Harry Secombe

Born: 1921-09-08

From Wikipedia Sir Harry Donald Secombe, CBE (8 September 1921 – 11 April 2001) was a Welsh comedian and singer. He played Neddie Seagoon, a central character in the BBC radio comedy series The Goon Show (1951–60). He also appeared in musicals and films and, in his later years, was a presenter of television shows incorporating hymns and other devotional songs. With the success of The Goon Show, Secombe developed a dual career as both a comedy actor and a singer. At the beginning of his career as an entertainer, his act would end with a joke version of the duet Sweethearts, in which he sang both the baritone and falsetto parts. Trained under Italian maestro Manlio di Veroli, he emerged as a bel canto tenor (characteristically, he insisted that in his case this meant "can belto") and had a long list of best-selling record albums to his credit. In 1958 he appeared in the film Jet Storm, which starred Dame Sybil Thorndike and Richard Attenborough and in the same year Secombe starred in the title role in Davy, one of Ealing Studios' last films. In 1963 he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). He was knighted in 1981, and jokingly referred to himself as Sir Cumference (in recognition of his rotund figure). The motto he chose for his coat of arms was "GO ON", a reference to goon.


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Oliver!

as Mr. Bumble
Released: 1968-09-26

Musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, a classic tale of an orphan who runs away...

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The Bed Sitting Room

as Shelter Man
Released: 1969-06-01

In the hazy aftermath of World War III, the fallout from a 'nuclear misunderstanding' is...

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Davy

as Davy Morgan
Released: 1958-01-02

The Mad Morgans are a family song and dance act touring the British Music Halls. Young Davy is...

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Jet Storm

as Binky Meadows
Released: 1959-09-16

Crisis in the air: A passenger aboard a commercial airplane flying from London to New York...

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Penny Points to Paradise

as Harry Flakers
Released: 1951-04-25

When Harry and Spike visit Bristol to spend the winnings from Harry's latest Pools win, the boys...

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Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace

as Himself (archive footage)
Released: 2014-12-10

A very personal portrait of the truly unique comedy genius of Spike Milligan, as told in his own...

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The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins

as Stanley (segment "Envy")
Released: 1971-11-01

The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins is a 1971 British comedy film directed and produced by Graham...

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Rhubarb

as Rev. Rhubarb
Released: 1970-04-03

A Police Inspector and a vicar play a round of golf. The Inspector has a Constable help him to...

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Down Among the Z Men

as Harry Jones
Released: 1952-10-01

The Goon Show hits the big screen. Professor Pure Heart absent-mindedly loses the top secret...

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Sunstruck

as uncredited
Released: 1972-12-22

Stanley Evans, a Welsh schoolteacher, decides to emigrate to Australia for a better life but...

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Helter Skelter

as Alf
Released: 1949-01-07

A detective gets involved with a wealthy socialite who can't seem to stop hiccuping.

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Doctor in Trouble

as Llewellyn Wendover
Released: 1970-06-16

Dr. Burke is in love with Ophelia but doesn't have time to propose to her as she leaves for a...

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Svengali

as Barizel
Released: 1954-09-01

A man hypnotizes a young woman into being an opera singer.

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Song of Norway

as Bioernstjerne Bjoernson
Released: 1970-11-04

Like the play from which it derived, the film tells of the early struggles of composer Edvard...

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An Audience with Jimmy Tarbuck

as Self - Audience Member
Released: 1994-10-22

Jimmy Tarbuck parades his comic wares in front of a celebrity audience, including Cilla Black,...

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Just Like That!

as Self
Released: 1989-01-01

Just Like That! is a celebration of the comic genius of Tommy Cooper] - just like that! But...

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The Unknown Peter Sellers

as Himself
Released: 2000-04-25

Documentary about the life and career of a comic genius, Peter Sellers.

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The Paranormal Peter Sellers

as Self (Archive footage)
Released: 2001-01-01

This documentary revealed Peter Sellers obsession with the occult. Sellers was a highly...

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Forces' Sweetheart

as Harry Llewelyn
Released: 1953-11-01

Forces sweetheart, Judy James, is back in town and that means various admirers are showing up at...

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Pickwick

as Mr Pickwick
Released: 1969-06-11

Pickwick is a British television musical made by the BBC in 1969 and based on the 1963 stage...

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Alice Through the Looking Box

as Humpty Dumpty
Released: 1960-12-25

A Christmas TV special in which Alice does not go through a looking glass, but through a TV set.

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The Last Goon Show of All

as uncredited
Released: 1972-05-10

Sellers, Secombe and Milligan reunite for one last show.

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Wogan

as Self
First aired: 1982-05-04

Chat show hosted by Terry Wogan, featuring live studio interviews with famous and notable...

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The Ed Sullivan Show

as Self
First aired: 1948-06-20

The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June...

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Highway

as uncredited
First aired: 1983-10-23

Highway is a British television series, broadcast from 1983 until 1993. Presented by Sir Harry...

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The Bruce Forsyth Show

as uncredited
First aired: 1959-03-29

Beginning in 1959 as Bruce's Show, mixing music, dancing and comedy in the time honoured...

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The Telegoons

as uncredited
First aired: 1963-10-05

The Telegoons is a comedy puppet show, adapted from the highly successful BBC radio comedy show...

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