Veteran British comedy scriptwriter. He started off telling jokes and
performing songs in local clubs as a child and finally turned
professional in his late teens. He formed a comedy double act in 1950s
with
Peter Reeves. Reeves eventually left the act to pursue an acting career
which is when Blackburn turned to writing comedy. He has written
material for entertainers as diverse as
Larry Grayson,
Freddie Starr,
Danny La Rue, The
Two Ronnies,
Jim Davidson, Cannon and Ball,
Dick Emery,
Stanley Baxter and
Bob Hope.