- Born
- Died
- Height1.82 m
- After his mother committed suicide, he lived with his grandmother. When he was 12, he joined Sir Philip Game Boys Club in Croydon, run by an ex-pro music hall performer, where his interest in theatre began. His grandmother took him to the theatre and the first show he remembers was with G.H. Elliott at the Croydon Empire. He worked at a market stall for pocket money, then at 15, in a boys' club concert where he was seen by Michael Bentine, who advised him to take up show business as a career - but first he had to do his military service. After that, he took his first step on the show business ladder by forming a double act with a friend from the boys club. Much later in his career, he became the chairman of the Entertainment Artists Benelovent Association. His first marriage was to Ann, whom he divorced in 1983, then married Debbie.- IMDb mini biography by: tonyman 5
- SpousesDebbie Flitcroft(September 25, 1988 - March 15, 2020) (his death)Ann Lambert(May 1961 - 1983) (divorced, 1 child)
- Reprised his role as Max Quordlepleen in the new "Quandary Phase" episodes of "The Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy" BBC4 radio series, adapted from book 4 of the late Douglas Adams' "Hitch Hiker's Trilogy", "So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish".
- Gave up smoking in 2006. Until then he had usually smoked 60 cigarettes a day.
- He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the British Empire) in the 2004 Queen's New Year Honours List for his services to Entertainment.
- His son Max is also a performer.
- He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1983 (1982 season) for Best Actor in a Musical for "Underneath the Arches".
- [on being awarded the OBE] I'm tickled pink. All I can think is the Queen has never listened to the News Huddlines--all the terrible things that have been said about her or her family! It was jolly nice to be thought of and more than anything else, I was so thrilled it was for services to entertainment. I haven't wasted the last 50 years!.
- I love South London--even now North London is like another world. At least in the last few years you can get taxi to come over the river--something they never did for years!
- Jonathan Ross isn't me at all. And it did upset me a bit, what happened over Andrew Sachs, because he's such a lovely bloke. I've known him for years and I thought it was just unforgivable, what the two geezers did. The style of comedy has changed, though I wouldn't say it's moved on particularly.
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