Frank Randle (Born Arthur Hughes, also known as Arthur McEvoy) (January 30, 1901 - July 15, 1957) was a British comedian. A contemporary of fellow Lancastrians George Formby and Gracie Fields, he was regarded as more subversive, perhaps the reason that the immense popularity he enjoyed during his lifetime has not survived him. January 30 is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1901 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... July 15 is the 196th day (197th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 169 days remaining. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1957 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A comedian (also comedienne, female) is a person who attempts to make people laugh through a variety of methods, normally through joke telling, or a stream of funny banter. ... Lancashire (archaically, the County of Lancaster) is a county palatine of England, lying on the Irish Sea. ... George Formby (May 26, 1904 - March 6, 1961) was a British singer and comedian who became a major star of both cinema and music hall. ... Gracie Fields, born Grace Stansfield (January 9, 1898 - September 27, 1979) was a British singer and comedian who became one of the greatest stars of both cinema and music hall. ...

Born Wigan, he left school aged 13 and worked in a variety of menial jobs until two years later he joined an acrobatic troupe. In 1928, he began to tour as a comedian, principally in Lancashire and the north, developing his own show, Randle's Scandals. He took equity in John E. Blakeley's Manchester-based Mancunian Film Studios and appearing in eight of its productions. Jump to: navigation, search Map sources for Wigan at grid reference SD583055 Wigan is a large town in the north-west of England, which between 1974 and 1986 formed part of the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester. ... Acrobatics (from Greek Akros, high and bat, walking) is one of the performing arts. ... 1928 was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... John E. Blakeley (October 1, 1988 - February 20, 1958) was a British film producer, director and screenwriter, the founder of Mancunian Films. ... Jump to: navigation, search Greater Manchester, commonly referred to as Manchester, is a metropolitan county in England established in 1974 which covers an area roughly encompassing the conurbation of City of Manchester. ... Mancunian Films was a motion picture production company based in Manchester, England that gave birth to the Mancunian Film Studios in 1947. ...

Randle's mischievous wit led to a running conflict with Harry Barnes, police chief of Lancashire seaside resort Blackpool, who frequently banned and censored his material. Randle responded to his critics in robust fashion, frequently throwing his false teeth into the audience and once bombarding Blackpool from an aeroplane with toilet rolls. Seaside, the marine shoreline of a Sea, may refer to one of several communities, including: Seaside, Oregon Seaside, California Seaside, Florida This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Tower, Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside town in England, on the coast of the Irish Sea. ...

On the outbreak of World War II, having failed his medical to join the RAF, Randle joined the Home Guard and started to establish a career in motion pictures that even overtook that of Formby. His iconoclastic portrayal of the underdog, flouting authority and disrupting the establishment found a ready audience in a population suffering the privations of war. Jump to: navigation, search World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a mid-20th-century conflict that... The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... A Home Guard is a part-time civilian reserve military force similar to a militia. ... For other uses see film (disambiguation) Film refers to the celluliod media on which movies are printed Film — also called movies, the cinema, the silver screen, moving pictures, photoplays, picture shows, flicks, or motion pictures, — is a field that encompasses motion pictures as an art form or as part of...

With the decline of the music halls in the 1950s, Randle's popularity faded. Pressed by debts and tax arears and suffering from the consequences of a life of alcohol abuse, he was made bankrupt by the tax authorities in 1955. He died in Blackpool of gastroenteritis, in 1957. Jump to: navigation, search 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Debt is that which is owed. ... A tax is a compulsory charge or other levy imposed on an individual or a legal entity by a state or a functional equivalent of a state (e. ... This article needs cleanup. ... Bankruptcy is a legally declared inability or impairment of ability of an individual or organization to pay their creditors. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1955 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Gastroenteritis, or inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, is an illness sometimes consisting of fever, diarrhoea and/or vomiting often caused by an infectious virus, bacterium or parasite. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1957 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

He had married May Annie Victoria, known as Queenie, in 1924. There were no children but Manchester artist Arthur Delaney was alleged to be Randle's illegitimate son by fellow performer Genevieve Willis (also known as Delaney). Jump to: navigation, search 1924 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Artist is a subjective term which describes a person creative in, innovative in, or adept at, their endeavors. ... Jump to: navigation, search Arthur Delaney (1927 - 1987) was a British painter whose scenes of Manchester life were influenced by those of L.S. Lowry, gaining some popularity since his death. ...

A detailed biography of Frank Randle and his career can be found at CP Lee essay on Frank Randle and also see Photographs, memorabilia and more information on Frank Randle

Bibliography

• Nuttall, J. (1978) King Twist
• Fisher, J. (1973) Funny Way to be a Hero
• Band, B. (1995) Blackpool's Comedy Greats
• Richards, J. (1994) Stars in our Eyes
• Montgomery, J. (1954) Comedy Films
• Mellor, J.G. (1982) They Made us Laugh

External links

• IMDb page
• Frank Randle biography