Harry Secombe - Revision history

Kurt at 03:11, 12 September 2024

2024-09-12T03:11:33Z

Kurt: /* Honours */

2023-02-19T20:15:46Z

Honours

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:15, 19 February 2023
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	In 1963 he was appointed a [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire\|Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (CBE).<ref name="entertainmentscene360.com"/>		In 1963 he was appointed a [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire\|Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (CBE).<ref name="entertainmentscene360.com"/>

	He was [[Knight Bachelor\|knighted]] in 1981,<ref name="auto">{{cite web\|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/apr/11/1\|title=Sir Harry Secombe dies\|last=Staff and agencies\|website=[[TheGuardian.com\|]]\|date=11 April 2001}}</ref> and jokingly referred to himself as Sir Cumference (in recognition of his rotund figure). The motto he chose for his [[~~coat of arms\|~~coat of arms]] was "GO ON", a reference to [[The Goon Show~~\|goon~~]].		He was [[Knight Bachelor\|knighted]] in 1981,<ref name="auto">{{cite web\|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/apr/11/1\|title=Sir Harry Secombe dies\|last=Staff and agencies\|website=[[TheGuardian.com]]\|date=11 April 2001}}</ref> and jokingly referred to himself as Sir Cumference (in recognition of his rotund figure). The motto he chose for his [[coat of arms]] was "GO ON", a reference to [[The Goon Show]].

	==Later life and death==		==Later life and death==

Kurt: /* As an entertainer */

2023-02-19T20:03:38Z

As an entertainer

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	After a regional touring career, his first break came in radio in 1951 when he was chosen as resident comedian for the Welsh series ''[[Welsh Rarebit (radio programme)\|Welsh Rarebit]],''<ref>{{cite journal \|title=Nottingham Evening Post \|journal=Nottingham Evening Post \|date=April 5, 1951 \|page=2}}</ref> followed by appearances on ''[[Variety Bandbox\|Variety Bandbox]]'' and a regular role in ''[[Educating Archie]]''.		After a regional touring career, his first break came in radio in 1951 when he was chosen as resident comedian for the Welsh series ''[[Welsh Rarebit (radio programme)\|Welsh Rarebit]],''<ref>{{cite journal \|title=Nottingham Evening Post \|journal=Nottingham Evening Post \|date=April 5, 1951 \|page=2}}</ref> followed by appearances on ''[[Variety Bandbox\|Variety Bandbox]]'' and a regular role in ''[[Educating Archie]]''.

	Secombe met [[Michael Bentine]] at the Windmill Theatre, and he was introduced to [[Peter Sellers]] by his agent [[Jimmy Grafton]]. Both Milligan and Sellers credited him with keeping the act on the bill when club owners had wanted to sack them.~~{{Citation needed\|date=October 2008}}~~ Together with Spike Milligan, the four wrote a comedy radio script, and ''Those Crazy People'' was commissioned<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/thegoonshow/ "Comedy The Goon Show"], BBC website</ref> and first broadcast on 28 May 1951. Produced by [[Dennis Main Wilson]], this soon became ''[[The Goon Show]]'' and the show remained on the air until 1960.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/><ref>{{cite book \|title= Radio Comedy 1938-1968\|last1 = Foster \|first1 = Andy\| last2 = Furst \| first2 = Steve \| publisher=Virgin \|year=1996 \|page=147\|isbn=0-86369-960-X}}</ref> Secombe mainly played [[Neddie Seagoon]], around whom the show's absurd plots developed.<ref name="BBCWales"/> In 1955, whilst appearing on ''The Goon Show'', Secombe was approached by the BBC to step in at short notice to take the lead in the radio comedy ''[[Hancock's Half Hour]]''.<ref name="BBC Hancock">{{cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/andrew-secombe-cast-in-missing-hancocks\|title=Andrew Secombe cast in his father's role in new episodes of BBC Radio 4's The Missing Hancocks\|publisher=BBC Media Centre\|access-date=29 March 2017}}</ref> The star of the show, [[Tony Hancock]], had decided to take an unannounced break abroad the day before the live airing of the second season. Secombe appeared in the lead for the first three episodes and had a guest role in the fourth after Hancock's return. All four episodes are lost, but following the discovery of the original scripts the episodes were rerecorded in 2017, with [[Andy Secombe\|Andrew Secombe]] performing the role held by his late father.<ref name="BBC Hancock"/><ref name="BBC Radio Times">{{cite magazine\|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-03-14/how-radio-4-is-bringing-tony-hancock-back-to-life\|title=How Radio 4 is bringing Tony Hancock back to life\|magazine=Radio Times\|first=Stephen\|last=Armstrong\|access-date=29 March 2017\|date=14 March 2017}}</ref>		Secombe met [[Michael Bentine]] at the Windmill Theatre, and he was introduced to [[Peter Sellers]] by his agent [[Jimmy Grafton]]. Both Milligan and Sellers credited him with keeping the act on the bill when club owners had wanted to sack them. Together with Spike Milligan, the four wrote a comedy radio script, and ''Those Crazy People'' was commissioned<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/thegoonshow/ "Comedy The Goon Show"], BBC website</ref> and first broadcast on 28 May 1951. Produced by [[Dennis Main Wilson]], this soon became ''[[The Goon Show]]'' and the show remained on the air until 1960.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/><ref>{{cite book \|title= Radio Comedy 1938-1968\|last1 = Foster \|first1 = Andy\| last2 = Furst \| first2 = Steve \| publisher=Virgin \|year=1996 \|page=147\|isbn=0-86369-960-X}}</ref> Secombe mainly played [[Neddie Seagoon]], around whom the show's absurd plots developed.<ref name="BBCWales"/> In 1955, whilst appearing on ''The Goon Show'', Secombe was approached by the BBC to step in at short notice to take the lead in the radio comedy ''[[Hancock's Half Hour]]''.<ref name="BBC Hancock">{{cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/andrew-secombe-cast-in-missing-hancocks\|title=Andrew Secombe cast in his father's role in new episodes of BBC Radio 4's The Missing Hancocks\|publisher=BBC Media Centre\|access-date=29 March 2017}}</ref> The star of the show, [[Tony Hancock]], had decided to take an unannounced break abroad the day before the live airing of the second season. Secombe appeared in the lead for the first three episodes and had a guest role in the fourth after Hancock's return. All four episodes are lost, but following the discovery of the original scripts the episodes were rerecorded in 2017, with [[Andy Secombe\|Andrew Secombe]] performing the role held by his late father.<ref name="BBC Hancock"/><ref name="BBC Radio Times">{{cite magazine\|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-03-14/how-radio-4-is-bringing-tony-hancock-back-to-life\|title=How Radio 4 is bringing Tony Hancock back to life\|magazine=Radio Times\|first=Stephen\|last=Armstrong\|access-date=29 March 2017\|date=14 March 2017}}</ref>

	With the success of ''The Goon Show'', Secombe developed a dual career as both a comedy actor and a singer. At the beginning of his career as an entertainer his act would end with a joke version of the duet ''[[Sweethearts (song)\|Sweethearts]],'' in which he sang both the [[baritone\|baritone]] and [[falsetto\|falsetto]] parts. Trained under Italian [[maestro\|maestro]] [[Manlio di Veroli\|Manlio di Veroli]], he emerged as a ''[[bel canto\|bel canto]]'' [[tenor\|tenor]] (characteristically, he insisted that in his case this meant "can belto") and had a long list of best-selling record albums to his credit.<ref name="BBCWales">{{cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southwest/halloffame/showbiz/harrysecombe.shtml\|title=Sir Harry Secombe\|publisher=BBC Wales\|access-date=2 March 2009}}</ref>		With the success of ''The Goon Show'', Secombe developed a dual career as both a comedy actor and a singer. At the beginning of his career as an entertainer his act would end with a joke version of the duet ''[[Sweethearts (song)\|Sweethearts]],'' in which he sang both the [[baritone\|baritone]] and [[falsetto\|falsetto]] parts. Trained under Italian [[maestro\|maestro]] [[Manlio di Veroli\|Manlio di Veroli]], he emerged as a ''[[bel canto\|bel canto]]'' [[tenor\|tenor]] (characteristically, he insisted that in his case this meant "can belto") and had a long list of best-selling record albums to his credit.<ref name="BBCWales">{{cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southwest/halloffame/showbiz/harrysecombe.shtml\|title=Sir Harry Secombe\|publisher=BBC Wales\|access-date=2 March 2009}}</ref>

Kurt at 19:56, 19 February 2023

2023-02-19T19:56:13Z

Show changes

Kurt: /* Later career */

2023-01-30T04:19:27Z

Later career

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	Later in life, Secombe (whose brother [[w:Fred Secombe\|Fred Secombe]] was a priest in the [[w:Church in Wales\|Church in Wales]], part of the [[w:Anglican\|Anglican]] Communion) attracted new audiences as a presenter of religious programmes, such as the [[BBC]]'s ''[[w:Songs of Praise\|Songs of Praise]]'' and [[w:ITV (TV network)\|ITV]]'s ''[[w:Stars on Sunday (TV series)\|Stars on Sunday]]'' and ''[[w:Highway (TV series)\|Highway]]''. He was also a special programming consultant to [[w:ITV Wales & West\|Harlech Television]]<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news\| url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,3604,471984,00.html \|title=Sir Harry Secombe dies \|work=The Guardian\|date=11 April 2001 \|access-date=4 June 2006}}</ref> and hosted a [[w:Thames Television\|Thames Television]] programme in 1979 entitled ''Cross on the Donkey's Back''. In the latter half of the 1980s, Secombe personally sponsored a football team for boys aged 9–11 in the local West Sutton Little League, 'Secombes Knights'.		Later in life, Secombe (whose brother [[w:Fred Secombe\|Fred Secombe]] was a priest in the [[w:Church in Wales\|Church in Wales]], part of the [[w:Anglican\|Anglican]] Communion) attracted new audiences as a presenter of religious programmes, such as the [[BBC]]'s ''[[w:Songs of Praise\|Songs of Praise]]'' and [[w:ITV (TV network)\|ITV]]'s ''[[w:Stars on Sunday (TV series)\|Stars on Sunday]]'' and ''[[w:Highway (TV series)\|Highway]]''. He was also a special programming consultant to [[w:ITV Wales & West\|Harlech Television]]<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news\| url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,3604,471984,00.html \|title=Sir Harry Secombe dies \|work=The Guardian\|date=11 April 2001 \|access-date=4 June 2006}}</ref> and hosted a [[w:Thames Television\|Thames Television]] programme in 1979 entitled ''Cross on the Donkey's Back''. In the latter half of the 1980s, Secombe personally sponsored a football team for boys aged 9–11 in the local West Sutton Little League, 'Secombes Knights'.

	In 1990, he was one of a few to be honoured by a second appearance on ''[[w:This Is Your Life (UK TV series)\|This Is Your Life]]'', when he was surprised by [[~~w:Michael Aspel\|~~Michael Aspel]] at a book signing in a London branch of WH Smith. Secombe had been a subject of the show previously in March 1958 when [[~~w:Eamonn Andrews\|~~Eamonn Andrews]] surprised him at the BBC Television Theatre.		In 1990, he was one of a few to be honoured by a second appearance on ''[[w:This Is Your Life (UK TV series)\|This Is Your Life]]'', when he was surprised by [[Michael Aspel]] at a book signing in a London branch of WH Smith. Secombe had been a subject of the show previously in March 1958 when [[Eamonn Andrews]] surprised him at the BBC Television Theatre.

	==Honours==		==Honours==

Kurt: /* Later career */

2023-01-30T04:18:56Z

Later career

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:18, 29 January 2023
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	Later in life, Secombe (whose brother [[w:Fred Secombe\|Fred Secombe]] was a priest in the [[w:Church in Wales\|Church in Wales]], part of the [[w:Anglican\|Anglican]] Communion) attracted new audiences as a presenter of religious programmes, such as the [[BBC]]'s ''[[w:Songs of Praise\|Songs of Praise]]'' and [[w:ITV (TV network)\|ITV]]'s ''[[w:Stars on Sunday (TV series)\|Stars on Sunday]]'' and ''[[w:Highway (TV series)\|Highway]]''. He was also a special programming consultant to [[w:ITV Wales & West\|Harlech Television]]<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news\| url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,3604,471984,00.html \|title=Sir Harry Secombe dies \|work=The Guardian\|date=11 April 2001 \|access-date=4 June 2006}}</ref> and hosted a [[w:Thames Television\|Thames Television]] programme in 1979 entitled ''Cross on the Donkey's Back''. In the latter half of the 1980s, Secombe personally sponsored a football team for boys aged 9–11 in the local West Sutton Little League, 'Secombes Knights'.		Later in life, Secombe (whose brother [[w:Fred Secombe\|Fred Secombe]] was a priest in the [[w:Church in Wales\|Church in Wales]], part of the [[w:Anglican\|Anglican]] Communion) attracted new audiences as a presenter of religious programmes, such as the [[BBC]]'s ''[[w:Songs of Praise\|Songs of Praise]]'' and [[w:ITV (TV network)\|ITV]]'s ''[[w:Stars on Sunday (TV series)\|Stars on Sunday]]'' and ''[[w:Highway (TV series)\|Highway]]''. He was also a special programming consultant to [[w:ITV Wales & West\|Harlech Television]]<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news\| url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,3604,471984,00.html \|title=Sir Harry Secombe dies \|work=The Guardian\|date=11 April 2001 \|access-date=4 June 2006}}</ref> and hosted a [[w:Thames Television\|Thames Television]] programme in 1979 entitled ''Cross on the Donkey's Back''. In the latter half of the 1980s, Secombe personally sponsored a football team for boys aged 9–11 in the local West Sutton Little League, 'Secombes Knights'.

	In 1990, he was one of a few to be honoured by a second appearance on ''[[w:This Is Your Life (UK TV series)\|This Is Your Life]]'', when he was surprised by [[w:Michael Aspel\|Michael Aspel]] at a book signing in a London branch of WH Smith. Secombe had been a subject of the show previously in March 1958 when [[w:Eamonn Andrews\|Eamonn Andrews]] surprised him at the BBC Television Theatre.~~{{Citation needed\|date=September 2021}}~~		In 1990, he was one of a few to be honoured by a second appearance on ''[[w:This Is Your Life (UK TV series)\|This Is Your Life]]'', when he was surprised by [[w:Michael Aspel\|Michael Aspel]] at a book signing in a London branch of WH Smith. Secombe had been a subject of the show previously in March 1958 when [[w:Eamonn Andrews\|Eamonn Andrews]] surprised him at the BBC Television Theatre.

	==Honours==		==Honours==

Kurt: /* Later career */clean up, replaced: BBC → BBC

2023-01-22T00:47:53Z

Later career: clean up, replaced: BBC → BBC

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:47, 21 January 2023
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	==Later career==		==Later career==
	Later in life, Secombe (whose brother [[w:Fred Secombe\|Fred Secombe]] was a priest in the [[w:Church in Wales\|Church in Wales]], part of the [[w:Anglican\|Anglican]] Communion) attracted new audiences as a presenter of religious programmes, such as the [[~~w:BBC\|~~BBC]]'s ''[[w:Songs of Praise\|Songs of Praise]]'' and [[w:ITV (TV network)\|ITV]]'s ''[[w:Stars on Sunday (TV series)\|Stars on Sunday]]'' and ''[[w:Highway (TV series)\|Highway]]''. He was also a special programming consultant to [[w:ITV Wales & West\|Harlech Television]]<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news\| url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,3604,471984,00.html \|title=Sir Harry Secombe dies \|work=The Guardian\|date=11 April 2001 \|access-date=4 June 2006}}</ref> and hosted a [[w:Thames Television\|Thames Television]] programme in 1979 entitled ''Cross on the Donkey's Back''. In the latter half of the 1980s, Secombe personally sponsored a football team for boys aged 9–11 in the local West Sutton Little League, 'Secombes Knights'.		Later in life, Secombe (whose brother [[w:Fred Secombe\|Fred Secombe]] was a priest in the [[w:Church in Wales\|Church in Wales]], part of the [[w:Anglican\|Anglican]] Communion) attracted new audiences as a presenter of religious programmes, such as the [[BBC]]'s ''[[w:Songs of Praise\|Songs of Praise]]'' and [[w:ITV (TV network)\|ITV]]'s ''[[w:Stars on Sunday (TV series)\|Stars on Sunday]]'' and ''[[w:Highway (TV series)\|Highway]]''. He was also a special programming consultant to [[w:ITV Wales & West\|Harlech Television]]<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news\| url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,3604,471984,00.html \|title=Sir Harry Secombe dies \|work=The Guardian\|date=11 April 2001 \|access-date=4 June 2006}}</ref> and hosted a [[w:Thames Television\|Thames Television]] programme in 1979 entitled ''Cross on the Donkey's Back''. In the latter half of the 1980s, Secombe personally sponsored a football team for boys aged 9–11 in the local West Sutton Little League, 'Secombes Knights'.

	In 1990, he was one of a few to be honoured by a second appearance on ''[[w:This Is Your Life (UK TV series)\|This Is Your Life]]'', when he was surprised by [[w:Michael Aspel\|Michael Aspel]] at a book signing in a London branch of WH Smith. Secombe had been a subject of the show previously in March 1958 when [[w:Eamonn Andrews\|Eamonn Andrews]] surprised him at the BBC Television Theatre.{{Citation needed\|date=September 2021}}		In 1990, he was one of a few to be honoured by a second appearance on ''[[w:This Is Your Life (UK TV series)\|This Is Your Life]]'', when he was surprised by [[w:Michael Aspel\|Michael Aspel]] at a book signing in a London branch of WH Smith. Secombe had been a subject of the show previously in March 1958 when [[w:Eamonn Andrews\|Eamonn Andrews]] surprised him at the BBC Television Theatre.{{Citation needed\|date=September 2021}}

Kurt: /* External links */

2022-12-14T16:27:41Z

External links

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:27, 14 December 2022
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	==External links==		==External links==
	~~{{Wikiquote}}~~
	* {{IMDb name\|id=0781183}}		* {{IMDb name\|id=0781183}}
	* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/harry-secombe/ Harry Secombe biography from BBC Wales]		* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music/sites/harry-secombe/ Harry Secombe biography from BBC Wales]

	{{Goons}}		{{Goons\|state=collapsed}}

	~~{{Authority control~~}}

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Secombe, Harry}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Secombe, Harry}}
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	[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]		[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]
	[[Category:Burials in Surrey]]		[[Category:Burials in Surrey]]
	~~[[Category:Deaths from cancer in England]]~~
	[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]		[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
	~~[[Category:Deaths from prostate cancer]]~~
	[[Category:Knights Bachelor]]		[[Category:Knights Bachelor]]
	[[Category:Actors awarded knighthoods]]		[[Category:Actors awarded knighthoods]]

Kurt: /* Albums */

2022-09-27T01:38:04Z

Albums

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:38, 26 September 2022
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	* ''With a Song My Heart'' (1977) AUS #24<ref name=aus/>		* ''With a Song My Heart'' (1977) AUS #24<ref name=aus/>
	* ''Captain Beaky and His Band''(1977)<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.captainbeaky.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=13&Itemid=60 \|title=Archived copy \|access-date=2007-05-15 \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070608113136/http://www.captainbeaky.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=13&Itemid=60 \|archive-date=8 June 2007}}</ref>		* ''Captain Beaky and His Band''(1977)<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.captainbeaky.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=13&Itemid=60 \|title=Archived copy \|access-date=2007-05-15 \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070608113136/http://www.captainbeaky.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=13&Itemid=60 \|archive-date=8 June 2007}}</ref>
	* ''Bless This House: 20 Songs of Joy'' (1978) UK #8, AUS #28<ref name=aus>{{cite book\|last=Kent\|first=David\|author-link=David Kent (historian)\|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992\|edition=illustrated\|publisher=Australian Chart Book\|location=St Ives, N.S.W.\|year=1993\|isbn=0-646-11917-6\|page=267}}</ref>		* ''Bless This House: 20 Songs of Joy'' (1978) UK #8, AUS #28<ref name=aus>{{cite book\|last=Kent\|first=David\|author-link=w:David Kent (historian)\|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992\|edition=illustrated\|publisher=Australian Chart Book\|location=St Ives, N.S.W.\|year=1993\|isbn=0-646-11917-6\|page=267}}</ref>
	* ''This Is My Song'' (1983) AUS #9<ref name=aus/>		* ''This Is My Song'' (1983) AUS #9<ref name=aus/>
	* ''All Things Bring and Beautiful'' (1983) AUS #31<ref name=aus/>		* ''All Things Bring and Beautiful'' (1983) AUS #31<ref name=aus/>

Kurt at 01:37, 27 September 2022

2022-09-27T01:37:09Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:37, 26 September 2022
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	\| nationality = [[w:Welsh People\|Welsh]]		\| nationality = [[w:Welsh People\|Welsh]]
	\| education = Dynevor School, Swansea		\| education = Dynevor School, Swansea
	\| television = ''[[The Goon Show]]'' (Radio)<br />The Harry Secombe Show, Secombe And Friends, [[w:Highway (TV series)\|Highway (TV)]]<br />[w:[Highway (TV series)\|Sunday Morning with Secombe (TV)]]		\| television = ''[[The Goon Show]]'' (Radio)<br />The Harry Secombe Show, Secombe And Friends, [[w:Highway (TV series)\|Highway (TV)]]<br />[[w:Highway (TV series)\|Sunday Morning with Secombe (TV)]]
	}}		}}
	'''Sir Harold Donald Secombe''' {{post-nominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|CBE}} (8 September 1921 – 11 April 2001) was a [[w:Welsh people\|Welsh]] comedian, actor, singer and television presenter. Secombe was a member of the British [[w:radio comedy\|radio comedy]] programme ''[[The Goon Show]]'' (1951–1960), playing many characters, most notably [[Neddie Seagoon]]. An accomplished tenor, he also appeared in [[w:musical theater\|musicals]] and films – notably as [[w:Bumble (Oliver Twist)\|Bumble]] in ''[[w:Oliver! (film)\|Oliver!]]'' (1968) – and, in his later years, was a presenter of television shows incorporating [[w:hymn\|hymn]]s and other devotional songs.		'''Sir Harold Donald Secombe''' {{post-nominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|CBE}} (8 September 1921 – 11 April 2001) was a [[w:Welsh people\|Welsh]] comedian, actor, singer and television presenter. Secombe was a member of the British [[w:radio comedy\|radio comedy]] programme ''[[The Goon Show]]'' (1951–1960), playing many characters, most notably [[Neddie Seagoon]]. An accomplished tenor, he also appeared in [[w:musical theater\|musicals]] and films – notably as [[w:Bumble (Oliver Twist)\|Bumble]] in ''[[w:Oliver! (film)\|Oliver!]]'' (1968) – and, in his later years, was a presenter of television shows incorporating [[w:hymn\|hymn]]s and other devotional songs.

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:03, 19 February 2023
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	After a regional touring career, his first break came in radio in 1951 when he was chosen as resident comedian for the Welsh series ''[[Welsh Rarebit (radio programme)\|Welsh Rarebit]],''<ref>{{cite journal \|title=Nottingham Evening Post \|journal=Nottingham Evening Post \|date=April 5, 1951 \|page=2}}</ref> followed by appearances on ''[[Variety Bandbox\|Variety Bandbox]]'' and a regular role in ''[[Educating Archie]]''.		After a regional touring career, his first break came in radio in 1951 when he was chosen as resident comedian for the Welsh series ''[[Welsh Rarebit (radio programme)\|Welsh Rarebit]],''<ref>{{cite journal \|title=Nottingham Evening Post \|journal=Nottingham Evening Post \|date=April 5, 1951 \|page=2}}</ref> followed by appearances on ''[[Variety Bandbox\|Variety Bandbox]]'' and a regular role in ''[[Educating Archie]]''.

	Secombe met [[Michael Bentine]] at the Windmill Theatre, and he was introduced to [[Peter Sellers]] by his agent [[Jimmy Grafton]]. Both Milligan and Sellers credited him with keeping the act on the bill when club owners had wanted to sack them.~~{{Citation needed\|date=October 2008}}~~ Together with Spike Milligan, the four wrote a comedy radio script, and ''Those Crazy People'' was commissioned<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/thegoonshow/ "Comedy The Goon Show"], BBC website</ref> and first broadcast on 28 May 1951. Produced by [[Dennis Main Wilson]], this soon became ''[[The Goon Show]]'' and the show remained on the air until 1960.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/><ref>{{cite book \|title= Radio Comedy 1938-1968\|last1 = Foster \|first1 = Andy\| last2 = Furst \| first2 = Steve \| publisher=Virgin \|year=1996 \|page=147\|isbn=0-86369-960-X}}</ref> Secombe mainly played [[Neddie Seagoon]], around whom the show's absurd plots developed.<ref name="BBCWales"/> In 1955, whilst appearing on ''The Goon Show'', Secombe was approached by the BBC to step in at short notice to take the lead in the radio comedy ''[[Hancock's Half Hour]]''.<ref name="BBC Hancock">{{cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/andrew-secombe-cast-in-missing-hancocks\|title=Andrew Secombe cast in his father's role in new episodes of BBC Radio 4's The Missing Hancocks\|publisher=BBC Media Centre\|access-date=29 March 2017}}</ref> The star of the show, [[Tony Hancock]], had decided to take an unannounced break abroad the day before the live airing of the second season. Secombe appeared in the lead for the first three episodes and had a guest role in the fourth after Hancock's return. All four episodes are lost, but following the discovery of the original scripts the episodes were rerecorded in 2017, with [[Andy Secombe\|Andrew Secombe]] performing the role held by his late father.<ref name="BBC Hancock"/><ref name="BBC Radio Times">{{cite magazine\|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-03-14/how-radio-4-is-bringing-tony-hancock-back-to-life\|title=How Radio 4 is bringing Tony Hancock back to life\|magazine=Radio Times\|first=Stephen\|last=Armstrong\|access-date=29 March 2017\|date=14 March 2017}}</ref>		Secombe met [[Michael Bentine]] at the Windmill Theatre, and he was introduced to [[Peter Sellers]] by his agent [[Jimmy Grafton]]. Both Milligan and Sellers credited him with keeping the act on the bill when club owners had wanted to sack them. Together with Spike Milligan, the four wrote a comedy radio script, and ''Those Crazy People'' was commissioned<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/thegoonshow/ "Comedy The Goon Show"], BBC website</ref> and first broadcast on 28 May 1951. Produced by [[Dennis Main Wilson]], this soon became ''[[The Goon Show]]'' and the show remained on the air until 1960.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/><ref>{{cite book \|title= Radio Comedy 1938-1968\|last1 = Foster \|first1 = Andy\| last2 = Furst \| first2 = Steve \| publisher=Virgin \|year=1996 \|page=147\|isbn=0-86369-960-X}}</ref> Secombe mainly played [[Neddie Seagoon]], around whom the show's absurd plots developed.<ref name="BBCWales"/> In 1955, whilst appearing on ''The Goon Show'', Secombe was approached by the BBC to step in at short notice to take the lead in the radio comedy ''[[Hancock's Half Hour]]''.<ref name="BBC Hancock">{{cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/andrew-secombe-cast-in-missing-hancocks\|title=Andrew Secombe cast in his father's role in new episodes of BBC Radio 4's The Missing Hancocks\|publisher=BBC Media Centre\|access-date=29 March 2017}}</ref> The star of the show, [[Tony Hancock]], had decided to take an unannounced break abroad the day before the live airing of the second season. Secombe appeared in the lead for the first three episodes and had a guest role in the fourth after Hancock's return. All four episodes are lost, but following the discovery of the original scripts the episodes were rerecorded in 2017, with [[Andy Secombe\|Andrew Secombe]] performing the role held by his late father.<ref name="BBC Hancock"/><ref name="BBC Radio Times">{{cite magazine\|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-03-14/how-radio-4-is-bringing-tony-hancock-back-to-life\|title=How Radio 4 is bringing Tony Hancock back to life\|magazine=Radio Times\|first=Stephen\|last=Armstrong\|access-date=29 March 2017\|date=14 March 2017}}</ref>

	With the success of ''The Goon Show'', Secombe developed a dual career as both a comedy actor and a singer. At the beginning of his career as an entertainer his act would end with a joke version of the duet ''[[Sweethearts (song)\|Sweethearts]],'' in which he sang both the [[baritone\|baritone]] and [[falsetto\|falsetto]] parts. Trained under Italian [[maestro\|maestro]] [[Manlio di Veroli\|Manlio di Veroli]], he emerged as a ''[[bel canto\|bel canto]]'' [[tenor\|tenor]] (characteristically, he insisted that in his case this meant "can belto") and had a long list of best-selling record albums to his credit.<ref name="BBCWales">{{cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southwest/halloffame/showbiz/harrysecombe.shtml\|title=Sir Harry Secombe\|publisher=BBC Wales\|access-date=2 March 2009}}</ref>		With the success of ''The Goon Show'', Secombe developed a dual career as both a comedy actor and a singer. At the beginning of his career as an entertainer his act would end with a joke version of the duet ''[[Sweethearts (song)\|Sweethearts]],'' in which he sang both the [[baritone\|baritone]] and [[falsetto\|falsetto]] parts. Trained under Italian [[maestro\|maestro]] [[Manlio di Veroli\|Manlio di Veroli]], he emerged as a ''[[bel canto\|bel canto]]'' [[tenor\|tenor]] (characteristically, he insisted that in his case this meant "can belto") and had a long list of best-selling record albums to his credit.<ref name="BBCWales">{{cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southwest/halloffame/showbiz/harrysecombe.shtml\|title=Sir Harry Secombe\|publisher=BBC Wales\|access-date=2 March 2009}}</ref>

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:11, 11 September 2024
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	\| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals\|country=GBR\|CBE}}		\| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals\|country=GBR\|CBE}}
	\| name = Harry Secombe		\| name = Harry Secombe
	\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1921\|9\|8\|df=y}}		\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1921\|09\|08\|df=y}}
	\| birth_place = [[St Thomas, Swansea\|St Thomas]], Wales		\| birth_place = [[St Thomas, Swansea\|St Thomas]], Wales
	\| death_date = {{Death date and age\|2001\|4\|11\|1921\|9\|8\|df=y}}		\| death_date = {{Death date and age\|2001\|04\|11\|1921\|09\|08\|df=y}}
	\| death_place = [[Guildford\|Guildford]], [[Surre\|y]], England		\| death_place = [[Guildford\|Guildford]], [[Surre\|y]], England
	\| birth_name = Harold Donald Secombe		\| birth_name = Harold Donald Secombe
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	\| spouse = {{marriage\|Myra Atherton\|1948}}		\| spouse = {{marriage\|Myra Atherton\|1948}}
	\| children = 4; including [[Andy Secombe\|Andy]]		\| children = 4; including [[Andy Secombe\|Andy]]
	\| relatives = [[~~Fred Secombe\|~~Fred Secombe]] (brother)		\| relatives = [[Fred Secombe]] (brother)
	\| nationality = [[Welsh People\|Welsh]]		\| nationality = [[Welsh People\|Welsh]]
	\| education = Dynevor School, Swansea		\| education = Dynevor School, Swansea