[Dixielandjazz] Re: George Formby

[PLadd36932@aol.com]

Hi all,
George Formby was an entertainer par excellence. His gormless Northener act, 
which was the same character in all his films, was such that you really 
wanted to help him out of whatever unlikely situation the script had landed 
him. With his buck teeth he looked like a rather amiable horse.
There were always a couple of numbers in his films when he played to a gang 
of `lads and lasses`., building up to mass singing and dancing scene. The 
films were mainly wartime and the venue was often a factory production line, 
and army camp or an RAF hangar. He was always the unlikely hero, done down 
the dastardly villain but winning the girl in the end.
Most of his songs had a slightly `smutty` subject,with an innuendo** built 
in, Grandpa`s Flannelette Nightshirt, `Me little stick of Blackpool Rock` 
etc.,
I dont think he was a superb technician on the banjolele but with his 
faultless delivery and general good humour he could really put a song over.
On stage he always had two of three instruments tuned to different keys. My 
tenous claim to fame is that my wifes uncle, who was no mean performer on the 
uke, once played alongside George on the old Queen Mary

**Innuendo. An Italian suppository.

I know, I know, I am sorry. The debbil made me do it.

Cheers

PatL