Titter Ye Not!

Titter Ye Not!
William Hall

A master of the innuendo and the raised eyebrow, Frankie Howerd – inimitable star of the classic ‘Carry On’ films – became a cult hero.As much at home in the Oxford Union as in high-camp pantomime, he was adored by millions, old and young alike. From his first memory of falling downstairs as a toddler and landing on his head (and thus uttering the original ‘Oooo … ahhaah!’) to his countless radio, stage, TV and fillm appearances, Frankie Howerd was nevertheless a shy man, a perfectionist haunted by self-doubt and a battle with depression.Rich in anecdotes and revelations, with many of his friends contributing their own stories, Titter Ye Not! is an affectionate portrait of a comic genius whose like will never be seen again.

Copyright (#ulink_8a7d5b77-3b30-5f1d-8d6a-d56870e13a74)

HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd.

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A Grafton Original 1992

Copyright © William Hall 1992

William Hall asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

The Acknowledgements (#litres_trial_promo) constitute an extension of this copyright page

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Source ISBN: 9780586217733

Ebook Edition © SEPTEMBER 2016 ISBN: 9780008219413

Version: 2016-09-08

Dedication (#ulink_3e3a1dba-a84c-5891-a629-fa0637489d4c)

For Jeannie, Will, Juliette and Lena

with my gratitude for their inspiration,

support, and their patience.

Epigraph (#ulink_946f0e2c-4688-523c-a35a-09dfe3b6b9a8)

‘A comedian need not necessarily be a humorous person. Indeed those who have been most successful in exciting laughter have often been men with a disposition towards melancholy.’

DOCTOR SAMUEL JOHNSON (1709–1784)

‘Oh titter ye not. No, listen. Lis-sen! Everyone is being very tittersome tonight.’ FRANKIE HOWERD (1917–1992)

Contents

Cover (#udb5ad17f-0638-56e6-b70b-7488318f10e5)

Title Page (#u0059416d-874b-5b40-a294-141cdabdd16f)

Copyright (#ulink_78ed3bd5-db59-594d-936d-1214733737fa)

Dedication (#ulink_911a41d5-df85-5d7b-a1e6-42306f220004)

Epigraph (#ulink_0d2f6b37-9462-5b59-8756-cd2958a181d1)

Foreword by Peter Rogers (#ulink_0c6a1e9f-ae78-5fb4-a003-8281e623ad76)

Preface (#ulink_0d0b3d38-68d4-588c-85a4-b05fd6f98010)

1 Early Days (#ulink_c0009789-fde5-5e78-9200-53141efa985b)

2 Early Signs (#ulink_ad1181a8-5afb-5e23-9758-1c6ac9349faf)

3 Basic Training (#ulink_c7a9856b-d97f-55df-bf5b-bd235c3077d7)

4 On the Road (#ulink_94d294dd-c6c2-5247-befe-955a275c3533)

5 Radio Waves (#litres_trial_promo)

6 Sunny Interlude (#litres_trial_promo)

7 The Spice of Life (#litres_trial_promo)

8 The Other Women … (#litres_trial_promo)

9 Ups and Downs (#litres_trial_promo)

10 … And The Other Men (#litres_trial_promo)

11 Carry On (#litres_trial_promo)

12 Bottoms Up! (#litres_trial_promo)

13 In The Wars (#litres_trial_promo)

14 Fond Farewell (#litres_trial_promo)

Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)

Filmography (#litres_trial_promo)

Acknowledgements (#litres_trial_promo)