Dick Emery

Dick Emery came out of that golden era of British TV comedy stars, who were at the height of their powers in the 1970s. A list which included Benny Hill, Morecambe & Wise, The Two Ronnies, Tommy Cooper, and Frankie Howerd.

Born on February 19th, 1915, Dick Emery's career began to flourish in the mid-late 1950s, when he was a sidekick for British comedy great Tony Hancock's TV shows - on both the BBC and ITV.s. Emery then went on to star in the ITV sitcom, 'The Army Game'.

Dick became a household name (titter ye not), with his sketch show, 'The Dick Emery Show', which ran on the BBC from 1963 to 1981 - a whopping 166 editions in all. Famous characters included likeable but doddery pensioner James Maynard Kitchener Lampwick, sex mad Mandy, who had Emery's most famous catchphrase, "Ooh you are awful, but I like you" (also the title of a salacious film Emery starred in), camp Clarence, a pervy vicar with big teeth, and a thick skinhead (whose father was played by gifted fuunyman Roy Kinnear). American comedy legend Mel Brooks, no less, also wrote for 'The Dick Emery Show' in the early days.

Dick Emery also appeared in the 1962 film, 'The Fast Lady', and was the voice of the Nowhere Man in the 1968 animated Beatles film, 'Yellow Submarine'. A man of many talents, Dick had his own review page in Meccano Magazine in the early '70s! He died of a heart failure on January 2nd, 1983.

- Paul Rance/booksmusicfilmstv.com.