Ken Platt - Revision history

Kurt at 21:58, 21 December 2022

2022-12-21T21:58:36Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:58, 21 December 2022
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	==Early life==		==Early life==
	Platt decided to become a comedian at the age of 15. He bought a [[w:ukulele\|ukulele]] and performed at local concert parties where he was billed as "[[~~George Formby, Jr.\|~~George Formby]] the second", in homage to his idol.<ref name="Gifford 1998"/> He joined the [[w:British Army\|Army]] in 1942 and was posted to [[w:North Africa\|North Africa]] where he appeared in a concert party, "The Forest Mummers". His flair for comedy performances eventually won him a transfer to CSE, the [[Combined Services Entertainment]] unit. The rest of his war service was spent touring North Africa, [[Corsica\|Corsica]], [[w:Scandinavia\|Scandinavia]], [[w:Italy\|Italy]] and [[w:Greece\|Greece]]. After the war he could be found entertaining the armed forces in [[w:Austria\|Austria]] and [[w:Germany\|Germany]]. Subsequently he tried his hand at show business with little success. Disillusioned, he bought a grocery store in Leigh.		Platt decided to become a comedian at the age of 15. He bought a [[w:ukulele\|ukulele]] and performed at local concert parties where he was billed as "[[George Formby]] the second", in homage to his idol.<ref name="Gifford 1998"/> He joined the [[w:British Army\|Army]] in 1942 and was posted to [[w:North Africa\|North Africa]] where he appeared in a concert party, "The Forest Mummers". His flair for comedy performances eventually won him a transfer to CSE, the [[w:Combined Services Entertainment\|Combined Services Entertainment]] unit. The rest of his war service was spent touring North Africa, [[w:Corsica\|Corsica]], [[w:Scandinavia\|Scandinavia]], [[w:Italy\|Italy]] and [[w:Greece\|Greece]]. After the war he could be found entertaining the armed forces in [[w:Austria\|Austria]] and [[w:Germany\|Germany]]. Subsequently he tried his hand at show business with little success. Disillusioned, he bought a grocery store in Leigh.

	==Radio and TV==		==Radio and TV==

Kurt at 21:57, 21 December 2022

2022-12-21T21:57:20Z

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	{{~~Use dmy dates~~\|date=~~April 2022~~}}		{{Infobox person
	'''Ken Platt''' (born Kenneth Platt, 17 February 1921, [[Leigh, Greater Manchester\|Leigh]], [[Lancashire]] – 2 October 1998, [[Blackpool]], Lancashire) was a British northern comedian.<ref name="Gifford 1998">{{cite news\|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ken-platt-1175815.html\|title=Obituary: Ken Platt\|accessdate=18 July 2009\|newspaper=The Independent\|date=3 October 1998\|author= Denis Gifford}}</ref>		\| name = <!-- defaults to article title when left blank -->
			\| image = Ken Platt.jpg
			\| alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software -->
			\| caption =
			\| birth_name = Kenneth Platt
			\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1921\|02\|17\|df=y}}
			\| birth_place = [[w:Leigh, Greater Manchester\|Leigh]], [[w:Lancashire\|Lancashire]]
			\| death_date = {{Death date and age\|1998\|10\|02\|1921\|02\|17\|df=y}}
			\| death_place = [[w:Blackpool\|Blackpool]], Lancashire
			\| other_names =
			\| occupation =
			\| years_active =
			\| known_for =
			\| notable_works =
			\| partner = Brian Robinson
			}}
			'''Ken Platt''' (born Kenneth Platt, 17 February 1921, [[w:Leigh, Greater Manchester\|Leigh]], [[w:Lancashire\|Lancashire]] – 2 October 1998, [[w:Blackpool\|Blackpool]], Lancashire) was a British northern comedian.<ref name="Gifford 1998">{{cite news\|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ken-platt-1175815.html\|title=Obituary: Ken Platt\|accessdate=18 July 2009\|newspaper=The Independent\|date=3 October 1998\|author= Denis Gifford}}</ref>

	==Early life==		==Early life==
	Platt decided to become a comedian at the age of 15. He bought a [[ukulele]] and performed at local concert parties where he was billed as "[[George Formby, Jr.\|George Formby]] the second", in homage to his idol.<ref name="Gifford 1998"/> He joined the [[British Army\|Army]] in 1942 and was posted to [[North Africa]] where he appeared in a concert party, "The Forest Mummers". His flair for comedy performances eventually won him a transfer to CSE, the [[Combined Services Entertainment]] unit. The rest of his war service was spent touring North Africa, [[Corsica]], [[Scandinavia]], [[Italy]] and [[Greece]]. After the war he could be found entertaining the armed forces in [[Austria]] and [[Germany]]. Subsequently he tried his hand at show business with little success. Disillusioned, he bought a grocery store in Leigh.		Platt decided to become a comedian at the age of 15. He bought a [[w:ukulele\|ukulele]] and performed at local concert parties where he was billed as "[[George Formby, Jr.\|George Formby]] the second", in homage to his idol.<ref name="Gifford 1998"/> He joined the [[w:British Army\|Army]] in 1942 and was posted to [[w:North Africa\|North Africa]] where he appeared in a concert party, "The Forest Mummers". His flair for comedy performances eventually won him a transfer to CSE, the [[Combined Services Entertainment]] unit. The rest of his war service was spent touring North Africa, [[Corsica\|Corsica]], [[w:Scandinavia\|Scandinavia]], [[w:Italy\|Italy]] and [[w:Greece\|Greece]]. After the war he could be found entertaining the armed forces in [[w:Austria\|Austria]] and [[w:Germany\|Germany]]. Subsequently he tried his hand at show business with little success. Disillusioned, he bought a grocery store in Leigh.

	==Radio and TV==		==Radio and TV==
	Working in a grocer's shop in Leigh, his home town, he was spotted by [[Ronnie Taylor (scriptwriter)]], a BBC scriptwriter and producer who asked him to audition in July 1950. As a result, from early the next year, Platt became the resident comedian on the BBC's popular radio show ''Variety Fanfare'',<ref name="Gifford 1998"/> which made him a household name.<ref name="BBC98">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/185251.stm "Comedian Ken Platt dies aged 77"], BBC News, 2 October 1998</ref> It was on radio that Platt was in his true element with his immaculate timing and brilliant ad-libbing. With a flat cap and droll line, he was best remembered by the catchphrase with which he began every performance: "Allo, I won't take me coat off - I'm not stoppin'!"<ref name="Gifford 1998"/> Platt was one of the last links with music hall and variety in Great Britain. Some of his other catchphrases were, 'Ee, I'm as daft as a brush' and introductions to gags with, 'If you can laugh at this, you can plait sawdust', and, 'If you can laugh at this, you can knit fog'.		Working in a grocer's shop in Leigh, his home town, he was spotted by [[w:Ronnie Taylor (scriptwriter)]], a BBC scriptwriter and producer who asked him to audition in July 1950. As a result, from early the next year, Platt became the resident comedian on the BBC's popular radio show ''Variety Fanfare'',<ref name="Gifford 1998"/> which made him a household name.<ref name="BBC98">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/185251.stm "Comedian Ken Platt dies aged 77"], BBC News, 2 October 1998</ref> It was on radio that Platt was in his true element with his immaculate timing and brilliant ad-libbing. With a flat cap and droll line, he was best remembered by the catchphrase with which he began every performance: "Allo, I won't take me coat off - I'm not stoppin'!"<ref name="Gifford 1998"/> Platt was one of the last links with music hall and variety in Great Britain. Some of his other catchphrases were, 'Ee, I'm as daft as a brush' and introductions to gags with, 'If you can laugh at this, you can plait sawdust', and, 'If you can laugh at this, you can knit fog'.

	He was a guest comedian on numerous radio variety shows and later topped the bill in pantomimes and summer seasons throughout [[UK\|Great Britain]]. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s he was a regular guest star on television programmes such as ''Big Night Out'', ''Spot the Tune'' and ''[[The Liver Birds]]''. He evoked considerable nostalgia by a memorable appearance on [[BBC]]'s ''The Good Old Days'' using much of his material from his days on "steam radio".		He was a guest comedian on numerous radio variety shows and later topped the bill in pantomimes and summer seasons throughout [[w:UK\|Great Britain]]. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s he was a regular guest star on television programmes such as ''Big Night Out'', ''Spot the Tune'' and ''[[The Liver Birds]]''. He evoked considerable nostalgia by a memorable appearance on [[w:BBC\|BBC]]'s ''The Good Old Days'' using much of his material from his days on "steam radio".

	A stroke in 1990 affected his speech and forced his retirement.<ref name="BBC98"/> Brian Robinson, his partner and (by then, former) manager, survived him.<ref>Patrick Newley [http://www.thestage.co.uk/features/obituaries/2004/11/brian-robinson/ "Obituaries: Brian Robinson"], ''The Stage'', 8 November 2004</ref>		A stroke in 1990 affected his speech and forced his retirement.<ref name="BBC98"/> Brian Robinson, his partner and (by then, former) manager, survived him.<ref>Patrick Newley [http://www.thestage.co.uk/features/obituaries/2004/11/brian-robinson/ "Obituaries: Brian Robinson"], ''The Stage'', 8 November 2004</ref>

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2022-09-30T03:48:58Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
'''Ken Platt''' (born Kenneth Platt, 17 February 1921, [[Leigh, Greater Manchester|Leigh]], [[Lancashire]] – 2 October 1998, [[Blackpool]], Lancashire) was a British northern comedian.<ref name="Gifford 1998">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-ken-platt-1175815.html|title=Obituary: Ken Platt|accessdate=18 July 2009|newspaper=The Independent|date=3 October 1998|author= Denis Gifford}}</ref>

==Early life==
Platt decided to become a comedian at the age of 15. He bought a [[ukulele]] and performed at local concert parties where he was billed as "[[George Formby, Jr.|George Formby]] the second", in homage to his idol.<ref name="Gifford 1998"/> He joined the [[British Army|Army]] in 1942 and was posted to [[North Africa]] where he appeared in a concert party, "The Forest Mummers". His flair for comedy performances eventually won him a transfer to CSE, the [[Combined Services Entertainment]] unit. The rest of his war service was spent touring North Africa, [[Corsica]], [[Scandinavia]], [[Italy]] and [[Greece]]. After the war he could be found entertaining the armed forces in [[Austria]] and [[Germany]]. Subsequently he tried his hand at show business with little success. Disillusioned, he bought a grocery store in Leigh.

==Radio and TV==
Working in a grocer's shop in Leigh, his home town, he was spotted by [[Ronnie Taylor (scriptwriter)]], a BBC scriptwriter and producer who asked him to audition in July 1950. As a result, from early the next year, Platt became the resident comedian on the BBC's popular radio show ''Variety Fanfare'',<ref name="Gifford 1998"/> which made him a household name.<ref name="BBC98">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/185251.stm "Comedian Ken Platt dies aged 77"], BBC News, 2 October 1998</ref> It was on radio that Platt was in his true element with his immaculate timing and brilliant ad-libbing. With a flat cap and droll line, he was best remembered by the catchphrase with which he began every performance: "Allo, I won't take me coat off - I'm not stoppin'!"<ref name="Gifford 1998"/> Platt was one of the last links with music hall and variety in Great Britain. Some of his other catchphrases were, 'Ee, I'm as daft as a brush' and introductions to gags with, 'If you can laugh at this, you can plait sawdust', and, 'If you can laugh at this, you can knit fog'.

He was a guest comedian on numerous radio variety shows and later topped the bill in pantomimes and summer seasons throughout [[UK|Great Britain]]. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s he was a regular guest star on television programmes such as ''Big Night Out'', ''Spot the Tune'' and ''[[The Liver Birds]]''. He evoked considerable nostalgia by a memorable appearance on [[BBC]]'s ''The Good Old Days'' using much of his material from his days on "steam radio".

A stroke in 1990 affected his speech and forced his retirement.<ref name="BBC98"/> Brian Robinson, his partner and (by then, former) manager, survived him.<ref>Patrick Newley [http://www.thestage.co.uk/features/obituaries/2004/11/brian-robinson/ "Obituaries: Brian Robinson"], ''The Stage'', 8 November 2004</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|id=686881|name=Ken Platt}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Platt, Ken}}
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:1998 deaths]]
[[Category:Comedians from Manchester]]
[[Category:English male comedians]]
[[Category:20th-century English comedians]]