A superstar for four decades
The show business career of George
Formby spanned exactly FORTY
YEARS, beginning in 1921 until his
death in 1961. During that period he
appeared in 21 hit films, cut over 230
records, made hundreds of stage
performances, appeared in two Royal
Command Performances and
entertained an estimated THREE
MILLION Allied Servicemen and women
during World War II throughout Europe
and the Middle East. Although he never
performed in the U.S.A. he did make
personal appearances and was quite
popular in Canada, Australia, New
Zealand and South Africa.
By 1939, George Formby was the most
popular and highest paid entertainer in
the British Isles and was estimated to be
earning over £100,000 a year. The
secret of his success was a unique
combination of personality, natural ability
and talent coupled with the driving force
of his wife, Beryl as his Manager. With
his natural human warmth and
friendliness, George could hold a live
audience in the palm of his hand as he
sang and played the ukulele in his own
inimitable style. He seemed to have the
ability to make people enjoy what he did,
and his audiences always called for
more.
George Formby helped write and
perform over 300 original songs, largely
flavoured with his own brand of English
North Country humour. He was well
known for playing the Banjo Ukulele, a
hybrid instrument combining the
Hawaiian ukulele and the big American
Banjo, which had been invented by Alvin
D. Keech and christened by him as the
'Banjulele'
The story behind George's rise to
popularity in show business is an
interesting and fascinating one. He was
born George Hoy Booth on 26 May
1904 in Wigan, Lancashire. He was the
eldest of seven children having four
sisters and two brothers. His father,
George Formby Senior (real name
James Booth), was already a famous
stage actor and comedian when young
George was born. He never wanted any
of his family to enter show business
and so young George was sent to
become an apprentice jockey at the
age of seven years. He rode his first
professional race at the age of ten and
weighing only three stones thirteen
pounds. When his father died suddenly
in 1921, encouraged by his mother and
being too heavy to continue horse
racing, he decided to follow in his
father's footsteps. Calling himself
George Hoy (his mother's maiden
name) he took to the stage using his
father's material. The results were
disastrous. After a couple of years
learning the business and getting
married to Beryl, he met a fellow actor
who strummed a Banjo Ukulele for fun
between shows. He sold the instrument
to George for £2/10 (£2.50) and George
quickly learned a couple of songs.
Accepting a bet that he dare not use
the Banjo Ukulele in his act, George
played it at the Alhambra Theatre in
Barnsley - and brought the house
down! George and his 'Uke' were
inseparable from that point on.
In 1932, George made a record with the
famous Jack Hylton Band. The 'A' side
was called 'Do De O Do' and the 'B'
side was a song called 'Chinese Blues'.
When the record was released it was
the 'B' side that became all the rage
across the North and the Midlands and
Formby adopted it as his signature tune
renamed as 'Chinese Laundry Blues',
complete with the now famous 'Mr. Wu'.
In 1934, George made his first film,
'Boots! Boots!', which launched his film
career. A contract to make 11 films for
ATP at the Ellstree Studios soon
followed resulting in George Formby
becoming the most popular entertainer
in the British Isles earning an estimated
£100,000 a year.
A further contract worth Columbia to
make seven films earned him a further
£500,000.
Each of his films contained three or four
songs which were invariably released as
78 rpm records and on sheet music.
These included such titles as:- 'The
Window Cleaner', 'Fanlight Fanny',
'Riding In The T.T. Races' and probably
his most famous song, written by Noel
Gay, 'Leaning On A Lamp Post'.
He continued to entertain throughout the
war as part of ENSA throughout Europe
and the Middle East and was one of the
first entertainers into Normandy after the
invasion, where he was personally
invited by General Montgomery to
entertain the front line troops.
After the war, George toured and
entertained throughout the World. In
1951, he was offered the part of Percy
Piggott in the musical show, 'Zip Goes A
Million' by impresario Emile Littler. It was
based on the play, 'Brewsters Millions'.
When it opened in the West End it was
acclaimed by the critics and George was
a shining star again. However, six
months into the run and George suffered
a heart attack, which caused him to
leave the show and rest.
Click on an image to enlarge
After 18 months of recuperation, he began to do one-night stands, seaside summer shows and pantomime gradually easing himself back
into work.
In 1960, George made his last record, 'Happy Go Lucky Me' and in December of the same year made what was to be his last television
programme. A forty minute, one man show called 'The Friday Show'. It was to be a confessional with George admitting that Beryl had
been the driving force behind his success, that he couldn't read and write properly, that he didn't understand music and that he regretted
not having any children. His wife, Beryl, watched the programme from her sickbed. She was dying from leukemia, but was still able to
offer her usual critique of George's performance.
Beryl died on Christmas Eve, 1960. George was appearing in pantomime in Bristol and returned to the show immediately after the
funeral.
There was still a few surprises to come. A few weeks after Beryl's death, George suddenly announced his engagement to Pat Howson, a
young 36-year-old schoolteacher. George knew her through having purchased some motor cars from her father's garage. The wedding
was planned for the early spring. Unfortunately George had another heart attack and although he appeared to be recovering, he died in
Preston's St. Joseph's Roam Catholic hospital on the 6 March 1961 at the age of 56 years.
He was buried in Warrington Cemetery in the family grave, and an estimated 100,000 mourners lined the streets on the day of the
funeral to show their respect for one of the greatest entertainers this country has ever known.