Arthur Askey

'Arthur Askey' (qv) was a diminutive British comedian, born in 1900. He began his professional career as a music hall performer in 1924, but it wasn't until 1938's _Band Waggon (1940)_ (qv) (which lasted a full five seasons), that he became a household name in England. His film debut was in the 1937 British feature _Calling All Stars (1937)_ (qv), but then, in 1939, _Band Waggon (1940)_ (qv) swooped in again and made him a film star with a film following on from when Arthur and co-star Richard "Stinker" Murdoch were evicted from their beloved flat. Film stardom carried Arthur through to the mid-1940s, but it wasn't till 1956 when he starred in another film, _Ramsbottom Rides Again (1956)_ (qv). He started his own television show: The 'Arthur Askey' (qv) Show (1961), where, of course, he was the main player and that carried on till his retirement. He died in 1982.::Slick-50