24 Facts About Bernard Manning

Bernard John Manning was an English comedian and nightclub owner.

Bernard Manning gained a high profile on British television during the 1970s, appearing on shows such as The Comedians and The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club.

Bernard Manning's act became controversial as attitudes changed, with the result that Manning was rarely seen on television in the last few decades of his career.

Bernard Manning had Russian Jewish ancestry on his father's side, as well as roots in Ireland, and was brought up a "strict Catholic".

Bernard Manning claimed, in an interview with The Daily Telegraphs Allison Pearson, that his paternal grandfather came from Sebastopol, and changed the family name from Blomberg.

Bernard Manning left school aged 14, worked in a tobacco factory and joined his father's greengrocery business, before joining the British Army to do his National Service.

Bernard Manning had little thought of entertainment as a career, until posted to Germany where, in his self-written obituary, he began to sing popular songs to entertain his fellow soldiers and pass the time.

On returning to England, Bernard Manning continued to sing professionally, and worked as a compere.

Bernard Manning was an effective singer of popular ballads and fronted big bands in the 1950s, such as the Oscar Rabin Band, which included appearances at the Ritz Hotel.

The club played host to many other acts, and Bernard Manning claimed that the Beatles performed there early in their career.

Bernard Manning compered The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club, which began in 1974.

Bernard Manning hosted the 1980 documentary short The Great British Striptease, filmed in Blackpool, and had a starring role in a comedy quiz show Under Manning, produced by Southern Television in 1981.

The series was poorly received and short-lived, and by the 1980s Bernard Manning had fallen out of favour with television companies, either because of changing tastes or his failure to compromise with television companies.

In 1994, two black waitresses at a charity dinner at a hotel in Derbyshire took exception to Bernard Manning's act and appealed to an industrial tribunal against the management of the hotel for racial discrimination, claiming that the word "wog" had been used.

Bernard Manning never toned down his act, but he had a minor television career revival towards the end of his life, including Channel 4 taking him to Mumbai to perform.

Bernard Manning chose to honour the Roman Catholic nun Mother Teresa.

In 2003, Bernard Manning was initially reported to have been booked to play a BNP rally.

From 1999 his son, Bernard Manning Jr, managed the Embassy Club, shortly after his father had a mini stroke and became deaf in one ear.

Bernard Manning considered his father's act inappropriate for bookings and sought to turn the club into an alternative comedy venue.

Bernard Manning lived next door to an Indian physician's family, who have appeared in many newspaper articles over the years to defend Manning.

In interviews with journalists, Bernard Manning would remind them of his appearance with Dean Martin in Las Vegas and meeting the Queen.

Bernard Manning named his house in Alkrington "Shalom", the Hebrew word for "peace".

Bernard Manning was the subject of This Is Your Life on 27 November 1991.

Bernard Manning had written his own eulogy, which appeared as an obituary in the Daily Mail two days later.