today's Featured List/October 3, 2014

George Formby was one of the most popular entertainers of his generation; photograph taken in 1940

Formby appeared as a ten-year-old in the 1915 crime thriller film By the Shortest of Heads; when his father, George Formby Snr, died in 1921 Formby took over his father's stage act. Formby developed his own act and began recording light, comical songs in 1926, accompanied by him playing the ukulele or banjolele. He moved into film work in 1934 and appeared on television for the first time in 1938; he became increasingly popular in the 1930s and 40s and became the UK's highest-paid entertainer during those decades. During the Second World War Formby joined the Entertainments National Service Association and, in addition to his film work, toured civilian establishments and military camps—the latter often very close to enemy lines. Although his domestic popularity dipped after the war, Formby toured Canada, Australia, South Africa and Sweden, and continued to appear on stage in revue or pantomime in Britain; his last television appearance was on BBC television in December 1960. (Full list...)