby Sr's weekly salary of £35 in 1906 is approximately £3,188 in 2014; the £325 weekly salary in 1920 is approximately £15,000.{{inflation-fn\|UK}}}} Formby Sr was so popular that [[Marie Lloyd]], the influential music hall singer and actress, would only watch two acts: his and that of [[Dan Leno]].{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=5}}

	[[File:George Formby in 1915.jpg\|thumb\|~~left~~\|Formby while employed as a jockey, aged 10 in 1915]]		[[File:George Formby in 1915.jpg\|thumb\|right\|Formby while employed as a jockey, aged 10 in 1915]]
	Formby was born blind owing to an obstructive [[caul]], although his sight was restored during a violent coughing fit or sneeze when he was a few months old.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=5}} After briefly attending school—at which he did not prosper, and did not learn to read or write—Formby was removed from formal education at the age of seven and sent to become a [[stable boy]], briefly in Wiltshire and then in [[Middleham]], Yorkshire.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=49}} Formby Sr sent his son away to work as he was worried Formby would watch him on stage; he was against Formby following in his footsteps, saying "one fool in the family is enough".<ref name="Guard: Obit" />{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=6–7}} After a year working at Malton, he was apprenticed to Thomas Scholfield at Epsom, where he ran his first professional races at the age of 10, when he weighed less than {{convert\|4\|st\|lk=in}}.<ref name="D Mirror: Jockey" />{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=7}}		Formby was born blind owing to an obstructive [[w:caul\|caul]], although his sight was restored during a violent coughing fit or sneeze when he was a few months old.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=5}} After briefly attending school—at which he did not prosper, and did not learn to read or write—Formby was removed from formal education at the age of seven and sent to become a [[stable boy]], briefly in Wiltshire and then in [[Middleham]], Yorkshire.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=49}} Formby Sr sent his son away to work as he was worried Formby would watch him on stage; he was against Formby following in his footsteps, saying "one fool in the family is enough".<ref name="Guard: Obit" />{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=6–7}} After a year working at Malton, he was apprenticed to Thomas Scholfield at Epsom, where he ran his first professional races at the age of 10, when he weighed less than {{convert\|4\|st\|lk=in}}.<ref name="D Mirror: Jockey" />{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=7}}

	In 1915 Formby Sr allowed his son to appear on screen, taking the lead in ''[[By the Shortest of Heads]]'', a thriller directed by [[Bert Haldane]] in which Formby played a stable boy who outwits a gang of villains and wins a £10,000 prize when he comes first in a horse race.{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|p=49}} The film is now considered [[lost film\|lost]], with the last-known copy having been destroyed in 1940.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=51}} Later in 1915, and with the closure of the English racing season because of the [[First World War]], Formby moved to Ireland where he continued as a jockey until November 1918.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=9}} Later that month he returned to England and raced for [[Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby\|Lord Derby]] at his [[Newmarket, Suffolk\|Newmarket]] stables.<ref name="Friday Show" /> Formby continued as a jockey until 1921, although he never won a race.{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=37}}		In 1915 Formby Sr allowed his son to appear on screen, taking the lead in ''[[By the Shortest of Heads]]'', a thriller directed by [[Bert Haldane]] in which Formby played a stable boy who outwits a gang of villains and wins a £10,000 prize when he comes first in a horse race.{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|p=49}} The film is now considered [[lost film\|lost]], with the last-known copy having been destroyed in 1940.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=51}} Later in 1915, and with the closure of the English racing season because of the [[First World War]], Formby moved to Ireland where he continued as a jockey until November 1918.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=9}} Later that month he returned to England and raced for [[Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby\|Lord Derby]] at his [[Newmarket, Suffolk\|Newmarket]] stables.<ref name="Friday Show" /> Formby continued as a jockey until 1921, although he never won a race.{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=37}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:32, 21 December 2022
Line 48:		Line 48:
	In 1923 Formby started to play the ukulele, although the exact circumstances of how he came to play the instrument are unknown,{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=13}}{{efn\|There are numerous versions of the story surrounding Formby's purchase of the ukulele, including that it was obtained while it was appearing in revue, from a hard-up fellow performer for 50 shillings, in any one of Bolton, Barnsley, Bradford or Aberdeen. It is also reported that he purchased it from a shop in Manchester for 15 shillings.{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=42}}}} and he introduced it into his act during a run at the Alhambra Theatre in Barnsley. When the songs—still his father's material—were well received, he changed his stage name to George Formby, and stopped using the John Willie character.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=14}} Another significant event was his appearance in [[Castleford]], [[West Yorkshire]], where appearing on the same bill was [[Beryl Ingham]], an [[Accrington]]-born champion [[Clog dancing\|clogdancer]] and actress who had won the All England Step Dancing title at the age of 11. Beryl, who had formed a dancing act with her sister, May, called "The Two Violets",{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|pp=48–49}} had a low opinion of Formby's act, and later said that "if I'd had a bag of rotten tomatoes with me I'd have thrown them at him".{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|p=19}} Formby and Beryl entered into a relationship and married two years later, on 13 September 1924, at a [[register office]] in Wigan, with Formby's aunt and uncle as witnesses.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=85}}{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=85}} Upon hearing the news, Eliza insisted on the couple having a church wedding, which followed two months later.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=18}}		In 1923 Formby started to play the ukulele, although the exact circumstances of how he came to play the instrument are unknown,{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=13}}{{efn\|There are numerous versions of the story surrounding Formby's purchase of the ukulele, including that it was obtained while it was appearing in revue, from a hard-up fellow performer for 50 shillings, in any one of Bolton, Barnsley, Bradford or Aberdeen. It is also reported that he purchased it from a shop in Manchester for 15 shillings.{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=42}}}} and he introduced it into his act during a run at the Alhambra Theatre in Barnsley. When the songs—still his father's material—were well received, he changed his stage name to George Formby, and stopped using the John Willie character.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=14}} Another significant event was his appearance in [[Castleford]], [[West Yorkshire]], where appearing on the same bill was [[Beryl Ingham]], an [[Accrington]]-born champion [[Clog dancing\|clogdancer]] and actress who had won the All England Step Dancing title at the age of 11. Beryl, who had formed a dancing act with her sister, May, called "The Two Violets",{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|pp=48–49}} had a low opinion of Formby's act, and later said that "if I'd had a bag of rotten tomatoes with me I'd have thrown them at him".{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|p=19}} Formby and Beryl entered into a relationship and married two years later, on 13 September 1924, at a [[register office]] in Wigan, with Formby's aunt and uncle as witnesses.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=85}}{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=85}} Upon hearing the news, Eliza insisted on the couple having a church wedding, which followed two months later.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=18}}

	[[File:George Hoy (Formby) ad from 1921.jpg\|thumb\|~~left~~\|upright=1.35\|An advertisement from ''The Burnley News'', May 1921 for George Hoy]]		[[File:George Hoy (Formby) ad from 1921.jpg\|thumb\|right\|upright=1.35\|An advertisement from ''The Burnley News'', May 1921 for George Hoy]]
	Beryl took over as George's manager, and changed aspects of his act, including the songs and jokes. She instructed him on how to use his hands, and how to work his audience. She also persuaded him to change his stage dress to [[black tie]]—although he appeared in a range of other costumes too—and to take lessons in how to play the ukulele properly.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=20 & 24–25}} By June 1926 he was proficient enough to earn a one-off record deal—negotiated by Beryl—to sing six of his father's songs for the [[The Winner Records\|Edison Bell/Winner]] label.{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=54}} Formby spent the next few years touring, largely in the north, but also appearing at the [[Shepherd's Bush Empire]], his official London debut.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=88}} Although he had a further recording session in October 1929, performing two songs for Dominion Records, "Beryl's avaricious demands would prevent any serious contract from coming George's way", according to [[David Bret]], Formby's biographer.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=25}} That changed in 1932, when Formby signed a three-year deal with [[Decca Records]]. One of the songs he recorded in July was "Chinese Laundry Blues", telling the story of Mr Wu, which became one of his standard songs, and part of a long-running series of songs about the character.{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|pp=34–35}}{{efn\|The other songs are "The Wedding of Mr Wu", "I'm the Husband of the Wife of Mr Wu", "Mr Wu's a Window Cleaner Now", "Mr Wu's an Air Raid Warden Now" and "Mr Wu was in the Air Force".{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|p=35}}}} Over the course of his career Formby went on to record over 200 songs, around 90 of which were written by [[Fred Cliffe]] and [[Harry Gifford (songwriter)\|Harry Gifford]].{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=106}} In the 1932 winter season Formby appeared in his first [[pantomime]], ''[[Babes in the Wood]]'', in Bolton, after which he toured with the ''George Formby Road Show'' around the north of England, with Beryl acting as the [[Master of ceremonies\|commère]]<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE SPELLING: THIS IS THE FEMALE FORM OF ADDRESS -->; the show also toured in 1934.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|pp=97–98}}		Beryl took over as George's manager, and changed aspects of his act, including the songs and jokes. She instructed him on how to use his hands, and how to work his audience. She also persuaded him to change his stage dress to [[black tie]]—although he appeared in a range of other costumes too—and to take lessons in how to play the ukulele properly.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=20 & 24–25}} By June 1926 he was proficient enough to earn a one-off record deal—negotiated by Beryl—to sing six of his father's songs for the [[The Winner Records\|Edison Bell/Winner]] label.{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=54}} Formby spent the next few years touring, largely in the north, but also appearing at the [[Shepherd's Bush Empire]], his official London debut.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=88}} Although he had a further recording session in October 1929, performing two songs for Dominion Records, "Beryl's avaricious demands would prevent any serious contract from coming George's way", according to [[David Bret]], Formby's biographer.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=25}} That changed in 1932, when Formby signed a three-year deal with [[Decca Records]]. One of the songs he recorded in July was "Chinese Laundry Blues", telling the story of Mr Wu, which became one of his standard songs, and part of a long-running series of songs about the character.{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|pp=34–35}}{{efn\|The other songs are "The Wedding of Mr Wu", "I'm the Husband of the Wife of Mr Wu", "Mr Wu's a Window Cleaner Now", "Mr Wu's an Air Raid Warden Now" and "Mr Wu was in the Air Force".{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|p=35}}}} Over the course of his career Formby went on to record over 200 songs, around 90 of which were written by [[Fred Cliffe]] and [[Harry Gifford (songwriter)\|Harry Gifford]].{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=106}} In the 1932 winter season Formby appeared in his first [[pantomime]], ''[[Babes in the Wood]]'', in Bolton, after which he toured with the ''George Formby Road Show'' around the north of England, with Beryl acting as the [[Master of ceremonies\|commère]]<!-- PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE SPELLING: THIS IS THE FEMALE FORM OF ADDRESS -->; the show also toured in 1934.{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|pp=97–98}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:27, 21 December 2022
Line 98:		Line 98:
	At the end of August 1941 production began on Formby's first film for Columbia, ''[[South American George]]'', which took six weeks to complete. Formby's move to an American company was controversial, and although his popular appeal seemed unaffected, his "films were treated with increasing critical hostility", according to John Mundy in his 2007 examination of British musical film.{{sfn\|Mundy\|2007\|p=88}} The reviewer for ''[[The Times]]'' wrote that the story was "confused" and considered that "there is not sufficient comic invention in the telling" of it.<ref name="Times: SA George" /> Murphy writes that the criticism "had more to do with the inadequate vehicles which he subsequently appeared in than in any diminution of his personal popularity."{{sfn\|Murphy\|1989\|p=195}}		At the end of August 1941 production began on Formby's first film for Columbia, ''[[South American George]]'', which took six weeks to complete. Formby's move to an American company was controversial, and although his popular appeal seemed unaffected, his "films were treated with increasing critical hostility", according to John Mundy in his 2007 examination of British musical film.{{sfn\|Mundy\|2007\|p=88}} The reviewer for ''[[The Times]]'' wrote that the story was "confused" and considered that "there is not sufficient comic invention in the telling" of it.<ref name="Times: SA George" /> Murphy writes that the criticism "had more to do with the inadequate vehicles which he subsequently appeared in than in any diminution of his personal popularity."{{sfn\|Murphy\|1989\|p=195}}

	{{quote box\|width=225px\|align=~~left~~\|quote="Standing with his back to a tree or a wall of sandbags, with men squatting on the ground in front of him, he sang song after song, screwing up his face into comical expressions of fright whenever shells exploded in the near distance, and making little cracks when the firing drowned the point lines in his songs".\|salign=right\|source=– [[Basil Dean]], the head of ENSA, on some of Formby's work with the organisation.{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|p=81}}}}		{{quote box\|width=225px\|align=right\|quote="Standing with his back to a tree or a wall of sandbags, with men squatting on the ground in front of him, he sang song after song, screwing up his face into comical expressions of fright whenever shells exploded in the near distance, and making little cracks when the firing drowned the point lines in his songs".\|salign=right\|source=– [[Basil Dean]], the head of ENSA, on some of Formby's work with the organisation.{{sfn\|Fisher\|1975\|p=81}}}}
	In early 1942 Formby undertook a three-week, 72-show tour of Northern Ireland, largely playing to troops but also undertaking fund-raising shows for charity—one at the Belfast Hippodrome raised £500. He described his time in Ulster as "the pleasantest tour I've ever undertaken". He returned to the mainland by way of the Isle of Man, where he entertained the troops guarding the [[internment camps]].{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=165}} After further charity shows—raising £8,000 for a tank fund—Formby was the [[associate producer]] for the [[Vera Lynn]] film ''[[We'll Meet Again (1943 film)\|We'll Meet Again]]'' (1943). In March he also filmed ''[[Much Too Shy]]'' which was released in October that year. Although the film was poorly received by the critics, the public still attended in large numbers, and the film was profitable.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=124}}{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=167}}		In early 1942 Formby undertook a three-week, 72-show tour of Northern Ireland, largely playing to troops but also undertaking fund-raising shows for charity—one at the Belfast Hippodrome raised £500. He described his time in Ulster as "the pleasantest tour I've ever undertaken". He returned to the mainland by way of the Isle of Man, where he entertained the troops guarding the [[internment camps]].{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=165}} After further charity shows—raising £8,000 for a tank fund—Formby was the [[associate producer]] for the [[Vera Lynn]] film ''[[We'll Meet Again (1943 film)\|We'll Meet Again]]'' (1943). In March he also filmed ''[[Much Too Shy]]'' which was released in October that year. Although the film was poorly received by the critics, the public still attended in large numbers, and the film was profitable.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=124}}{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=167}}

	In the summer of 1942 Formby was involved in a controversy with the [[Lord's Day Observance Society]], who had filed law suits against the BBC for playing secular music on Sunday. The society began a campaign against the entertainment industry, claiming all theatrical activity on a Sunday were unethical, and cited a 1667 law which made it illegal. With 60 leading entertainers already avoiding Sunday working, Dean informed Formby that his stance would be crucial in avoiding a spread of the problem. Formby issued a statement, "I'll hang up my uke on Sundays only when our lads stop fighting and getting killed on Sundays ... as far as the Lord's Day Observance Society are concerned, they can mind their own bloody business. And in any case, what have ''they'' done for the war effort except get on everyone's nerves?" The following day it was announced that the pressure from the society was to be lifted.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=125–26}}		In the summer of 1942 Formby was involved in a controversy with the [[w:Lord's Day Observance Society\|Lord's Day Observance Society]], who had filed law suits against the BBC for playing secular music on Sunday. The society began a campaign against the entertainment industry, claiming all theatrical activity on a Sunday were unethical, and cited a 1667 law which made it illegal. With 60 leading entertainers already avoiding Sunday working, Dean informed Formby that his stance would be crucial in avoiding a spread of the problem. Formby issued a statement, "I'll hang up my uke on Sundays only when our lads stop fighting and getting killed on Sundays ... as far as the Lord's Day Observance Society are concerned, they can mind their own bloody business. And in any case, what have ''they'' done for the war effort except get on everyone's nerves?" The following day it was announced that the pressure from the society was to be lifted.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=125–26}}

	At the end of the year Formby started filming ''[[Get Cracking]]'', a story about the [[Home Guard (United Kingdom)\|Home Guard]], which was completed in under a month, the tight schedule brought about by an impending ENSA tour of the Mediterranean.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=129}}{{efn\|While on leave from the [[Irish Guards]], [[Harry Parr-Davies]] was given just ten days to complete the music for the film before returning to service.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=129}}}} Between the end of filming ''Get Cracking'' and the release of the film in May 1943, Formby undertook a tour of Northern Scotland and the Orkney Islands, and had nearly completed shooting on his next film, ''[[Bell-Bottom George]]''.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=129}}{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=168}} The reviewer for ''The Times'' opined that "''Get Cracking'', although a distinct improvement on other films in which Mr Formby has appeared, is cut too closely to fit the demands of an individual technique to achieve any real life of its own".<ref name="Times: Cracking" />		At the end of the year Formby started filming ''[[Get Cracking]]'', a story about the [[Home Guard (United Kingdom)\|Home Guard]], which was completed in under a month, the tight schedule brought about by an impending ENSA tour of the Mediterranean.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=129}}{{efn\|While on leave from the [[Irish Guards]], [[Harry Parr-Davies]] was given just ten days to complete the music for the film before returning to service.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=129}}}} Between the end of filming ''Get Cracking'' and the release of the film in May 1943, Formby undertook a tour of Northern Scotland and the Orkney Islands, and had nearly completed shooting on his next film, ''[[Bell-Bottom George]]''.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=129}}{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=168}} The reviewer for ''The Times'' opined that "''Get Cracking'', although a distinct improvement on other films in which Mr Formby has appeared, is cut too closely to fit the demands of an individual technique to achieve any real life of its own".<ref name="Times: Cracking" />

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:52, 30 September 2022
Line 2:		Line 2:
	{{short description\|English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian}}		{{short description\|English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian}}
	{{Use British English\|date=August 2011}}{{Use dmy dates\|date=March 2020}}		{{Use British English\|date=August 2011}}{{Use dmy dates\|date=March 2020}}
	~~<!-- There is a consensus not to have an infobox on this page. Please do not add one without discussing the matter first on the talk page. -->~~
	~~[[File:George Formby with the army in France, 1940 cropped.jpg\|thumb\|upright=1.15\|right\|Formby in France during the [[Second World War]]]]~~

			{{Infobox person
			\| image = George Formby.webp
			\| alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software -->
			\| caption =
			\| birth_name = George Hoy Booth
			\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1904\|05\|26\|df=y}}
			\| birth_place = [[w:Wigan\|Wigan]], [[w:Lancashire\|Lancashire]]
			\| death_date = {{Death date and age\|1961\|03\|06\|1904\|05\|26\|df=y}}
			\| death_place = [[w:Lytham St Annes\|Lytham St Annes]], [[w:Lancashire\|Lancashire]]
			\| resting_place = [[w:Warrington\|Warrington Cemetery]]
			\| occupation = Actor, singer-songwriter and comedian
			\| years_active =
			\| known_for =
			\| notable_works =
			}}
	'''George Formby''', {{Post-nominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|OBE}} (born '''George Hoy Booth'''; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961) was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he sang light, [[Novelty song\|comical songs]], usually playing the [[ukulele]] or [[banjolele]], and became the United Kingdom's highest-paid entertainer.		'''George Formby''', {{Post-nominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|OBE}} (born '''George Hoy Booth'''; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961) was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he sang light, [[Novelty song\|comical songs]], usually playing the [[ukulele]] or [[banjolele]], and became the United Kingdom's highest-paid entertainer.

	Born in [[Wigan]], [[Lancashire]], he was the son of [[George Formby Sr]], from whom he later took his stage name. After an early career as a stable boy and jockey, Formby took to the [[music hall]] stage after the early death of his father in 1921. His early performances were taken exclusively from his father's act, including the same songs, jokes and characters. In 1923 he made two career-changing decisions – he purchased a ukulele, and married [[Beryl Ingham]], a fellow performer who became his manager and transformed his act. She insisted that he appear on stage formally dressed, and introduced the ukulele to his performance. He started his recording career in 1926 and, from 1934, he increasingly worked in film to develop into a major star by the late 1930s and 1940s, and became the UK's most popular entertainer during those decades. The media historian Brian McFarlane writes that on film, Formby portrayed gormless Lancastrian innocents who would win through against some form of villainy, gaining the affection of an attractive middle-class girl in the process.		Born in [[w:Wigan\|Wigan]], [[w:Lancashire\|Lancashire]], he was the son of [[George Formby Sr]], from whom he later took his stage name. After an early career as a stable boy and jockey, Formby took to the [[music hall]] stage after the early death of his father in 1921. His early performances were taken exclusively from his father's act, including the same songs, jokes and characters. In 1923 he made two career-changing decisions – he purchased a ukulele, and married [[Beryl Ingham]], a fellow performer who became his manager and transformed his act. She insisted that he appear on stage formally dressed, and introduced the ukulele to his performance. He started his recording career in 1926 and, from 1934, he increasingly worked in film to develop into a major star by the late 1930s and 1940s, and became the UK's most popular entertainer during those decades. The media historian Brian McFarlane writes that on film, Formby portrayed gormless Lancastrian innocents who would win through against some form of villainy, gaining the affection of an attractive middle-class girl in the process.

	During the [[Second World War]] Formby worked extensively for the [[Entertainments National Service Association]] (ENSA), and entertained civilians and troops, and by 1946 it was estimated that he had performed in front of three million service personnel. After the war his career declined, although he toured [[Commonwealth of Nations\|the Commonwealth]], and continued to appear in [[Variety show\|variety]] and [[pantomime]]. His last television appearance was in December 1960, two weeks before the death of Beryl. He surprised people by announcing his engagement to a school teacher, Pat Howson, seven weeks after Beryl's funeral, but died in [[Preston, Lancashire\|Preston]] three weeks later, at the age of 56; he was buried in [[Warrington]], alongside his father.		During the [[Second World War]] Formby worked extensively for the [[Entertainments National Service Association]] (ENSA), and entertained civilians and troops, and by 1946 it was estimated that he had performed in front of three million service personnel. After the war his career declined, although he toured [[Commonwealth of Nations\|the Commonwealth]], and continued to appear in [[Variety show\|variety]] and [[pantomime]]. His last television appearance was in December 1960, two weeks before the death of Beryl. He surprised people by announcing his engagement to a school teacher, Pat Howson, seven weeks after Beryl's funeral, but died in [[Preston, Lancashire\|Preston]] three weeks later, at the age of 56; he was buried in [[Warrington]], alongside his father.
Line 77:		Line 90:

	Formby's ENSA commitments were heavy, touring factories, theatres and concert halls around Britain.{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=92}} He also gave free concerts for charities and worthy causes, and raised £10,000 for the Fleetwood Fund on behalf of the families of missing trawlermen. He and Beryl also set up their own charities, such as the OK Club for Kids, whose aim was to provide cigarettes for Yorkshire soldiers,{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=133}} and the Jump Fund, to provide home-knitted balaclavas, scarves and socks to servicemen.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=98–99}} Formby also joined the [[Home Guard (United Kingdom)\|Home Guard]] as a dispatch rider, where he took his duties seriously, and fitted them around his other work whenever he could.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=96}}		Formby's ENSA commitments were heavy, touring factories, theatres and concert halls around Britain.{{sfn\|Randall\|Seaton\|1974\|p=92}} He also gave free concerts for charities and worthy causes, and raised £10,000 for the Fleetwood Fund on behalf of the families of missing trawlermen. He and Beryl also set up their own charities, such as the OK Club for Kids, whose aim was to provide cigarettes for Yorkshire soldiers,{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=133}} and the Jump Fund, to provide home-knitted balaclavas, scarves and socks to servicemen.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=98–99}} Formby also joined the [[Home Guard (United Kingdom)\|Home Guard]] as a dispatch rider, where he took his duties seriously, and fitted them around his other work whenever he could.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=96}}
			[[File:George Formby with the army in France, 1940 cropped.jpg\|thumb\|upright=1.15\|right\|Formby in France during the [[w:Second World War\|Second World War]]]]
	Formby continued filming with ATP, and his second film of 1940, ''[[Spare a Copper]]'', was again focused on an aspect of the war, this time combating [[fifth column]]ists and saboteurs in a [[Merseyside]] dockyard.{{sfn\|Burton\|O'Sullivan\|2009\|p=15}}{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=99–100}} Cinema-goers had begun to tire of war films, and his next venture, ''[[Turned Out Nice Again]]'' returned to less contentious issues, with Formby's character caught in a domestic battle between his new wife and mother.{{sfn\|Burton\|O'Sullivan\|2009\|p=15}} Early in the filming schedule, he took time to perform in an ENSA show that was broadcast on the BBC from [[Aldwych tube station]] as ''Let the People Sing''; he sang four songs, and told the audience, "Don't forget, it's wonderful to be British!"{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=106–07}} Towards the end of 1940 Formby tried to enlist for active military service, despite Beryl informing him that by being a member of ENSA he was already signed up. The examining board rejected him as being unfit, because he had [[sinusitis]] and arthritic toes.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=110}}{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=156}} He spent the winter season in pantomime at the Opera House Theatre, Blackpool, portraying Idle Jack in ''[[Dick Whittington and His Cat\|Dick Whittington]]''. When the season came to an end the Formbys moved to London and, in May 1941, [[Royal Command Performance\|performed for the royal family]] at [[Windsor Castle]]. He had commissioned a new set of inoffensive lyrics for "When I'm Cleaning Windows", but was informed that he should sing the original, uncensored version, which was enjoyed by the royal party, particularly Queen Mary, who asked for a repeat of the song. [[George VI\|King George VI]] presented Formby with a set of gold cuff links, and advised him to "wear them, not put them away".{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=110–11}}{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=159}}		Formby continued filming with ATP, and his second film of 1940, ''[[Spare a Copper]]'', was again focused on an aspect of the war, this time combating [[fifth column]]ists and saboteurs in a [[Merseyside]] dockyard.{{sfn\|Burton\|O'Sullivan\|2009\|p=15}}{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=99–100}} Cinema-goers had begun to tire of war films, and his next venture, ''[[Turned Out Nice Again]]'' returned to less contentious issues, with Formby's character caught in a domestic battle between his new wife and mother.{{sfn\|Burton\|O'Sullivan\|2009\|p=15}} Early in the filming schedule, he took time to perform in an ENSA show that was broadcast on the BBC from [[Aldwych tube station]] as ''Let the People Sing''; he sang four songs, and told the audience, "Don't forget, it's wonderful to be British!"{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=106–07}} Towards the end of 1940 Formby tried to enlist for active military service, despite Beryl informing him that by being a member of ENSA he was already signed up. The examining board rejected him as being unfit, because he had [[sinusitis]] and arthritic toes.{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|p=110}}{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=156}} He spent the winter season in pantomime at the Opera House Theatre, Blackpool, portraying Idle Jack in ''[[Dick Whittington and His Cat\|Dick Whittington]]''. When the season came to an end the Formbys moved to London and, in May 1941, [[Royal Command Performance\|performed for the royal family]] at [[Windsor Castle]]. He had commissioned a new set of inoffensive lyrics for "When I'm Cleaning Windows", but was informed that he should sing the original, uncensored version, which was enjoyed by the royal party, particularly Queen Mary, who asked for a repeat of the song. [[George VI\|King George VI]] presented Formby with a set of gold cuff links, and advised him to "wear them, not put them away".{{sfn\|Bret\|1999\|pp=110–11}}{{sfn\|Smart\|Bothway Howard\|2011\|p=159}}