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George Formby Doc
Frank Skinner explores the legacy of British comedy icon
George Formby in a new BBC Four documentary on Friday, October 28.
More than eighty years ago, Formby’s appeal was so great he c earned the
equivalent of £3 million a year – equal to the multimillion salaries of
today’s footballers.
Making 19 films between 1934 and 1946, he was Britain’s top cinema
attraction for six consecutive years and became the world’s biggest star,
ahead of Errol Flynn, Bette Davis and Bing Crosby, when he signed to
Columbia Pictures in 1941.
His work also included 200 records – all performed with his trademark
ukulele, toothy grin and wide-eyed innocence – including Leaning on a
Lamp-Post which sold over 150,000 copies in one month and the infamous With
my little stick of Blackpool Rock, banned by the BBC because it was
considered too rude for broadcasting.
Adored as a working class hero and celebrated for his tireless contribution
to the war effort, when the ‘turned out nice’ Lancashire lad died over
150,000 people lined the streets of Warrington (more than double the town’s
population).
Frank Skinner on George Formby uncovers the one simple ingredient that has
ensured Formby’s long-lasting legacy: his mastery over the ukulele.
Skinner said: “As long as ukuleles exist people will come to George Formby
conventions to watch those solos: every little move of the finger, every
little twitch of the wrist. We all want to play like that and that will keep
George Formby’s memory alive forever.”
October
16
2011 - waveguide.co.uk
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