Albert Modley | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Albert Frederick Modley 3 March 1901 |
| Died | 23 February 1979 (aged 77) Morecambe, Lancashire |
| Occupation(s) | Comedian, entertainer |
| Years active | 1920s–1970s |
Albert Frederick Modley (3 March 1901 – 23 February 1979) was an English variety entertainer and comedian.
He was born in Liverpool, but moved to Ilkley in Yorkshire with his family as a child. His father, known as 'Professor Modley', ran a gymnasium, and gave exhibitions presenting strongmen such as Eugen Sandow. [1] [2]
Albert Modley won amateur boxing and diving competitions as a youth, but did not follow his father's profession as a physical trainer. [3] Instead, he began work as a delivery boy and then as a railway porter, entertaining in local pubs in his spare time. He made his stage debut at Morecambe, and his London debut in 1931. He started working in a double act with Harry Korris, until 1934. [1]
Wearing an oversized peaked cap, and described as "one of the finest Yorkshire dialect comedians", [1] he appeared in a wide variety of revues, pantomimes, and summer shows. He sometimes performed as a one man band, with drums, xylophone, harmonica and trumpet. [2] From 1940 he toured with his own show, "On with the Modley". [1] From 1949, he became successful on BBC radio as the resident comedian and host on Variety Bandbox . In 1974, he acted in a television adaptation of Alan Bennett's Across the Bay. [2]
He died in Morecambe in 1979, at the age of 77. [2]
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