1. Walter William "Max" Bygraves was an English comedian, singer, actor and variety performer.
23 Facts About Max Bygraves
1. 2.
Max Bygraves appeared on his own television shows, sometimes performing comedy sketches between songs.
3.
Max Bygraves made twenty Royal Variety Performance appearances and presented numerous programmes, including Family Fortunes between 1983 and 1985.
4.
Max Bygraves's father was a professional flyweight boxer, known as Battling Tom Smith, and a casual dockworker.
5.
Max Bygraves left school at 14, working at the Savoy Hotel in London as a pageboy, but was sacked for being too tall.
6.
Max Bygraves later put some of his success as a variety performer down to his lanky physique.
7.
Max Bygraves then became a messenger for W S Crawfords, an advertising agency at 233 High Holborn before serving as a fitter in the Royal Air Force in the Second World War and working as a carpenter.
8.
Max Bygraves changed his name to Max Bygraves in honour of comedian Max Miller.
9.
Max Bygraves has a little to learn in the art of showmanship, but not much, but there is no denying the brilliance of his impersonations.
10.
Max Bygraves became a successful recording artist with seven top ten hits on the UK Singles Chart between 1952 and 1960.
11.
Max Bygraves occasionally worked as an actor, appearing in British films including Bless 'Em All and Tom Brown's Schooldays.
12.
Max Bygraves appeared as himself in the 1954 British film musical Harmony Lane directed by Lewis Gilbert.
13.
Max Bygraves portrayed the title character in the 1956 film Charley Moon and starred in the 1961 drama Spare the Rod.
14.
Max Bygraves was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1961 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while rehearsing his new show, Do Re Mi at London's Prince of Wales Theatre.
15.
Max Bygraves appeared in several TV series including the sitcom Roamin' Holiday and the variety shows Max and Max Bygraves at the Royalty.
16.
From 1983 to 1985, Max Bygraves hosted Family Fortunes, taking over from his friend and fellow comedian Bob Monkhouse.
17.
From 1972, Bygraves recorded a series of albums, Sing Along With Max, in which he sang medleys of familiar songs aimed at an older audience.
18.
Max Bygraves' catchphrase was said to be: "I wanna tell you a story".
19.
In 1982, Max Bygraves was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
20.
On 9 August 1974, Max Bygraves became trapped on a cliff-face near his house in Westbourne, Bournemouth, while attempting to retrieve a kite flown by his grandson Michael which had become stuck beneath the edge of the cliff.
21.
Max Bygraves suffered friction burns on his hands and was in shock when police and firefighters helped him to safety.
22.
In 1999, Max Bygraves underwent treatment for an ear disorder, having cancelled a number of performances on his doctor's advice.
23.
Max Bygraves was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2010, and he died from complications of this illness at his daughter's home in Hope Island, Queensland, Australia on the evening of 31 August 2012.