Jimmy Edwards
James Keith O'Neill Edwards, DFC (23 March 1920 – 7 July 1988), was an English comedian, actor, and writer renowned for his bombastic style and memorable roles in post-war British entertainment, particularly as the dim-witted Pa Glum in the long-running BBC radio comedy Take It From Here (1948–1960) and as the eccentric, cane-wielding headmaster 'Professor' James Edwards in the BBC television sitcom Whack-O! (1956–1960, revived 1971–1972).[1][2] A decorated veteran of the Royal Air Force, Edwards earned the Distinguished Flying Cross as a flight lieutenant with 271 Squadron for gallantry during the Arnhem airborne operation in September 1944, where his Dakota transport was involved in resupply efforts under fire.[3][4] His career encompassed stage farces like the hit Big Bad Mouse co-starring Eric Sykes, which ran for over 1,000 performances starting in 1966, as well as panel shows such as Does the Team Think? and occasional films including Bottoms Up! (1960), a spin-off from Whack-O!.[1] Defined by his handlebar moustache, booming voice, and satirical jabs at authority, Edwards embodied a conservative persona, unsuccessfully contesting Paddington North as a Conservative candidate in 1964, while privately navigating a brief marriage to Valerie Seymour (1958–1969) and his homosexuality, which remained concealed until outed in 1979 amid an era of legal and social prohibition.[2]Early Life
Childhood and Family Background
James Keith O'Neill Edwards was born on 23 March 1920 in Barnes, then part of Surrey.[2][1] He was the eighth of nine children in his family and the youngest of five sons.[2] His father, Reginald Walter Kenrick Edwards, worked as a mathematics lecturer at King's College London.[2] His mother, Phyllis Katherine Cowan, was originally from New Zealand.[2] The family experienced financial difficulties following the father's death in 1935, which prompted older brothers such as Alan, who joined the mounted police that year, and Hugh, who entered the Merchant Navy as a 14-year-old apprentice, to leave school early to contribute to the household.[2]Education and Formative Influences
Edwards attended St Paul's Cathedral School, a choir school, where he excelled academically and rose to the position of head boy.[2] He subsequently secured a scholarship to King's College School in Wimbledon, continuing his secondary education there.[2] Edwards then matriculated at St John's College, Cambridge, as a choral scholar, pursuing studies in history and ultimately obtaining an MA degree.[2] During his time at university, he participated in Cambridge Footlights revues, experiences that cultivated his affinity for comedy and theatrical performance.[1] These early stage involvements provided foundational skills in humor and audience engagement, influencing his later pivot toward entertainment following military service.[1]Military Service
Royal Air Force Enlistment and World War II
Edwards volunteered for service in the Royal Air Force in 1940, shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War, and underwent pilot training in Canada as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.[4] He completed elementary flying training at No. 32 Elementary Flying Training School in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, earning his wings and receiving a commission as a pilot officer in April 1942.[4] Following advanced training, Edwards was posted to No. 271 Squadron of RAF Transport Command, based at RAF Down Ampney in Gloucestershire, in 1943, where he flew Douglas Dakota aircraft on supply and troop transport missions.[4] The squadron specialized in paratroop and glider towing operations, including leaflet-dropping raids over occupied France to support resistance efforts and the preparation for the Normandy invasion.[4] In early 1943, Edwards also flew a Vickers Wellington bomber to North Africa, serving briefly in a holding unit at Fort de l'Eau before returning to active duties in Britain.[4] Edwards participated in the squadron's glider-towing operations on D-Day, 6 June 1944, towing Horsa gliders across the English Channel to support airborne landings in Normandy as part of the Allied invasion of Europe.[4] Later that year, No. 271 Squadron shifted focus to resupply missions during Operation Market Garden, the airborne assault on Arnhem and other Dutch bridges in September 1944, where Edwards flew multiple sorties under intense anti-aircraft fire and fighter opposition.[4] His service in these transport roles highlighted the critical logistical demands of airborne warfare, contributing to the RAF's broader effort to sustain ground forces in contested European theaters.[4]Combat Experience and Distinguished Flying Cross
Edwards served as a pilot with No. 271 Squadron RAF, flying Douglas Dakota transport aircraft in support of Allied airborne operations during World War II.[5] The squadron, part of No. 46 Group Transport Command, participated in the Normandy invasion on 6 June 1944, towing gliders and dropping paratroopers as part of the D-Day airborne assault.[6] Edwards flew missions exposing his unarmed aircraft to intense anti-aircraft fire and enemy defenses while delivering troops and supplies over contested areas.[4] During Operation Market Garden in September 1944, Edwards conducted re-supply drops to British forces at Arnhem, navigating heavy flak on multiple sorties from bases including RAF Down Ampney.[3] On 21 September 1944, while leading a re-supply mission, his Dakota successfully delivered its cargo despite fierce opposition but sustained damage from anti-aircraft fire en route back, disabling one engine; Edwards nonetheless returned to base. Later that day, on a second mission, the aircraft was again struck by flak, igniting a fire from leaking fuel tanks; with the crew unable to bail out due to injuries and low altitude, Edwards executed a controlled crash-landing in a wooded area at approximately 100 feet, saving his crew from parachuting into enemy-held territory.[4] For these actions demonstrating "determination and initiative" in airborne operations under extreme hazard, Edwards was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, gazetted on 2 February 1945 in The London Gazette. The official recommendation praised his coolness and resourcefulness, noting that he had completed numerous high-risk sorties, including those over Arnhem, where losses from flak were severe for transport pilots.[4] Edwards concluded the war as a flight lieutenant, having contributed to the squadron's role in sustaining encircled airborne troops despite the operation's ultimate failure.[6]Entertainment Career
Breakthrough in Radio Comedy
Following demobilization from the Royal Air Force in 1946, Edwards secured his first regular radio engagement in the BBC series Navy Mixture in 1947, marking his initial foray into broadcast comedy.[7] This short-lived programme provided early exposure but did not achieve widespread acclaim. Edwards' breakthrough arrived with Take It From Here, a BBC Light Programme comedy series that debuted on 23 March 1948—coinciding with his 28th birthday—and ran until 1960.[7][8] Written by Frank Muir and Denis Norden, the show featured Edwards alongside Dick Bentley and Joy Nichols, blending sketches, songs, and satirical send-ups that quickly propelled it to national popularity.[9] Its format evolved to include recurring characters, cementing Edwards' status as a leading radio comedian through his bombastic, authoritative persona, often portraying blustering authority figures. A pivotal segment, The Glums, debuted in 1953 after Nichols departed for New York, with June Whitfield assuming a larger role; Edwards played the dim-witted Pa Glum in domestic farces opposite Bentley's Ron Glum, which became the show's signature draw and ran for over 1,000 episodes across radio and later adaptations.[10] The series' success, drawing audiences of up to 10 million by the mid-1950s, established Edwards as a household name and influenced subsequent British comedy formats.[7]Television and Stage Successes
Edwards achieved significant success in television through the BBC sitcom Whack-O!, which aired from 1956 to 1960 and revived in color from 1971 to 1972, portraying the bumbling headmaster Professor James Edwards at Chiselbury School.[11][12] The series, written by Frank Muir and Denis Norden, debuted on October 4, 1956, with initial fortnightly episodes building to full series runs that capitalized on Edwards' bombastic persona and physical comedy.[12] Its popularity led to a radio adaptation on the BBC Light Programme starting in 1961, underscoring Edwards' transition from radio to visual media where his exaggerated mannerisms and mustache-twirling antics resonated with audiences.[13] In the late 1970s, Edwards reprised his radio character Pa Glum in the ITV sitcom The Glums (1978–1979), a direct adaptation of sketches from Take It From Here, featuring him as the grumpy father alongside Ian Lavender as Ron and Patricia Brake as Eth.[14] The series maintained the original's domestic farce style, with Edwards' booming delivery driving episodes centered on family mishaps and pub conversations, airing in short bursts that evoked nostalgia for post-war British humor.[15] On stage, Edwards' most notable triumph came in the farce Big Bad Mouse (1966 onward), co-starring Eric Sykes as timid office clerks entangled in escalating deceptions at a biscuit company.[1] The production, which toured extensively and reached the West End, drew large crowds due to the duo's improvisational flair and physical slapstick, running for years and even spawning a 1972 television recording.[16] Earlier, Edwards honed his comedic timing in Cambridge Footlights revues during university, blending music hall traditions with satirical sketches that foreshadowed his professional farces and pantomimes.[2]Film Appearances and Writing Contributions
Edwards debuted in film with the 1948 short comedy Trouble in the Air, marking his early entry into screen acting following his radio work.[17] He followed with appearances in Murder at the Windmill (1949), portraying himself in this variety-style production, and Helter Skelter (1949) as Dr. James Edwards.[18] These initial roles established him in light entertainment cinema, leveraging his bombastic persona honed in post-war revue shows. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Edwards took on supporting comedic parts in British features, often as blustering authority figures or hapless professionals. In the 1956 adaptation of Jerome K. Jerome's Three Men in a Boat, he played the character Harris, contributing to the film's ensemble humor alongside Laurence Harvey and David Tomlinson.[19] He appeared as a professor in the farce Bottoms Up! (1960), which satirized academic pretensions, and in Nearly a Nasty Accident (1962), a service comedy drawing on his RAF background.[20] Later credits included a policeman in Eric Sykes's silent comedy The Plank (1967) and Nigel in the dystopian The Bed Sitting Room (1969), directed by Richard Lester, where his exaggerated delivery contrasted the film's surreal tone.[19] Edwards reprised comedic physicality in the 1979 remake of The Plank and Rhubarb Rhubarb (1980), a sequel to Sykes's earlier Rhubarb (1969), in which he had also starred.[20]| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Trouble in the Air | Supporting |
| 1956 | Three Men in a Boat | Harris |
| 1960 | Bottoms Up! | Professor Jim Edwards |
| 1967 | The Plank | Policeman |
| 1969 | The Bed Sitting Room | Nigel |
| 1979 | The Plank (remake) | Policeman |
| 1980 | Rhubarb Rhubarb | Supporting |