Jimmy James (comedian)

Infobox actor
Name = Jimmy James
bgcolour = silver

---

birthname = James Casey
birthdate = birth date|1892|05|20
location = flagicon|England Portrack, Stockton-on-Tees, England
deathdate = death date and age|1965|8|4|1892|05|20
deathplace = Blackpool, Lancashire, England
occupation = music hall, stage, film, radio and television comedian and comedy actor
spouse = Isabelle Darby, son James Casey

:"For alternatives for the name "Jimmy James" see the Jimmy James disambiguation page"

Jimmy James (20 May 1892 - 4 August 1965)cite book |last=Midwinter |first=Eric |title=Oxford Biography Index |publisher=Oxford University Press |date= |pages= |isbn= ] [http://archive.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/2000/12/6/184923.html Let there be lights ... eventually] , Darlington & Stockton Times] [http://archive.thenorthernecho.co.uk/2001/4/19/173412.html Let there be lights ... eventually] , The Northern Echo] [http://www.itsahotun.com/thestars.html Mancunian Film Studio - Biographies of the Stars] , It's A Hot'un] [http://www.swalwelluk.co.uk/picpages/pic-radioij.html Radio and TV Personalities I and J] , Swalwell] was a music hall, film, radio and television comedian and actor. Jimmy had limited use for jokes as such, preferring to say things in a humorous manner, often in surreal situations and as such was seen by some as well ahead of his time.Alan Myers, [http://seaham.i12.com/myers/james.htm Jimmy James (1888-1965)] ] He was often hailed as a 'comedian's comedian'. [http://www.odeonent.co.uk/details.asp?ProductID=34094 Best of British Northern Comedy] , Odeon Entertainment] [http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/2444 James, Jimmy] , BFI Film & TV Database]

Biographical details

Jimmy James was born James Casey on 20 May 1892 the eldest of four sons of Jeremiah Casey an iron puddler [http://archive.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/2000/11/29/185585.html A funny old business, these names] , Darlington and Stockton Times] or steelmaker. and Polly Gartland. Most sources state he was born in Portrack, Stockton-on-Tees [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0416613/bio Biography for Jimmy James] , IMDB] although others consider that he was born in South Bank, Middlesbrough and moved to Stockton-on-Tees at an early age. Jimmy was married in 1921 to Isabelle Darby a music hall performer and they had one son. Although Jimmy appeared on stage as a drunk, often with a cigar or cigarette in his mouth, he was teetotal [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0416613/ Jimmy James (I)] , IMDB] and did not smoke off stage. His weaknesses were gambling and his famed generosity which may account for his declared bankruptcies in 1936, 1955 and 1963. Jimmy was last on stage in 1964 and died in Blackpool of pulmonary congestion on 4 August 1965 following a heart attack and is buried in Oxbridge Cemetery, Stockton-on-Tees.

Jimmy James's son James Casey was the producer of the "The Clitheroe Kid" radio and television shows.

Career

Jimmy began his stage career in 1904 as Terry the blue-eyed Irish boy singing popular songs of the day and gained experience with a number of juvenile troupes. Unfortunately Jimmy was gassed on the Western Front in the First World War and never regained his singing voice. Jimmy appeared in Stockton as a double act with his great uncle Jimmy Howells and they were known as the "Two Jimmies".John North, [http://archive.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/2004/7/22/45030.html One woman army of Alcatraz] , Darlington & Stockton Times] In 1929 Jimmy was talent spotted in Sunderland and taken to London and by 1930 he was appearing at the London Palladium, earning £100 a week. Jimmy went on to appear in a number of films.

Over the years Jimmy slowly developed one of the funniest stage routines in variety history with his two stooges - Bretton Woods, later known as Eli Woods 'Our Eli', and Hutton Conyers played by members of the Casey family and more famously from 1956 to 1959 by a young Roy Castle. Eli Woods' real name is Jack Casey and he is Jimmy James' nephew. Bretton Woods was named after Bretton Woods, a ski resort at Mount Washington, New Hampshire, USA [http://picture.stockton.gov.uk/photos/t899.aspx Mecca Leisure 1985] , Picture Stockton] which gave its name to a United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference that resulted in the Bretton Woods Agreement during July 1944. Jimmy James named the character of Hutton Conyers after Hutton Conyers, a small village off the Great North Road in Yorkshire north-east of Ripon.

In Jimmy's first film for Mancunian Films in 1950 he starred with Norman Evans in "Over The Garden Wall" with Evans playing the role of his wife. His second film was "Those People Next Door" where he and Eli reprise James’s drunk routine. With his act Jimmy toured the musical halls, theatres and clubs around the country. While at the Barnsley Catholic Club Jimmy found Bernard Manning an agent who was able to find him a job as a singer with a band.Jonathan Margolis, [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/bernard-manning-453732.html Obituaries: Bernard Manning] , The Independent] [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/2007/06/19/db1901.xml Bernard Manning] , The Telegraph]

Jimmy James starred on radio in "Don't Spare the Horses" [http://telegoons.org/Bios/Bio_SM.htm Biography of Spike Milligan] , telegoons.org] Matthew Jarron, [http://www.personal.dundee.ac.uk/~mhjarron/spike/welcome.htm Jazzy's Spike Page] , Dundee] and "The Mayor's Parlour" [http://www.jimmyclitheroe.co.uk/ The Jimmy Clitheroe Website] , jimmyclitheroe.co.uk] [http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/celebs/broadcasters15.html Manchester Celebrities, Television, Film, Media & Broadcasting] , Manchester UK] written by himself and Frank Roscoe.

Jimmy appeared at the Royal Variety Performance in 1953Alan Myers, [http://seaham.i12.com/myers/james.htm Jimmy James (1888-1965)] ] and stole the show with his routine "The Chipster"—a lecture on the occupational hazards of preparing chips. Jimmy also appeared on television in his own series, "Home James" and "Meet the Champ" in 1960 as a boxing promoterGerry George, [http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/tv/memories/memories6.htm 1950's British TV Memories] , Whirligig TV] [http://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/champ/index.html Met the Champ] , British TV Resources] as well as making appearances in many TV programmes including "Billy Cotton Bandshow", "Showtime" (1959-1961), "Comedy Bandbox" (1962-1963) and "Saturday Bandbox" (1962). [http://www.lostshows.com/default.aspx?search=Jimmy+James Lost UK TV Shows] , Lost Shows.com]

Jimmy's Main Sketches

* The drunk
* The shoebox
* The chipster

Filmography

* "Those People Next Door" (1953) as Joe Lawton starring Jack Warner and with Eli Woods
* "Over the Garden Wall" (1950) with Norman Evans and Eli Woods.

References

External Links

* Biographies: [http://seaham.i12.com/myers/james.htm Alan Myers] , [http://www.swalwelluk.co.uk/picpages/pic-radioij.html Swalwell] , [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0416613/bio IMDB] and [http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101064571/ Oxford Biography Index]
* Photographs: [http://www.swalwelluk.co.uk/picpages/pic-radioij.html Swalwell] , [http://www.itsahotun.com/thestars.html Its a hot'un] and [http://www.epicure.demon.co.uk/inthebox.html Demon]
* Video:
** James and Eli Drunk sketch from "Over the Garden Wall" on [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLT5_Rd4J0g YouTube]
** The Box sketch: Early version on [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gprnJcN_m2A YouTube] and Roy Castle version on [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGcRynUHOt0 YouTube] .