23 Facts About Jimmy Edwards

Jimmy Edwards was born in Barnes, Surrey, the son of a professor of mathematics.

Jimmy Edwards was educated at St Paul's Cathedral School, at King's College School in Wimbledon and as a choral scholar at St John's College, Cambridge, where he sang in the college choir.

Jimmy Edwards served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, was commissioned in April 1942, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, and ended the war as a flight lieutenant.

Jimmy Edwards served with No 271 Squadron RAF, based in Doncaster, who took part in the D-Day landings.

Jimmy Edwards's Dakota was shot down at Arnhem in 1944, resulting in facial injuries requiring plastic surgery, that he disguised with a large handlebar moustache that became his trademark.

Jimmy Edwards was a feature of London theatre in post-war years, debuting at London's Windmill Theatre in 1946 and on BBC radio the same year.

Jimmy Edwards was in the London Laughs revue at the Adelphi Theatre, London from 12 April 1952 - 6 February 1954 with Tony Hancock and Vera Lynn.

Jimmy Edwards had previously performed in the Cambridge Footlights revue.

Jimmy Edwards was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1958 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the BBC's Piccadilly 1 Studio.

Jimmy Edwards starred in The Fossett Saga in 1969 as James Fossett, an ambitious Victorian writer of penny dreadfuls, with Sam Kydd playing Herbert Quince, his unpaid manservant, and June Whitfield playing music-hall singer Millie Goswick.

In December 1958, Jimmy Edwards played the King in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella at the London Coliseum with Kenneth Williams, Tommy Steele, Yana and Betty Marsden; Bobby Howell was the Musical Director.

Jimmy Edwards frequently worked with Eric Sykes, acting in short films that Sykes wrote: The Plank, which starred Tommy Cooper; alongside Arthur Lowe in the remake of The Plank in 1979; and in Rhubarb, which again featured Sykes.

Jimmy Edwards appeared in The Bed Sitting Room as Nigel, a man who lives in a left luggage compartment after being mistaken for a suitcase.

Jimmy Edwards starred in the stage revival of Maid of the Mountains.

Jimmy Edwards published two autobiographies: Take it From Me in 1953 and Six of the Best in 1984.

Jimmy Edwards was vice-president of the City of Oxford Silver Band, and an accomplished player of tuba and euphonium.

Jimmy Edwards was founder and a lifelong member of the Handlebar Club, in which all the members had such moustaches.

Jimmy Edwards was a lifelong Conservative and in the 1964 general election stood for Paddington North, without success.

Jimmy Edwards's candidature drew wide media attention, much of it derisive, although the local party insisted they had chosen "Jimmy Edwards the man" rather than the comedian.

Jimmy Edwards was a devotee of fox hunting at Ringmer, near Lewes.

Jimmy Edwards was Rector of the University of Aberdeen for three years in the 1950s, a university with a history of celebrities and actors as honorary rector.

Jimmy Edwards was married to Valerie Seymour for 11 years.

Jimmy Edwards lived in Fletching, East Sussex and died from pneumonia in London in 1988 at the age of 68.