124:; 20 May 1892 – 4 August 1965) was an English music hall, film, radio and television comedian and comedy actor. James had limited use for jokes as such, preferring to say things in a humorous manner, sometimes in surreal situations and as such was seen by some as well ahead of his time. He was often hailed as a
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James began his stage career in 1904, joining Willy Netta's
Singing Jockeys, a singing group, as "Terry, the blue-eyed Irish boy" with popular songs of the day and gained experience with a number of other juvenile troupes. In the
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He had that thing that broke all barriers with an audience. He was loved by the pros – professionals – and loved by the audience. Now Jimmy had this fantastic gift, that he was liked and loved – this is an important word – was
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to join a travelling show. The police located him a few years later at the age of twelve by which time he had become a seasoned performer. His father, an amateur
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and did not smoke off stage. His weaknesses were gambling and his famed generosity which may account for his declared bankruptcies in 1936, 1955 and 1963.
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218:(1922–2011) was a radio light entertainment producer at the BBC in Manchester, writing and producing shows including
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301:, "Our Eli", and Hutton Conyers, played by members of the Casey family and more famously from 1956 to 1959 by a young
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James appeared in
Stockton as a double act with his great uncle Jimmy Howells and they were known as The Two Jimmies.
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313:, New Hampshire, USA, that gave its name to a United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference resulting in the
210:– by both. One of the few comedians that all the comics used to stand on the side and watch. One of the greats.
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James met
Isabelle Darby, a music hall dancer and they married in 1921; they had one son, James Casey junior.
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Although James appeared on stage as a convincing drunk, often with a cigar or cigarette in his mouth, he was
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With his act James toured the musical halls, theatres and clubs around the country. He appeared at the
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854:"James Casey: Comedian, writer and producer who created 'The Clitheroe Kid' and discovered Ken Dodd"
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In the 1940s, James developed one of the funniest stage routines in variety history with his two
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in 1960 as a boxing promoter, as well as making appearances in many TV programmes including the
305:. Eli Woods's real name was Jack Casey and he was James's nephew. Bretton Woods was named after
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during July 1944. James named the character of Hutton
Conyers after seeing a signpost on the
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He was born as James Casey on 20 May 1892, the eldest of four sons of
Jeremiah Casey, an
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James became a comedian by chance. In 1925, he took over for one night at
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which was written for him by his son in collaboration with Frank Roscoe.
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who had walked out of a show. In 1929, James was talent spotted at the
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Music hall, stage, film, radio and television comedian and comedy actor
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sketch—a lecture on the occupational hazards of preparing chips.
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and is buried in
Oxbridge Cemetery, Stockton-on-Tees. Interviewed by
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or steelmaker, and Polly
Gartland. Many sources state he was born in
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1059:"Manchester Celebrities, Television, Film, Media & Broadcasting"
1229:(1979); Allen & Unwin - essays on famous comedians of the time.
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In 1952, James starred on BBC radio in, firstly, the comedy series
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an agent, who was able to find him a job as a singer with a band.
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James was last on stage in 1964, retiring that year. He died in
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with Evans playing the role of his wife. His second film was
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Eric
Morecambe interview with Marty Feldman, excerpted in
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In 1956, James appeared on television in his own series,
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British Film
Institute Film & Television Database
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himself, encouraged his son's show business talents.
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sketch—a variant of this appeared in the film
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617:"Mancunian Film Studio - Biographies of the Stars"
286:, earning £100 a week and he also appeared at the
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400:and, subsequently, in 1954 in the comedy series
357:where he and Eli reprise James's drunk routine.
253:but was invalided out after being gassed on the
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369:in 1953 and stole the show with his routine
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841:, narrated by David Mitchell, BBC2 , 2013)
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234:The Enchanting World of Hinge and Bracket
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16:English comedian and actor (1892–1965)
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654:"Radio and TV Personalities I and J"
580:"Let there be lights ... eventually"
201:spoke in glowing terms about James:
940:Margolis, Jonathan (19 June 2007).
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1136:"Meet the Champ (TV Series 1960)"
1268:The Elephant in the Box routine
865:from the original on 8 June 2022
297:, Bretton Woods, later known as
1194:"The Box Sketch... Jimmy James"
890:Darlington & Stockton Times
588:. 19 April 2001. Archived from
1340:20th-century English comedians
1330:Male actors from County Durham
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754:Woodcock, Roger (2 May 2004).
501:(1953) as Joe Lawton starring
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1:
974:"Biography of Spike Milligan"
942:"Obituaries: Bernard Manning"
916:"Over the Garden Wall (1950)"
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189:on 4 August 1965 following a
1345:Comedians from County Durham
1335:Actors from Stockton-on-Tees
1291:Over the Garden Wall (film)
1100:"1950's British TV Memories"
886:"One woman army of Alcatraz"
884:North, John (22 July 2004).
197:in the late 1960s, comedian
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1038:The Jimmy Clitheroe Website
839:A History of British Comedy
786:"Biography for Jimmy James"
10:
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555:. Oxford University Press.
384:Catholic Club James found
337:In James's first film for
224:starring Jimmy Clitheroe,
1083:: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
851:Young, Cy (26 May 2011).
367:Royal Variety Performance
341:in 1950, he starred with
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232:starring Les Dawson, and
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1007:. Dundee. Archived from
756:"Star adored by legends"
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321:to the small village of
251:Northumberland Fusiliers
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315:Bretton Woods Agreement
265:Longton, Stoke-on-Trent
1325:English male comedians
1249:Oxford Biography Index
553:Oxford Biography Index
498:Those People Next Door
423:Billy Cotton Band Show
398:Don't Spare the Horses
354:Those People Next Door
212:
448:James's main sketches
203:
126:"comedians' comedian"
1122:British TV Resources
1011:on 23 September 2008
1005:"Jazzy's Spike Page"
896:on 27 September 2007
514:Over the Garden Wall
459:Over the Garden Wall
348:Over the Garden Wall
187:pulmonary congestion
132:Biographical details
108:Isabelle Darby, son
984:on 22 December 2009
954:on 13 February 2009
470:Elephant-in-the-box
428:Northern Showground
402:The Mayor's Parlour
1161:"Lost UK TV Shows"
694:on 26 October 2008
627:on 18 January 2009
493:(1936) as himself.
214:Jimmy James's son
1225:Midwinter, Eric;
1034:"Jimmy Clitheroe"
1003:Jarron, Matthew.
814:"Jimmy James (I)"
592:on 1 October 2012
585:The Northern Echo
551:Midwinter, Eric.
273:Sunderland Empire
226:The Ken Dodd Show
221:The Clitheroe Kid
169:Sunderland Empire
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1118:"Meet the Champ"
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442:Saturday Bandbox
325:, north-east of
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66:County Durham
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1201:. Retrieved
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1104:Whirligig TV
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590:the original
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519:Norman Evans
517:(1950) with
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476:The chipster
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343:Norman Evans
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280:George Black
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191:heart attack
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138:iron puddler
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79:(1965-08-04)
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1320:1965 deaths
1315:1892 births
503:Jack Warner
483:Filmography
466:The shoebox
434:(1959–61),
216:James Casey
162:clog dancer
122:James Casey
118:Jimmy James
110:James Casey
54:20 May 1892
44:James Casey
25:Jimmy James
1309:Categories
1286:Roy Castle
1198:Monologues
1175:24 January
1145:30 October
1127:24 January
1109:24 January
1069:24 January
1043:24 January
1015:24 January
988:24 January
958:24 January
925:30 October
900:24 January
823:24 January
795:24 January
760:Sunday Sun
698:24 January
663:24 January
631:24 January
596:24 January
526:References
414:Home James
408:Television
303:Roy Castle
277:impresario
269:Max Miller
158:Darlington
150:South Bank
89:Lancashire
50:1892-05-20
1234:Web links
507:Eli Woods
505:and with
454:The drunk
380:While at
299:Eli Woods
183:Blackpool
105:Spouse(s)
91:, England
85:Blackpool
68:, England
1288:version.
1256:Swalwell
1241:Swalwell
1079:cite web
863:Archived
770:25 March
472:routine.
444:(1962).
432:Showtime
430:(1956),
382:Barnsley
176:teetotal
142:Portrack
58:Portrack
1297:YouTube
1284:of the
1282:YouTube
1274:YouTube
1265:Video:
295:stooges
167:At the
1203:25 May
869:28 May
416:, and
240:Career
120:(born
1293:Video
1278:Video
1270:Video
1260:Demon
1220:Books
392:Radio
375:chips
361:Stage
327:Ripon
309:near
208:loved
1258:and
1247:and
1245:IMDB
1205:2009
1177:2009
1147:2010
1140:IMDb
1129:2009
1111:2009
1085:link
1071:2009
1045:2009
1017:2009
990:2009
960:2009
927:2010
920:IMDb
902:2009
871:2011
825:2009
818:IMDB
797:2009
790:IMDB
772:2009
700:2009
665:2009
633:2009
598:2009
333:Film
74:Died
40:Born
1295:on
1280:on
1272:on
468:or
345:in
275:by
185:of
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
