Assoon, Barbara Dolores (1929?–2020), actress and radio announcer, was born, most likely on 15 September 1929, in Port of Spain, Trinidad, the daughter of Gerald Assoon, whom she described as a French-Chinese acrobat. When asked about her racial heritage, she replied, ‘I am a mixture of everything’ (...
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Assoon, Barbara Dolores (1929?–2020), actress and radio announcer
Stephen Bourne
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Bentine, Michael (1922–1996)
Maker: unknown photographer
In
Michael Bentine (1922–1996) by unknown photographer, 1992 Rex Features
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Bentine [formerly Bentin], Michael (1922–1996), comedian
David Nathan
Bentine [formerly Bentin], Michael (1922–1996), comedian, was born on 26 January 1922, in Watford, Hertfordshire, the second of two sons of Adan (later Adam) Bentin, aeronautical engineer, and his wife, Florence (d. 1949), daughter of James Dawkins, a Southend Water Board...
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Brambell, (Henry) Wilfrid (1912–1985), actor
David Parkinson
Brambell, (Henry) Wilfrid (1912–1985), actor, was born on 22 March 1912 at 6 Edenvale Road, Rathgar, co. Dublin, one of at least two sons of Henry Lytton Brambell, a cashier at the Guinness brewery, and his wife, Edith Marks (b. c.1879)...
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Brambell, (Henry) Wilfrid (1912–1985)
Maker: Vivienne
In
(Henry) Wilfrid Brambell (1912–1985) by Vivienne, 1960s © Vivienne; collection National Portrait Gallery, London
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Briers, Richard David (1934–2013), actor
Jonathan Croall
Briers, Richard David (1934–2013), actor, was born on 14 January 1934 at the Nelson Hospital in Merton, south London, the elder child (his sister, Jane, was born in 1939) of Joseph Benjamin Briers (1901–1980), a 'commission agent' or bookmaker, and Morna Phyllis Richardson (1909–1992)...
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Briers, Richard David (1934–2013)
Maker: David Corio
In
Richard David Briers (1934–2013) by David Corio, 1985 © David Corio
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Burke, Patricia Rosa Moore (1916–2003), actress
Frances Gray
Burke, Patricia Rosa Moore (1916–2003), actress, was born at via Castelmorone 5, Milan, Italy, on 23 March 1916, the daughter of an operatic tenor known as ‘the Lancashire Caruso’, Thomas Aspinall Burke (1890–1969), and his wife, Marie Rosa, née Holt, formerly Altfuldisch, the actress ...
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Chapman, Graham (1941–1989), comedian and writer
Gillian Evans
Chapman, Graham (1941–1989), comedian and writer, was born on 8 January 1941 at the Stoneygate Nursing Home, Stoneygate, Leicester, the second son of Walter Chapman, policeman, and his wife, Edith Towers. He was educated at several Leicestershire schools, including Melton Mowbray grammar school...
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Clitheroe, James Robinson [Jimmy] (1921–1973), comedian
Eric Midwinter
Clitheroe, James Robinson [Jimmy] (1921–1973), comedian, was born on 24 December 1921 at 58 Wilkin Street, Clitheroe, Lancashire, the son of James Robert Clitheroe, cotton weaver, and Emma, née Pye (d. 1973). He was brought up and went to school in the nearby village of ...
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Coren, Alan (1938–2007), humorous writer
Libby Purves
Coren, Alan (1938–2007), humorous writer, was born on 27 June 1938 at 2 Queensdown Road, Hackney, London, the son of Samuel Coren, builder and plumber, and his wife, Martha, née Coren, hairdresser. At the time of his birth registration his parents lived at ...
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Coren, Alan (1938–2007)
Maker: Terry O'Neill
In
Alan Coren (1938–2007) by Terry O'Neill, 1990 Getty Images
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Denham, (William) Maurice (1909–2002), actor
Alex Jennings
Denham, (William) Maurice (1909–2002), actor, was born on 23 December 1909 at 29 Albemarle Road, Beckenham, Kent, the son of Norman Denham, dentist, and his wife, (Eleanor) Winifred, née Lillico. He was educated at the Abbey School, where he made his stage début at the age of five as the Spirit of 1917, and at ...
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Denham, (William) Maurice (1909–2002)
Maker: Jon Lyons
In
(William) Maurice Denham (1909–2002) by Jon Lyons, 1969 Jon Lyons / Rex Features
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Dove, Evelyn Mary (1902–1987), singer and actress
Stephen Bourne
Dove, Evelyn Mary (1902–1987), singer and actress, was born on 11 January 1902 at the Lying-in Hospital, Endell Street, London, the daughter of Francis Dove (d. 1949), a barrister born in Sierra Leone, and his English wife, Augusta, née Winchester. Francis Dove...
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Dove, Evelyn Mary (1902–1987)
Maker: Macari
In
Evelyn Mary Dove (1902–1987) by Macari collection of Stephen Bourne
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Drake, Charles Edward [Charlie] (1925–2006), actor and comedian
Andrew H. Spicer
Drake, Charles Edward [Charlie] (1925–2006), actor and comedian, was born Charles Edward Springall on 19 June 1925 at 185 Westmoreland Road, Walworth, London, the second child in the family of three sons and three daughters of William Springall, newspaper vendor, and his wife, ...
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![Cover Drake, Charles Edward [Charlie] (1925–2006)](/cover/searchableMedia/odnb-9780198614128-e-1014056-graphic-1-thumbnail.jpg)
Drake, Charles Edward [Charlie] (1925–2006)
Maker: Popperfoto
In
Charles Edward Drake (1925–2006) by Popperfoto, 1967 Getty Images
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Emery, Richard Gilbert (1915–1983)
Maker: unknown photographer
Richard Gilbert Emery (1915–1983) by unknown photographer, 1979 Camera Press, London
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Emery, Richard Gilbert [Dick] (1915–1983), comedian
Barry Took
revised
Emery, Richard Gilbert [Dick] (1915–1983), comedian, was born on 19 February 1915 at University College Hospital in St Pancras, London, the only child of Laurence Cuthbert Emery, an actor, and his wife, Bertha Gilbert Callen, a former Gaiety girl. During most of Dick Emery's...
