Arthur Askey

Described by Ken Dodd as a "human firework", Arthur was a star of stage, radio, film, songs, tv and even a cartoon strip. 
Nicknames (Big Hearted Arthur), catchphrases (Hello playmates, ey thang yew (Stephen Fry once said that the closest way of saying it the way Askey did was to use the word "nightingale"!) were just a tiny part of this little giant.


He was born in Liverpool in 1900. Askey was chosen to be on one of the earliest incarnations of BBC television. He was (and still is) one of the most memorable and recognisable figures in the history of British comedy.
Being of a certain age my memories are of seeing him at a theatre in Southport when he was very old and I was very young. I was not much more than a toddler but I do recollect him singing the Bee song, so here it is.