Jimmy Clitheroe On The Telly

[bhowells]

Anyone remember seeing Jimmy Clitheore in various series on Itv in the sixties, am I correct in assuming that these telly shows were not as popular as the radio shows.

The Radio Times book of comedy says that the tv shows were not always networked, they were made by ABC who provided the Northern franchise at the weekend so i guess they may have gone out on Granada before being shown on other regions.

Derek Guyler and Mollie Sugden were with him on these shows and I am quite sure they apeared with him on a stage version which saw at the Pavilion Theatre in Torquay at the tender age of four.

[Frank63]

I used to love his radio show back in the 50's I guess most kids did back thenm it seems like a different world these days.

I met him a few times in the 60's near Bridlington when he was doing a summer season, usually he was walking his dog. I found him very pleasant and easy to talk to, he seemed quite a gentleman

[bhowells]

I still enjoy the shows when I ocasionally listen to them on BBC 7, it was a different world, they may seem corny now but they have a lovely period charm about them. They certainly evoke memories of Sunday Lunchtime.

Round the Horne did a merciless lampoon of The Clitheroe Kid.

Nice to know that Jimmy was a gent in real life.

[wadsy]

I went to see Jimmy clitheroe record his radio show at BBC studios in

Manchester with a friend & his mum in 1965/66 when i was 9 or 10 years

old. It was a very good night from memory.I distinctly remember that the

young lady who played his sister was quite beautiful, her name escapes

me i,m afraid.

[donna]

wasnt this show on tv a bit like Educating Archie and better on the radio, for years when I was a youngster I thought Archie was a real person, .. a ventriloquist on the radio mmm must be the easiest job in the world hahah.

[bhowells]

Did you know that Us radio in the thirties had a ventiliquist on the radio, he was Edgar Bergen father of Candice.

In reply to Wasdy's query regarding the lady who played Jimmy's sister the actresses name was Diana Day.

[bhowells]

There is a very good Jimmy Clitheroe website, if anyone is interested.

[Joenoir]

Originally Posted by wadsy I went to see Jimmy clitheroe record his radio show at BBC studios in Manchester with a friend & his mum in 1965/66 when i was 9 or 10 years old. It was a very good night from memory.I distinctly remember that the young lady who played his sister was quite beautiful, her name escapes me i,m afraid.

`Radio sister' Diana remembers the Clitheroe Kid
The Hereford Times Thursday 6th Mar 2003.

THIRTY years after the death of one of radio's biggest stars, described as `the eternal schoolboy', co-star and `radio sister' Diana Day remembers the Clitheroe Kid.
Fondly known to thousands as Susan `scraggy neck', Herefordshire-born Diana Day spent more than 16 years making the trek to Manchester every Sunday to perform alongside Jimmy Clitheroe.
The former child star's big break came at the age of 12 when she appeared as Jackie, leader of the fourth form in the 1954 film, `the Belles of St Trinians' with Alistair Sim and George Cole.
Now known as Diana Jager and living in the city, she has spoken about the very private man who was the inspiration for performers such as the Krankies and slapstick situation comedy based on the `carry-on' style.
Describing her co-star's wit and style very much as `that lovely North country humour' Diana remembered auditioning for the radio series by sight-reading a script with Jimmy.
She berated herself all the way home because she thought that she had `blown it' but to all involved, it was obvious there was a spark between the pair.
"Jimmy was a super person - he was lovely, we got on very well and he, Danny (Danny Ross, who played Susan's boyfriend, Alfie) and I were terrible gigglers.
"One of the scripts would start going and sometimes it would be so difficult to stop," Diana laughed.
She explained how producer, Jim Casey would have to stop them all for a tea-break because they found the show so funny.
She added: "We worked together for 16 years so in the end it almost felt like we were a family."
Not only was Jimmy the godfather of Diana's daughter Melanie, he also attended various functions with the family.
Once, when Diana's son Nicholas was still a boy and the same size as Jimmy (who never grew taller than 4'3") he admired Nicholas' suit and asked if he could pass it on when he'd finished with it!
Dreadful news
Diana was on a cruise in the Mediterranean when she heard the shocking news of her friend's death in 1973.
He was found unconscious on the morning of his mother's funeral and died the same day. An inquest concluded it was due to an accidental overdose of sleeping pills.
"He must have been so down," Diana said. "A few years before he lost his friend and assistant Sally who died in a car crash."
She explained Sally would chauffeur Jimmy around because he got so fed up being stopped by police.
"One of the last times I saw him was in pantomime in Bristol, I could see he was nervous. He dragged me on stage and he would not let go of my hand.
"I could feel he was quite needy. Life in show business is quite lonely. His mother was always in his life - she was so important to him," said Diana.
Now after nearly 30 years out of the spotlight, Diana hopes to get back into acting and with the prospect of a part in a re-make of the St Trinians' film, Diana appears to have come a full circle.
But she will never forget her `radio' brother who `tormented' her for so many years. So much so she named her youngest son James after the Clitheroe Kid.

[Rob Compton]

The other real "star" of the Jimmy Clitheroe series was Danny Ross as Alfie, in my view. He's come up before in these pages - and was quite brilliant! I don't think there's ever been anyone quite like him, before or since

rgds
Rob

[bhowells]

I recall seeing him in the Arthur Askey film The Love Match. I agree he was very funny inthe Clitheroe Kid.

Always thought that the fellow who played the Grandfather was a bit naff.