Do Brits remember George Formby?

Subject: RE: Do Brits remember George Formby?
From: Rumncoke
Date: 17 Sep 11 - 05:39 PM

certainly older people would remember him.

There was a series on TV called 'Goodnight Sweetheart' about someone able to move between the present and wartime England, and George Formby was one of the characters he met in the past.

He does occasionally crop up in person in various old films which are still screened on TV.

Anne Croucher

Subject: RE: Do Brits remember George Formby?
From: Bernard
Date: 17 Sep 11 - 05:39 PM

Nope, he's still a well-loved household name... the ukulele and George Formby belong in the same breath!

There are even societies which meet and play his stuff, often with a film for them to play along with.

Subject: RE: Do Brits remember George Formby?
From: Smokey.
Date: 17 Sep 11 - 05:39 PM

This one certainly remembers him - some of the first music I ever heard was 78s of George. He didn't play ukelele though, it was a banjolele. I'd say in general he's well remembered over here.

Subject: RE: Do Brits remember George Formby?
From: Will Fly
Date: 17 Sep 11 - 05:38 PM

We had a performer of Formby songs at a folk club last night - everyone knew the words!

I remember meeting him as a small boy, and I have all his records. I think he's very much alive in the memories of my generation and before. Even kids who probably don't know him directly have some knowledge of "Leaning on a lamp" and "My little stock of Blackpool rock", etc.

George Harrison was a keen uke player and an active member of the George Formby Society!

Subject: Do Brits remember George Formby?
From: GUEST,josepp
Date: 17 Sep 11 - 05:33 PM

I'm researching the role of the ukulele in the 20th century. Most Americans are only vaguely aware of the popularity of the uke in the 1920s. Most have no knowledge of Roy Smeck or Cliff Edwards a.k.a Ukulele Ike (unless they know he supplied Jiminy Cricket's voice singing "When You Wish Upon a Star" in 1940)

In comparison, how well do Brits today remember George Formby? He ssemed to be very popular all the way up to his death in 1961. Is he like someone the averge Brit today would know something about or has he slid into obscurity?