This Is Your Life: Arthur Askey 1

Arthur ASKEY (1900-1982)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Arthur Askey, comedian and actor, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews outside the BBC Television Theatre, having been brought to the theatre by Joe Mears, chairman of Chelsea Football Club.

Arthur, who was born in Liverpool, had his first taste of show business by appearing in concert parties while serving with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers during the First World War. After working as a clerk for Liverpool Corporation, he began his professional career as a music hall performer in 1924. He later toured with his concert party, The Filberts, before working solo as a comedian.

Having become a household name in the BBC's first regular radio comedy series, Band Waggon, in 1938, he starred in several successful comedy films during the Second World War, including Charley's Aunt and The Ghost Train. He became one of the first regular performers on early BBC television before securing his own series in 1952, named after his catchphrase Before Your Very Eyes!

Arthur Askey was a subject of This Is Your Life on two occasions - surprised again by Eamonn Andrews in December 1974 at Thames Television's Euston Road Studios.

programme details...

Edition No: 116
Subject No: 116
Broadcast date: Mon 28 Dec 1959
Broadcast time: 7.30-8.05pm
Recorded: Mon 7 Sep 1959 7.30pm
Venue: BBC Television Theatre
Series: 5
Edition: 18

on the guest list...

Arthur Bowden - uncle
Richard Murdoch - live link
Vanessa Lee
Ben Crompton
May - wife
Billy Bird
Arthur Pinder
Tommy Trinder
Joe Mears
Betty Mears
Rene - sister
Anthea - daughter
Dickie Valentine

production team...

Researchers: Ken Smith, Ronald Vivian
Writers: Ken Smith, Ronald Vivian
Director: unknown
Producer: T Leslie Jackson

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

Arthur Askey

second tribute

It's a Funny Old Life

it's all about the comedy

Life Second Time Around

surprised again!

Tommy Trinder

Photographs of Arthur Askey This Is Your Life

Arthur Askey recalls his experience of This Is Your Life in his autobiography, Before Your Very Eyes...

In the autumn, I was very busy with television, which was now becoming more and more popular. One successful programme was This Is Your Life, which I thought was an embarrassing show and swore they'd never catch me for. But they did.

I was coming out of a TV rehearsal (for the commercial channel) with Brian Tesler and MacDonald Hobley when we noticed a BBC van at the bottom of the steps. Mac Hobley said, 'What's a BBC van doing here?' Then out stepped Eamonn Andrews with the book and the well-known death knell: 'Arthur Askey – this is your life.'

I was then bundled into a car and on the way to Shepherd's Bush I tried to put up a mild resistance, but Eamonn said, 'Don't let us down, we've got all sorts of relatives and friends there and a packed audience in the studio,' I said, 'Well, one relative you won't have is my little wife,' but he said, 'You're wrong, she's there all right.' Which just shows Eamonn's powers of persuasion, for if anyone ever shunned the limelight, it was my May. [Bigredbook.info editor: Arthur was actually surprised outside the BBC Television Theatre]

The programme followed its usual pattern and I reacted with great surprise as each old acquaintance or relative was introduced. I had to over-act when one fellow from Liverpool 'who had been my best friend' came on and I had, and still have, no idea who he was!

Anthea appeared on film as she was very pregnant, as did Dickie Murdoch (not pregnant, I hasten to add). May surprised me with the ease and humour she displayed, and Rene came on at the end dressed like me. Poor girl, she's so like me, she has to stay indoors when I'm playing Dame in pantomime!

Series 5 subjects