Frank Carson
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| Frank Carson | |
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| Born | November 6, 1926 Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Medium | Stand-up comedy |
| Years active | 1960s – present |
| Notable works and roles | The Comedians |
Frank Carson (born 6 November 1926, Belfast, Northern Ireland)[1] is a Northern Irish comedian and actor, best known on television in series such as The Comedians and Tiswas.
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[edit] Early life
Carson was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland where he attended St Patrick's Primary School and worked as a plasterer in the building trade. Frank's family were of Italian descent, with his grandmother hailing from Sicily. He grew up in an area of Belfast called 'little Italy', which no longer exists.[2] Carson spent 3 years with the Parachute Regiment in the Middle East in the 1950s.[1]
[edit] Television career
Carson became a popular performer on Irish TV, he then went to England to work as a stand-up club comedian and had success on the long running TV music-hall revival show, The Good Old Days. He then went on to win the peak-viewing national favourite talent show Opportunity Knocks, presented by the veteran actor Hughie Green, three times. His style of telling jokes and good material came over well on TV and he was one of the most noticeable of the acts when he appeared on The Comedians (1971) alongside Charlie Williams, Bernard Manning, Mike Reid and Jim Bowen. This was a novel TV show at the time and consisted of a half hour of non-stop stand-up comedy from several comedians per show. It became a hit in the United Kingdom and Frank Carson's career was established from then on. The show started success for a long list of UK comedians, many of whom are still working today.
The Comedians led to similar shows, Who Do You Do? and The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club. The last was an attempt to bring the northern English working man's club show to TV. Frank Carson was a regular on TV for many years after The Comedians, also working as a stage entertainer and appearing before the Royal Family in shows. Carson's two catchphrases, "It's a cracker!" and "It's the way I tell 'em!" never seem to fail when he appears before an audience, and he often tells 'Irish jokes'. i.e. jokes mocking an Irishman in a mild way.
He had heart surgery in 1976 and it was suggested that this would mean he would retire. But he continued working - he became a regular on the ATV children's series Tiswas - and also went into making TV acting appearances and also acting in two cinema films in the 1990s, and directing a film in 2002.
In 2004, a planned appearance on the UK version of TV reality show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! was shelved by ITV executives due to prohibitive insurance costs given Carson's age.
[edit] Current activities and charity work
Today Carson lives in the Layton area of Blackpool, Lancashire. He is still working, making live appearances, in Cabaret, Pantomime and the Summer Season throughout the UK. Carson spends much of his time helping the needy which has included raising £130,000 for the Royal Victoria Hospital Children's Cancer Ward in 1986.
In 1987 his dedication to charity was recognised by the Roman Catholic Church when he was awarded a Papal knighthood by the Pope.
He is a member of the entertainment charity the Grand Order of Water Rats.
His nephew Sean Carson is a comedy writer.
His nephew Trevor Carson is a football Goalkeeper for Sunderland F.C. in the Premier League.
Carson is a director of football team Chasetown F.C..[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Times Online Birthdays. Retrieved on 2007-11-06.
- ^ Immigration and Emigration in Northern Ireland. BBC. Retrieved on 2008-03-12.
- ^ BBC SPORT | Football | FA Cup | FA Cup third round as it happened
[edit] External links
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