Harry H. Corbett
Harry H. Corbett Labour | |
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Spouses | |
Children | 2, including Susannah Corbett |
Harry H. Corbett
Early life
Corbett was born on 28 February 1925,
Corbett enlisted in the
Career
Upon returning to civilian life, Corbett trained as a radiographer[1] before taking up acting as a career, joining the Chorlton Repertory theatre.[4] In the early 1950s, he added the initial "H" to avoid confusion with the television entertainer Harry Corbett, known for his act with the glove-puppet Sooty.[4] He joked that "H" stood for "hennyfink", a Cockney pronunciation of "anything". In 1956, he appeared on stage in The Family Reunion at the Phoenix Theatre in London.[1]
From 1958, Corbett began to appear regularly in films, including an 'American' film Floods of Fear (1958), filmed at Pinewood, coming to public attention as a serious, intense performer, in contrast to his later reputation in sitcom. He appeared in television dramas such as
In 1962, scriptwriters Galton and Simpson, who had been successful with Hancock's Half Hour, invited Corbett to appear in "The Offer", an episode of the BBC's anthology series of one-off comedy plays, Comedy Playhouse, written by Galton and Simpson. He played Harold Steptoe, a rag-and-bone man who lives with his irascible widower father, Albert (Wilfrid Brambell) in a dilapidated house attached to their junkyard and stable for their cart horse, Hercules. At the time, Corbett was working at the Bristol Old Vic, where he appeared as Macbeth.[4]
The programme was a success and a full series followed, continuing, with breaks, until 1974, when the
Production of the sitcom was stressful in the last few years, as Brambell was an
The television episodes were remade for radio, often with the original cast; it is these that were made available on cassette and CD. After the series of Steptoe and Son had officially finished, Corbett and Brambell played the characters again on radio (in a newly written sketch to tie in with the Scottish team's participation in the
Other work
Steptoe and Son led Corbett to comedy films: as James Ryder in Ladies Who Do (1963); with Ronnie Barker in The Bargee (1964), written by Galton and Simpson; Carry On Screaming! (1966) (replacing an unavailable Sid James); the "Lust" segment of The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins (1971); and Terry Gilliam's Jabberwocky (1977). There were two Steptoe and Son films: Steptoe and Son (1972) and Steptoe and Son Ride Again (1973). In 1966 he appeared as a narrator in four episodes of the BBC children's television series Jackanory, and he also had the leading role in two other television series, Mr. Aitch (written especially for him, 1967) and Grundy (1980). Corbett had a supporting role in the David Essex film Silver Dream Racer (1980), and also appeared in the film Hardcore (1977). In addition, he had a supporting role in Potter (1980) with Arthur Lowe on the BBC.[4]
Corbett recorded multiple 45rpm records, most of which were novelty songs based upon the rag-and-bone character, including "Harry, You Love Her" and "Junk Shop".[7] He recorded a number of sea shanties and folk songs. In 1973, he recorded an album titled Only Authorised Employees To Break Bottles which was a "showcase of accents", with songs from Corbett in a range of accents, including Liverpudlian, Brummie and Mancunian; the title echoes a notice which is visible in the bottle-smashing scene in the film 'The Bargee'. The album was recorded in 1973 and released in 1974 on the Torquay, Devon-based RA record label with support from seventies folk band 'Faraway Folk': RALP [7] Including the album, he released over 30 songs.[7]
Personal life
Corbett married twice, first to the actress Sheila Steafel (from 1958 to 1964), and then to actress Maureen Blott (stage name Crombie) (from 1969 until his death in 1982), with whom he had two children, Jonathan and Susannah. Susannah is an actress and author, and has written a biography of her father, Harry H. Corbett: The Front Legs of the Cow, which was published in March 2012. Steafel published her autobiography When Harry Met Sheila in 2010.[4]
Political views
Corbett was a
As Prime Minister, Wilson wished to have Corbett appointed an
Health problems and death
A heavy smoker all his adult life,
Corbett's final role was an episode of the
Corbett died of a heart attack on 21 March 1982,[1] in Hastings, East Sussex. He was 57 years old.[12] He is buried in the graveyard at St Michael the Archangel church at Penhurst, East Sussex. The headstone inscription, chosen by his wife Maureen, reads "The earth can have but earth, which is his due: My spirit is thine, the better part of me", from William Shakespeare's Sonnet 74. Maureen was buried alongside him in 1999. Corbett is commemorated in the name of the Corbett Theatre at the East 15 Acting School at Loughton.[4]
Filmography
- Never Look Back (1952) – Policeman in charge of the cells (uncredited)
- The Passing Stranger (1954) – (uncredited)
- Floods of Fear (1958) – Sharkey
- Nowhere to Go (1958) – Sullivan (as Harry Corbett)
- Shake Hands with the Devil (1959) – Clancy (as Harry Corbett)
- In the Wake of a Stranger (1959) – McCabe
- Cover Girl Killer (1959) – The Man
- The Shakedown (1960) – Gollar
- Marriage of Convenience (1960) – Inspector Bruce
- The Big Day (1960) – Harry Jackson
- The Unstoppable Man (1960) – Feist
- Scotland Yard, "Wings of Death" (1961) – Sperintendent Hammond
- The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre (1960–62) – "Marriage of Convenience" (1960), Inspector Bruce; "Time to Remember" (1962), Jack Burgess
- Some People (1962) – Johnnie's Father
- Sparrows Can't Sing (1963) – Greengrocer (uncredited)
- Sammy Going South a.k.a. A Boy Ten Feet Tall (1963) – Lem
- Ladies Who Do (1963) – James Ryder
- What a Crazy World (1963) – Sam Hitchens
- The Bargee (1964) – Hemel Pike
- Rattle of a Simple Man (1964) – Percy Winthram
- Joey Boy (1965) – Joey Boy Thompson
- The Sandwich Man (1966) – Mack, Stage Door Keeper
- Carry On Screaming! (1966) – Detective Sergeant Sidney Bung
- Crooks and Coronets a.k.a. Sophie's Place (1969) – Frank Finley
- The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins (1971) – Ambrose (segment "Lust")
- Steptoe and Son (1972) – Harold Albert Kitchener Steptoe
- Steptoe and Son Ride Again (1973) – Harold Albert Kitchener Steptoe
- Percy's Progress a.k.a It's Not the Size that Counts (1974) – Prime Minister
- Hardcore a.k.a. Fiona (1977) – Art
- Adventures of a Private Eye (1977) – Sydney
- Jabberwocky (1977) – The Squire
- What's Up Superdoc! (1978) – Goodwin
- The Plank (1979) – Amorous Van Driver
- Silver Dream Racer (1980) – Wiggins
Television roles
- The Girl, BBC (1955) – Tony (as Harry Corbett)
- New Ramps for Old, BBC (1956), 6 episodes – Kegworthy (as Harry Corbett)
- Theatre Night, Nekrassov, BBC (1957) – Jules Palotin
- ITV Play of the Week, ITV (1956–1958) – Hamlet (1956), Gravedigger; Widowers' Houses (1957), Lickcheese; Mr. Bolfry (1957), Cohen; A Man About the House(1957), Salvatore; Mary Broome (1958), John Broome.
- ITV Television Playhouse, ITV (1957–1959) – The Crown of the Road (1957), Nik Ferens; The King's Bounty (1957), King James I of England; The Jukebox (1959), Charlie Panetti
- The Adventures of Robin Hood, ITC (1957–1960) – "The Angry Village" (1957), Jason; "The Charter" (1957), Sir Bascom; "The Genius" (1958), Nicodemus; "A Bushel of Apples" (1960), Sir Watkyn
- Armchair Theatre, "The Last Mile", ABC (1957) – Mears
- Armchair Theatre, "Panther 140", ABC (1957) – George Stedman
- Armchair Theatre, "A Gust of Wind", ABC (1958) – Emanuel Rigaretti
- Armchair Theatre, "Emperor Jones", ABC (1958) – Smithers
- Armchair Theatre, "The Sentry", ABC (1959) – Owen
- Armchair Theatre, "The Bird, the Bear and the Actress", ABC (1959) – P. Panghurst Shippers (The Bird)
- Armchair Theatre, "The Shadow of the Ruthless", ABC (1959)
- The Torrents of Spring, BBC (1959) – Sonny
- Song in a Strange Land, BBC (1960) – Ricardo Tancredo
- Police Surgeon, "Lag on the Run", ABC (1960) – George Drake
- Armchair Theatre, "Pig's Ear with Flowers", ABC (1960) – Fred Harris
- Armchair Theatre, "Thunder on the Snowy", ABC (1960) – Jan Redeck
- Armchair Theatre, "The Money Makers", ABC (1961) – Ralph Sherman
- Armchair Theatre, "Roll on Blooming Death", ABC (1961) – Private Mogridge
- Theatre 70, ATV (1961) – "The Intruder", Bill Moffatt; "Call for Mr. Ariman", Steven Brett; "Chance Witness", Harry Marsden
- Tales of Mystery, "The Man Who Was Milligan", ITV (1961) – Milligan
- Deadline Midnight, ATV (1960–61) – Episode 1.11 (1960), Harry Armitage; "An Eye for Detail" (1961), Harry Briggs
- Comedy Playhouse, "The Offer", BBC (1962) – Harold Steptoe
- Steptoe and Son, BBC (1962–1965, 1970–1974), 8 series, 57 episodes – Harold Steptoe
- Studio 4, "A Voice from the Top", BBC (1962) – The Landlord
- Christmas Night with the Stars, BBC (1962) – Harold Steptoe
- A Matter of Conscience, BBC (1962) – Prince Dmitri Nekhlyudov
- Zero One, "Discord", BBC (1963) – Vladimir Petrovsky
- Armchair Theatre, "The Hothouse", ABC (1964) – Harry Fender
- Jackanory, "The Wish Horse", "The Horses of the Foolish People", "Bayard the Charger", "Pegasus the Winged Horse", BBC (1966) – Storyteller
- The Ken Dodd Show, Episode #4.1, BBC (1966) – Harold Steptoe
- Comedy Playhouse, "Seven Year Hitch", BBC (1966) – Ernest 'Ern' Conway
- Mr Aitch, Associated-Rediffusion (1967), 14 episodes – Harry Aitch
- Christmas Night with the Stars, BBC (1967) – Harold Steptoe
- Armchair Theatre, "A Second Look", ABC (1968) – Frank Dolan
- Theatre 625, "The Fall of Kelvin Walker", BBC (1968) – Jake Whittington
- City '68, "The System: The House That Jigger Built", Granada (1968) – Jigger Barrett
- Galton and Simpson Comedy, "Never Talk to Strangers", LWT (1969) – Basil Puddifoot
- The Best Things in Life, ATV (1969–70), 13 episodes – Alfred Wilcox
- The Des O'Connor Show, ATV (1971) – self
- The Bruce Forsyth Show, ABC (1973) – self
- The Goodies, "Hospital for Hire", BBC (1973) – Minister for Health
- Comedy Playhouse, "For Richer... For Poorer", BBC (1975) – The working-class hero
- The Chiffy Kids, "Pot Luck", Children's Film Foundation (1976) – Hungry Herbert
- Premiere, "A Hymn from Jim", BBC (1977) – Alan Glut
- Shoestring, "Nine Tenths of the Law", BBC (1979) – Tom
- Potter, Episodes 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, BBC (1980) – Harry Tooms
- Grundy, ITV (1980) – Grundy
- The Dick Emery Christmas Show: For Whom the Jingle Bells Toll, BBC (1980) – Nico
- Comedy Tonight, Thames (1980)
- Nice to See You, Thames (1981)
- Tales of the Unexpected, "The Moles", ITV (1982) – George Balsam
Radio
Corbett made few solo radio appearances. The following are sourced from the BBC Archive.[15]
- Comedy Parade, "The Kerbstone Twist Show", BBC Light Programme (1964) – Wingate Gibbon
- Sounds Familiar, BBC Light Programme (1967) – panellist
- Waggoners' Walk, BBC Radio 2 (1975) – self, with Wilfrid Brambell
- Just Before Midnight, "Play Soft Then Attack", BBC Radio 4 (1978) – Alf
Discography
This list does not include any of the spoken-word recordings of Steptoe and Son.
Year | Title | Format | Label | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1955 | The Singing Sailor | Vinyl, LP | Topic Records TRL3 | Credited to: Ewan MacColl, A. L. Lloyd, Harry H. Corbett | [16] |
1962 | Junk Shop / The Isle of Clerkenwell | Vinyl, 7" single | Pye Records 7N.15468 | [17] | |
1963 | Like The Big Guys Do / The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God | Vinyl, 7" single | Pye Records 7N.15552 | [18] | |
1963 | The Table And The Chair / Things We Never Had | Vinyl, 7" single | Pye Records 7N.15584 | [19] | |
1967 | Blow The Man Down | Vinyl, 7" EP | Topic Records TOP98 | Credited to: Ewan MacColl, A. L. Lloyd, Harry H. Corbett, reissue from 1955 | [20] |
1967 | Flower Power Fred / (I'm) Saving All My Love | Vinyl, single, 7" | Decca F 12714 | Credited to: Harry H. Corbett with The Unidentified Flower Objects | [21] |
1971 | Harry You Love Her / It's The End Of A Beautiful Day | Vinyl, single, 7" | Columbia DB 8841 | [22] | |
1974 | Only Authorised Employees To Break Bottles | Vinyl, LP | RA Records RALP 6022 | [23] | |
1974 | Shetland Oil / Your Baby Has Gone Down The Plug Hole | Vinyl, single, 7" | Grampian Records Ltd. NAN 1035 | [24] | |
1979 | An Old Fashioned Christmas / Especially When You're Young | Vinyl, single, 7" | Symbol Records S 001 | Credited to: Harry H. & The Kids | [25] |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Harry H Corbett – Obituary". thisisannouncements.co.uk. 21 March 1982. Archived from the original on 7 January 2012.
- ^ a b c "Historical Person Search – Harry Corbett (1925–1982)". ancestry.com. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7524-7682-7
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Biographies – Harry H Corbett". televisionheaven.co.uk. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
- ^ a b c Barrie, David (19 August 2002). "The dirty truth: The tortured world of Steptoe and Son". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 March 2008.
- ^ "UK television adverts 1955–1985". www.headington.org.uk.
- ^ a b c "RA Records – Faraway Folk". peterice.com. 8 August 2003. Archived from the original on 28 December 2003.
- ^ a b "British Classic Comedy – Harry H. Corbett In Profile". britishclassiccomedy.co.uk. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
- ^ "The BBC sitcom that was so popular in the 1970s the Prime Minister asked it to be postponed so it didn't clash with the election". mylondon.news. 20 January 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ^ Brandreth, Gyles (20 February 2009). "The Honours Game". The Telegraph. Retrieved 18 April 2009.
- ISBN 1-84112-311-0
- ^ a b c d "Steptoe and daughter – interview with Susannah Corbett". Sussex.greatbritishlife.co.uk. 3 August 2012. Archived from the original on 12 August 2012.
- ^ Pryer, Emma (10 September 2016). "Harry H Corbett's daughter hails his legacy on eve of Steptoe and Son remake". Daily Mirror.
- ^ The Times, 14 July 1980
- ^ "Harry H. Corbett". BBC Programme Index. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
- ^ "Harry H. Corbett". Discogs. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
- ^ "Harry H. Corbett". Discogs. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
- ^ "Harry H. Corbett". Discogs. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
- ^ "Harry H. Corbett". Discogs. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
- ^ "Harry H. Corbett". Discogs. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
- ^ "Harry H. Corbett". Discogs. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
- ^ "Harry H. Corbett". Discogs. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
- ^ "Harry H. Corbett". Discogs. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
- ^ "Harry H. Corbett". Discogs. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
- ^ "Harry H. Corbett". Discogs. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
External links
- Harry H. Corbett at the BFI's Screenonline
- Harry H. Corbett at IMDb
- Harry H. Corbett Heaven
- Harry H. Corbett at Find a Grave