Max Bygraves: Difference between revisions

'''Walter William "Max" Bygraves''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|OBE}} (16 October 1922 – 31 August 2012) was an English comedian, singer, actor and variety performer. He appeared on his own television shows, sometimes performing comedy sketches between songs.

He made twenty ''[[Royal Variety Performance]]'' appearances and presented numerous programmes, including ''[[Family Fortunes]]'' between 1983 and 1985. His catchphrase "I wanna tell you a story" became an integral part of his act, although it had originated with comedian [[Mike Yarwood]] impersonating Bygraves.

Bygraves became a successful recording artist with seven top ten hits on the [[UK Singles Chart]] between 1952 and 1960.<ref name="betts"/> Many were [[novelty songs]]. One of his most popular recordings, "You Need Hands" in 1958, was written by Bygraves under the pseudonym Roy Irwin (or Erwin), a name picked at random from a telephone directory. He also wrote its follow-up, "Gotta Have Rain".<ref name=leigh>{{Cite webnews|date=2012-09-02|title=Max Bygraves: Entertainer who won the nation's hearts with his songs|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/max-bygraves-entertainer-who-won-the-nation-s-hearts-with-his-songs-tv-shows-and-patter-8101437.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/max-bygraves-entertainer-who-won-the-nation-s-hearts-with-his-songs-tv-shows-and-patter-8101437.html |archive-date=12 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-30|websitenewspaper=The Independent|language=en}}</ref> His producer Wally Ridley said of Bygraves:<
{{blockquote>"|Max's great talent was that he could punch lines, which was absolutely great for us. We'd give him songs with very short lines and he'd punch them out marvellously. Give him a long line and he would stumble over it, although I just flipped when I was given '"Gilly Gilly Ossenfeffer Katzenellen Bogen by the Sea'". I thought, '"Fabulous, fabulous, this is a major hit for us.'" I took it to Max and his wife, Blossom, said, '"That's no good, what does it mean?'" ... The song was absolutely perfect for Max and its whole secret was '"What the hell does it mean?"<ref name=leigh/></blockquote>}}

In the 1950s and 1960s, Bygraves appeared as a guest on several television variety programmes, both in the UK and United States. These included [[Ed Sullivan]], [[Jack Benny]] and [[Jackie Gleason]], in America. He was the subject of ''[[This Is Your Life (British TV series)|This Is Your Life]]'' in 1961 when he was surprised by [[Eamonn Andrews]] while rehearsing his new show, ''[[Do Re Mi (musical)|Do Re Mi]]'' at London's [[Prince of Wales Theatre]]. He appeared in several TV series including the sitcom ''Roamin' Holiday'' and the variety shows ''Max'' and ''Max Bygraves at the Royalty''.<ref name=leigh/> From 1983 to 1985, Bygraves hosted ''[[Family Fortunes]]'', taking over from his friend and fellow comedian [[Bob Monkhouse]]. He would later be succeeded as host in 1987 by [[Les Dennis]].<ref>{{cite webnews|url=http://news.sky.com/story/979602/max-bygraves-veteran-entertainer-dies-aged-89 |title=Max Bygraves, Veteran Entertainer, Dies Aged 89 |publisherwork=[[Sky News]] |date=2012-09-01}}</ref>

Bygraves' catchphrase was said to be: "I wanna tell you a story". It was actually [[Mike Yarwood]] who made up that phrase, from Bygraves' "I want to tell you a joke", though Bygraves adopted Yarwood's version as the title of his own memoirs. Another well-known phrase of his was "That's a good idea, son!".<ref name=leigh/>

Bygraves married [[Women's Auxiliary Air Force|WAAF]] sergeant Gladys "Blossom" Murray in 1942. The couple had three children.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barker |first=Dennis |date=2012-09-01 |title=Max Bygraves obituary |language=en-GB |worknewspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2012/sep/01/max-bygraves-obituary-comedian-singer |access-date=2023-02-15 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Bygraves also had three other children from extramarital affairs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carpenter |first=Julie CN|date=2011-07-26August |title=Max Bygraves and his lovechildren |url=https://www.express.co.uk/expressyourself/261098/Max-Bygraves-and-his-lovechildren |access-date=2023-02-15 |website=Express.co.uk |language=en2024}}</ref>

On 9 August 1974, Bygraves became stucktrapped on a cliff-face near his house in [[Westbourne, Dorset|Westbourne]], Bournemouth, whenwhile attempting to retrieve a kite flown by his grandson Michael becamewhich trappedhad become stuck beneath the edge of the cliff. HeBygraves suffered friction burns on his hands and was in shock when police and firefighters helped him to safety.<ref>{{cite news|title=Max Bygraves rescued from cliffs|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vpRAAAAAIBAJ&pg=2540,2404824&dq=max+bygraves&hl=en|newspaper=The Glasgow Herald|date=10 August 1974|page=7}}</ref> In 1999, Bygraves underwent treatment for an ear disorder, having cancelled a number of performances on his doctor's advice.<ref>{{cite news|title=Entertainment: Bygraves suffers ear problems|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/349671.stm|publisher=BBC News (BBC)|date=21 May 1999|access-date=25 October 2012}}</ref>

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[[Category:Male actors from DagenhamLondon]]

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[[Category:Actors from Rotherhithethe London Borough of Southwark]]

[[Category:Comedians from the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham]]