Willie Rushton - Revision history

Kurt at 00:26, 5 September 2024

2024-09-05T00:26:04Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:26, 4 September 2024
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	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
	\| image = Willie Rushton.jpg		\| image = Willie Rushton serious.jpg
	\| caption = Rushton at a charity cricket match,<br />May 1976		\| caption = Rushton at a charity cricket match,<br />May 1976
	\| name = Willie Rushton		\| name = Willie Rushton

Kurt: /* Private Eye and the satire boom */

2024-09-05T00:23:00Z

Private Eye and the satire boom

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:23, 4 September 2024
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	Reuniting with his Salopian chums had also reawakened Rushton's taste for acting. After they had finished university, he had accompanied his friends in a well-received revue at the [[Edinburgh Festival Fringe]]. ([[Richard Burton]] even appeared one night in their parody of ''[[Luther (play)\|Luther]]''.) In 1961, Richard Ingrams directed a production of [[Spike Milligan]]'s surreal post-nuclear apocalypse farce ''[[The Bed-Sitting Room (play)\|The Bed-Sitting Room]]'', in which Rushton was hailed by [[Kenneth Tynan]] as "brilliant". But it was a cabaret at the Room at the Top, a chicken-in-a-basket nightclub at the top of a department store in Ilford, that really launched his career. Rushton recalled meeting the [[Kray twins]] in the audience one night and that fellow performer [[Barbara Windsor]] "wouldn't come out for a drink that night".<ref>{{cite book \|page=49 \|first=Patrick \|last=Marnham \|author-link=Patrick Marnham \|title= The Private Eye Story\|publisher= Fontana/Collins \|year=1982}}</ref> The revue also starred John Wells. Rushton's impersonation of Prime Minister [[Harold Macmillan]] caught the attention of [[Ned Sherrin]], a young BBC producer searching for talent to appear in a forthcoming TV satire series.		Reuniting with his Salopian chums had also reawakened Rushton's taste for acting. After they had finished university, he had accompanied his friends in a well-received revue at the [[Edinburgh Festival Fringe]]. ([[Richard Burton]] even appeared one night in their parody of ''[[Luther (play)\|Luther]]''.) In 1961, Richard Ingrams directed a production of [[Spike Milligan]]'s surreal post-nuclear apocalypse farce ''[[The Bed-Sitting Room (play)\|The Bed-Sitting Room]]'', in which Rushton was hailed by [[Kenneth Tynan]] as "brilliant". But it was a cabaret at the Room at the Top, a chicken-in-a-basket nightclub at the top of a department store in Ilford, that really launched his career. Rushton recalled meeting the [[Kray twins]] in the audience one night and that fellow performer [[Barbara Windsor]] "wouldn't come out for a drink that night".<ref>{{cite book \|page=49 \|first=Patrick \|last=Marnham \|author-link=Patrick Marnham \|title= The Private Eye Story\|publisher= Fontana/Collins \|year=1982}}</ref> The revue also starred John Wells. Rushton's impersonation of Prime Minister [[Harold Macmillan]] caught the attention of [[Ned Sherrin]], a young BBC producer searching for talent to appear in a forthcoming TV satire series.

	''[[That Was the Week That Was]]'' (aka "TW3") ran from November 1962 until December 1963. It drew audiences of up to 13 million, making stars of its cast, particularly [[David Frost]]. Rushton became known for his impersonation of the Prime Minister, a daring novelty in those respectful days. "It's the only impersonation that people have ever actually recognised – so I'm very grateful to the old bugger ... But then I had voted for him, so he owed me something."~~{{citation needed\|date=January 2015}}~~ Rushton also appeared on the original flexi-discs of skits, squibs and invective that ''Private Eye'' gave away, having success with two self-penned songs: "Neasden" ("you won't be sorry that you breezed in ... where the rissoles are deep-freezed-en") and the "Bum Song" ("if you’re feeling glum / stick a finger up your bum / and the world is a happier place"). He also wrote songs for ''TW3'', many of which were revisited on later solo albums like ''Now in Bottles'' and ''The Complete Works''.		''[[That Was the Week That Was]]'' (aka "TW3") ran from November 1962 until December 1963. It drew audiences of up to 13 million, making stars of its cast, particularly [[David Frost]]. Rushton became known for his impersonation of the Prime Minister, a daring novelty in those respectful days. "It's the only impersonation that people have ever actually recognised – so I'm very grateful to the old bugger ... But then I had voted for him, so he owed me something." Rushton also appeared on the original flexi-discs of skits, squibs and invective that ''Private Eye'' gave away, having success with two self-penned songs: "Neasden" ("you won't be sorry that you breezed in ... where the rissoles are deep-freezed-en") and the "Bum Song" ("if you’re feeling glum / stick a finger up your bum / and the world is a happier place"). He also wrote songs for ''TW3'', many of which were revisited on later solo albums like ''Now in Bottles'' and ''The Complete Works''.

	In the autumn of 1963, a health scare led Macmillan to resign and [[Sir Alec Douglas-Home]] became Prime Minister. It was necessary that Douglas-Home resign his peerage to find a safe Parliamentary seat. The ''Private Eye'' team were so disgusted by the Conservative Party's machinations that they decided to stand their own protest candidate in the [[1963 Kinross and Western Perthshire by-election\|Kinross and Western Perthshire by-election]]. Since he was the most well-known member of the team, Rushton was the obvious choice to stand. Rushton gained much attention from journalists, since he stood under the slogan "Death to the Tories".<ref>{{cite news \|first=Leala \|last=Padmanabhan \|date=16 January 2015 \|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30829089 \|title=Al Murray and other celebrities who have decided to run for parliament \|work= BBC News \|access-date= 18 January 2015}}</ref> He polled only 45 votes, having advised his supporters at the last minute to vote Liberal, the Conservatives' only credible challenger. Douglas-Home won.		In the autumn of 1963, a health scare led Macmillan to resign and [[Sir Alec Douglas-Home]] became Prime Minister. It was necessary that Douglas-Home resign his peerage to find a safe Parliamentary seat. The ''Private Eye'' team were so disgusted by the Conservative Party's machinations that they decided to stand their own protest candidate in the [[1963 Kinross and Western Perthshire by-election\|Kinross and Western Perthshire by-election]]. Since he was the most well-known member of the team, Rushton was the obvious choice to stand. Rushton gained much attention from journalists, since he stood under the slogan "Death to the Tories".<ref>{{cite news \|first=Leala \|last=Padmanabhan \|date=16 January 2015 \|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30829089 \|title=Al Murray and other celebrities who have decided to run for parliament \|work= BBC News \|access-date= 18 January 2015}}</ref> He polled only 45 votes, having advised his supporters at the last minute to vote Liberal, the Conservatives' only credible challenger. Douglas-Home won.

Kurt at 00:18, 5 September 2024

2024-09-05T00:18:34Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:18, 4 September 2024
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	~~{{Short description\|English cartoonist and comedian}}~~
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
	\| image = Willie Rushton.jpg		\| image = Willie Rushton.jpg

Kurt: /* Death and memorials */

2023-01-03T04:37:10Z

Death and memorials

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:37, 2 January 2023
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	==Death and memorials==		==Death and memorials==
			[[File:Willie Rushton's blue plaque in Mornington Crescent station.jpg\|thumb\|Willie Rushton's [[blue plaque]]]]
	Rushton died of a heart attack at [[Cromwell Hospital]], [[Kensington]], in 1996, aged 59. Ten years earlier, he had made a jocular prediction that he would die that year. In the first episode of Series 13 of ''I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue'', which aired on 26 July 1986, Chairman Humphrey Lyttelton asked the panellists to "gaze into their crystal balls" and make predictions for 1996. Rushton said, "I'm sorry you introduced this round, because I just spotted a memorial service for myself in Westminster Abbey in January".<ref>{{Cite web \|url=http://www.bennewsam.co.uk/documents/ISIHAC/ISIHAC%20-%201986-07-26%20-%20s13e01%20-%20Communications%20Ball.mp3 \|title=Archived copy \|access-date=8 December 2018 \|archive-date=9 December 2018 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181209124734/http://www.bennewsam.co.uk/documents/ISIHAC/ISIHAC%20-%201986-07-26%20-%20s13e01%20-%20Communications%20Ball.mp3 \|url-status=dead }}</ref>		Rushton died of a heart attack at [[Cromwell Hospital]], [[Kensington]], in 1996, aged 59. Ten years earlier, he had made a jocular prediction that he would die that year. In the first episode of Series 13 of ''I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue'', which aired on 26 July 1986, Chairman Humphrey Lyttelton asked the panellists to "gaze into their crystal balls" and make predictions for 1996. Rushton said, "I'm sorry you introduced this round, because I just spotted a memorial service for myself in Westminster Abbey in January".<ref>{{Cite web \|url=http://www.bennewsam.co.uk/documents/ISIHAC/ISIHAC%20-%201986-07-26%20-%20s13e01%20-%20Communications%20Ball.mp3 \|title=Archived copy \|access-date=8 December 2018 \|archive-date=9 December 2018 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181209124734/http://www.bennewsam.co.uk/documents/ISIHAC/ISIHAC%20-%201986-07-26%20-%20s13e01%20-%20Communications%20Ball.mp3 \|url-status=dead }}</ref>
	Among his last words was the advice, "Tell Bazza he's too old to do pantomime", meant for his long-time friend [[Barry Cryer]].<ref>{{cite web		Among his last words was the advice, "Tell Bazza he's too old to do pantomime", meant for his long-time friend [[Barry Cryer]].<ref>{{cite web
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	\|df = dmy-all		\|df = dmy-all
	}}</ref>		}}</ref>
	~~[[Image:Willie Rushton's blue plaque in Mornington Crescent station.jpg\|thumb\|Willie Rushton's [[blue plaque]]]]~~
	Rushton is honoured by a Comic Heritage [[blue plaque]] at [[Mornington Crescent tube station]], a reference to the game [[Mornington Crescent (game)\|Mornington Crescent]] on ''I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue''.		Rushton is honoured by a Comic Heritage [[blue plaque]] at [[Mornington Crescent tube station]], a reference to the game [[Mornington Crescent (game)\|Mornington Crescent]] on ''I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue''.

Kurt: /* External links */

2023-01-03T04:35:24Z

External links

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:35, 2 January 2023
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	{{I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue}}		{{I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue}}
	~~{{Private Eye}}~~

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Rushton, Willie}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Rushton, Willie}}

Kurt at 13:46, 27 December 2022

2022-12-27T13:46:10Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:46, 27 December 2022
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	{{Short description\|English cartoonist and comedian~~}}{{Use dmy dates\|date=January 2020~~}}		{{Short description\|English cartoonist and comedian}}
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
	\| image = Willie Rushton.jpg		\| image = Willie Rushton.jpg
	\| caption = Rushton at a charity cricket match, May 1976		\| caption = Rushton at a charity cricket match,<br />May 1976
	\| name = Willie Rushton		\| name = Willie Rushton
	\| birth_name = William George Rushton		\| birth_name = William George Rushton

Kurt: /* External links */

2022-12-27T13:42:00Z

External links

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:42, 27 December 2022
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	==External links==		==External links==
	~~{{commons category}}~~
	* {{find a Grave\|12937697}}		* {{find a Grave\|12937697}}
	* {{IMDb name\|id=0750775\|name=Willie Rushton}}		* {{IMDb name\|id=0750775\|name=Willie Rushton}}
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	{{I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue}}		{{I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue}}
	{{Private Eye}}		{{Private Eye}}

	~~{{Authority control}}~~

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Rushton, Willie}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Rushton, Willie}}

Kurt: 1 revision imported

2022-08-15T17:10:20Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 12:10, 15 August 2022
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en>Beestalman: Removed excess space.

2022-07-08T08:37:59Z

Removed excess space.

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