Anthony Slide

A diminutive, frenetic comedian known for catchphrases that were once part of the English language, Arthur Askey was one of Britain's most popular entertainers throughout much of the 20th Century.

Immediately after World War One, Askey made his professional debut in concert parties at British seaside resorts. He began to appear on the stage and on radio, and in 1938, with Richard Murdoch, he introduced Band Waggon to BBC radio listeners. It soon became the most popular programme on the air, and launched Askey's career as a film star (one of Britain's biggest), a major entertainer in pantomime and on the legitimate stage, and ensured an easy transition some years later into television.

Arthur Askey's life and career is presented here in informative and readable fashion. I Thank You: The Arthur Askey Story is the first book-length biography of a great British comedian, and will, hopefully, introduce him and his humour to new audiences around the world.

First published: Monday 29th June 2020

Just A Regular Bloke: The Ted Ray Story is the third in a trilogy of volumes on legends of British comedy, that began with Jimmy Edwards and continued with Arthur Askey.

Ted Ray became a star as British music hall came to an end, and continued into radio, television and motion pictures. He never stopped performing on stage as music hall morphed into variety, and could always be relied upon to make audiences laugh with his quick wit and rapid-fire humour. It might be said that it was on radio with Ray's A Laugh that he became a star throughout the UK, but, in reality, he had appeared as a music hall comedian in just about every town in the country.

Just A Regular Bloke documents Ted Ray's career, and also examines the work of his two sons, Robin and Andrew, the latter of whom became a star in his own right with his first film, The Mudlark. It is an informative and entertaining volume that should appeal to readers interested not only in British stand-up comedy in the 20th Century but also with the development of British popular culture.

First published: Thursday 23rd March 2023

The holder of the Distinguished Flying Cross in recognition of his World War Two career with the RAF, Jimmy Edwards came to fame as an exuberant and bombastic, trombone-playing comedian in the 1940s, with early success at London's Windmill Theatre. He went on to star on radio in Take It From Here and on television in Whack-O! as the cane-happy headmaster of a run-down school for the sons of gentlemen. He was definitely politically incorrect and audiences loved him for it.

Jimmy Edwards was a complex human being, who embraced alcoholism perhaps as a means of handling his homosexuality. Ultimately, the gay life proved more of a concern to Jimmy than to his audience, while the drinking helped create a persona that the same audience loved and accepted. Presently and sadly, it would seem that Jimmy's homosexuality has tended to diminish his legacy not only as a major British comedian but also as a genuine World War Two hero.

While Jimmy authored two autobiographies, Wake Up At The Back There!: It's Jimmy Edwards is the first book-length study of the comedian, providing both a full biography and a critical appraisal. For the first time, the full Jimmy Edwards story is told, with documentation on his relationship with his family, his domestic life, his "outing" as gay, and the man in his life.

First published: Saturday 2nd June 2018

The Bobbie Kimber story is a fascinating one, involving the art of ventriloquism, female impersonation, and gender variance.

It is the story of a man who became a prominent British music hall performer from the late 1930s onwards, displaying his skill as a ventriloquist with various dummies, most notably Augustus Peabody or "Gussie," while all the time dressed as a woman. He never made a secret of his masculinity, but he never emphasized it, and, as a result, there were many in the audience and in the press who assumed he really was female. Gradually, he assumed the identify of a woman, dressing in female attire both on and off stage, and even claimed to have had a sex change operation, which was a complete lie.

In the later years of his life, Bobbie Kimber always appeared as a woman, with long hair, make-up and high heels. His stage persona had become his real persona. Bobbie Kimber surely represents the strangest example of gender variance.

First published: Monday 24th June 2024