Leaning on a Lamp Post...

110 years ago today, George Hoy Booth was born in Wigan, Lancashire.  Born blind as the result of an obstructive caul, his sight was restored when he was a few months old.  Booth's father was a well-known Music Hall comedian, and after a spell as a jockey, the young lad was to follow his father onto the stage.  He eventually became one of the most popular entertainers in the country - in the shape of George Formby!
The stand-up comedy led to greater things, the most notable being his singing.  He was an accomplished player of the ukelele and the banjolele (a cross between a banjo and ukulele), and audiences loved his cheeky humour, which was all too obvious in his songs.  In fact, several songs were considered too suggestive by the BBC, and were banned.  This never detracted from his popularity, and his songs, such as I'm Leaning on a Lamp-Post, and With My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock are still heard today.

Formby was very much in demand during WWII entertaining British troops, and also made a number of movies.  Between 1934 and 1945, Formby was the top comedian in British cinema, and in 1939, was even rated Britain's top film star!

George Formby suffered a heart attack - his second - and died in hospital on March 6, 1961.  So, one of the most popular performers in British history was gone, at the young age of 56.

To today's audiences (and particularly American audiences), Formby's humour may seem silly and antiquated, but he still has a huge following in the United Kingdom.