He was one of the first comedians to realise the importance of records
and released a whole series of 78s of his sketches that sold in the
millions. Rather than take an outright fee he was canny enough to take
a penny per disc.
He was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1975 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to comedy and entertainment.
Had a comic ventriloquist act in which the dummy fell apart.
When he was 7 he was booked as a separate act on a bill with his mother. Later he gave imitations of well, known comedians in a childrens revue. At 16 he was a principal boy in pantomime.