Bobby Thompson

Bobby Thompson
Born	Bobby Thompson 18 November 1911(1911-11-18) Penshaw, Sunderland, County Durham
Died	16 April 1988 (aged 76) North Tyneside Hospital, North Tyneside, England
Occupation	Comedian
Spouse(s)	Eleanor Cicely Palmer

Bobby Thompson (18 November 1911 – 16 April 1988) was a stand-up comedian, actor and entertainer from County Durham in North East England.^[1] Although born and raised in Penshaw, Sunderland, he later moved to Whitley Bay.^[2]

Early years

He was the seventh child of John and Mary Thompson, who both died by the time he was 8 years old. He was then raised by his elder sister in the village of Fatfield.

After leaving school at 15, he started worked at North Biddick Colliery, earning 7 shillings and sixpence a week. He would supplement his income by playing the harmonica around local working men's clubs and competing in domino tournaments. His first stand-up performance took place at the Gem Cinema in Penshaw as a young lad.

The comedian was married three times. His second wife, Phyllis, died in the 1970s. He announced his engagement to Mary Douglass, 62, of Annfield Plain a few years later, but the engagement was broken off. In 1980, Bobby married his housekeeper, Eleanor Cicely Palmer, more commonly known as Cissy Ward. She was famously taller than he was. At the time of their marriage, Cissy was 62.

Career

Famous for his broad Pitmatic (Wearside, or more specifically Sunderland dialect) accent, self-deprecating humour and mastery of the mother-in-law joke, Thompson was affectionately known as The Little Waster due to his short stature, which he often played upon his act, describing himself as "Little Bobby". His most famous outfit was a worn out stripey jumper (Wooly gansey) and flat cap. His ever-present Woodbine cigarette stub, hanging from the corner of his mouth, was also an integral part of his on-stage persona.

His attempts to move beyond North East England were limited by his accent and the regional bias of his humour, although he did enjoy some success with the BBC show, Wot Cheor Geordie.

He was also renowned for his problems with the tax man, stemming from the fact that he never seemed to pay any. This was an unfortunate fact that he turned to humour in his stage act.

Problems with drink, finances and his health affected his career in the 1970s, but he remained a North East favourite, particularly on the club scene, until shortly before his death.

Quotes

• "The dole is my shepherd, I shall not work."
• "She shouts from upstairs, Bobby can yer fix the string on wa carrier bag . . . wai as nay engineer."
• "I'll give yu a bottle o' Brandy if you can tell us you pay the 'lectric bill before you get the red letter."
• "A man come to oor door. I says come in, tak a seat. He says 'I'm coming in to tak the lot.'"
• "Wu got off the train at Blackpool, the porter came up an' asked if 'e could carry me bag. I said 'Na, let 'er walk'."
• "Wu went into the restaurant an' asked for a coffee. The waiter asked if wu wanted black or white. She says 'I'll have black wi' milk in'."
• On the night of the 1951 election when the Conservative Party was rumoured to be planning to abolish the National Health Service: "It came tu last orders and the barman shouted 'Come on, let's see yer glasses off', and I said 'Well, them Tories haven't wasted any time, have the!'"
• "You believe Bobby Thompson. If yu pays what yu owe yu'll never have nowt."
• "When ya drunk, yu say things yu don't mean. I says to her I love ya. After a wiped the blood off me face ... A says gis a kiss under the mistletoe. She says aks me mother'. I wish a could've found an axe. Aks 'er mother for a kiss under the mistletoe, a wouldn' kiss 'er under chloroform!"
• "1939 - I was secretary for the street… I went for treasurer but a was too well known!"
• "She's putting up sandwiches on the Monday an' wa not gannin till the Wednesday. Well ye kna tinned tomatoes torn claggy"
• "They came into the court and they woz givin' the papers out to the jurerors (Jury) ... She shouts 'Bobby, there must be a Housie on before the case!'"
• "The judge said 'You owe seven thousand, can you pay?'... I said 'Give 'im the breathalyser!'"
• "Noo, Ah divvent kna where aal ye's are from ... (changes to a posh accent) but I'm from Whitley Bay."
• "She says 'Bobby, we'll just have a two course lunch cos its rather warm'. Two course?! Chips n' sauce!!"
• "There waz a knock at the door last Wednesday mornin'. He says, 'Am from Littlewoods', I says, 'God bless ya! I've won the treble chance?!' He says, "Nah, your wife's up for shoplifting!"
• "Now, that's the thing aboot debt. Some calls it debt, ya see, and then there's them what calls it credit. Committee mens' wives, 'on account'. Well, am in debt on account of not being able to pay me credit!"
• "... and err!" a mannerism frequently used by Bobby at the punchline of a joke. Also used in conversation by Lord Ashley 'Farquar' Reynolds of Shotley Manor, former Monarch of the Glen.

Death

Bobby died in hospital, after being taken there on 9 April 1988, suffering from breathing problems. He died a week later, whilst listening to songs from his childhood, such as Beautiful Dreamer and Sweet 16^{[citation needed]}.

References

External links

• Bobby Thompson tribute website
• Official Bobby Thompson site run by his son Keith Thompson