Max Bygraves

Max Bygraves
Born	16 October 1922 (1922-10-16) Rotherhithe, London, England
Spouse	Gladys 'Blossom' Murray (m. 1942–2011, her death)
Children	3 sons, 3 daughters

Max Bygraves OBE (born Walter William Bygraves on 16 October 1922) is an English comedian, singer, actor and variety performer. He appeared on his own television shows, sometimes performing comedy sketches between songs. Shows he presented included the gameshow Family Fortunes.

Early life

Max Bygraves was born the son of poor parents in Rotherhithe, southeast London docklands. His father was a professional boxer known as Battling Tom Smith, and a casual dockworker. Bygraves attended St. Joseph's Primary School in Rotherhithe.^{[citation needed]} He showed talent as a child singer and performed a solo in Westminster Cathedral.

Career

He left school at 14 to become a messenger for W. S. Crawford, an advertising agency in High Holborn. When World War II broke out, the advertising business collapsed and Max learned the trade of a carpenter and then volunteered for the Royal Air Force. His impression of Max Miller earned him the nickname Max from other airmen. He was increasingly called upon to perform in concert parties wherever he was posted.

After the war, the BBC asked him to perform in a demobilisation show called They're Out with other wartime new talent such as Frankie Howerd, Benny Hill, Jimmy Edwards, Harry Secombe and Spike Milligan. This opened the way to a career in light entertainment. In 1951 he appeared at the London Palladium. Comedian Eric Sykes became his scriptwriter. He got the part of the tutor in the BBC radio comedy show Educating Archie, where Archie was a ventriloquist's dummy. This made his name nationally and he appeared in a Royal Variety Show. Judy Garland invited him to support her for a season in New York.

He acted in several films, notably as Charley Moon in the film of the same name.

He was awarded the OBE in 1982.

For many years Bygraves, his wife, and his son Anthony lived in the Alum Chine area of Bournemouth, Dorset. While living there he noticed a guest house named "LingaLonga" and from this got the idea for his series of "SingaLonga" albums.

He also hosted the Christmas morning programme from the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital for a number of years.

From 1983 to 1985, Bygraves hosted the British game show Family Fortunes, taking over from the late Bob Monkhouse. Bygraves' series was noted by fans for the infamous "Irishman and Turkey" episode, as well as Bygraves' tendency to miss the prize sound, frequently causing the studio to sound it twice for Bygraves to hear it. Following the end of the series, there would be a two-year hiatus. Bygraves offered to finance the series' production himself after producer William G. Stewart stepped down, but Bygraves would eventually be succeeded by Les Dennis as the game show's host.

Personal life

Max Bygraves married WAAF sergeant Gladys (known as Blossom) Murray in 1942. The couple have three children: Christine (born 1943), Anthony (born 1947) and Maxine (born 1951).

Max has a son, John Rice (born 1946) by landgirl Margaret Garriock, a daughter, Beverly Sass (born 1954) by singer June Mack, and a son, Stephen Rose (born 1961), by actress Pat Marlowe, who committed suicide in 1962.

During the 1990s he bought an 84-acre (340,000 m²) property in northern New South Wales, Australia called Attunga Park.^{[citation needed]}

Max and his wife moved from Bournemouth to Queensland, Australia, in 2008. She died there in 2011, aged 88.

Max now lives with his eldest child Christine and her husband Barry Green on the Gold Coast Qld Australia. Although Max is now an Alzheimer's sufferer he has not lost his sense of humour or fun. He eats out in his favourite restaurants most day. Although he now has a cane he takes a walk morning and evening. His physical health is very robust. In March 2012 his son John Rice and daughter Beverley Mayhew-Sass have planned a visit to the Gold Coast to meet up with Max.

Television

• "Whack-O!" (1960)
• "The Royal Variety Performance"(1963)
• "It's Sad About Eddie (1964)
• "Max" (1969-1974)
• "Family Fortunes" (1983-1986)
• "The Mind Of David Berglas (1986)
• "Call Up The Stars" (1995)

Selected filmography

• The Nitwits on Parade (1949)
• Bless 'Em All (1949)
• Skimpy in the Navy (1949)
• Tom Brown's Schooldays (1951)
• Charley Moon (1956)
• A Cry from the Streets (1958)
• Bobbikins (1959)
• Spare the Rod (1961)

Albums

• Sing Along With Max
• Sing Along With Max Volume 2
• Sing Along With Max Bygraves
• Sing It Again Max
• Singalongamax
• Singalongamemory
• Singalongapartysong
• You Make Me Feel Like Singing A Song
• Singalongachristmas
• Singalongamovies
• Viva ! Congalongamax
• Singalongabroadway
• Smile
• Singalongawaryears
• Singalongawaryears Volume 2
• I Wanna Sing You A Story
• Discolongamax
• Ling A Long A Max
• 100 Golden Greats
• Focus On Max Bygraves
• The World Of Max Bygraves
• The World Of Max Bygraves Volume 2
• Max Bygraves Sings
• Strolling
• Max Bygraves: At His Very Best
• The Best Of Max Bygraves
• I'm Moving On
• Spotlight On Max Bygraves
• Goldenhouramax
• Around The World
• Something Old, Something New
• Happy Hits
• The Wonderful World Of Max Bygraves
• Max Bygraves Rolls On
• Songs For Young In Heart
• Hits Of The Twenties (with Ted Heath)
• Hits Of The Thirties (with Ted Heath)
• Max And Ted
• The Song And Dance Men (with Victor Silvester)
• Max Bygraves: The Collection
• Max
• Unbeatable Bygraves
• Nursery Rhymes For Grown Ups
• The Best Of His Hits Of The 50's
• Big Head
• Showstoppers
• Do Re Mi
• You're My Everything
• The Best Of Max
• Twogether (with Acker Bilk)
• Max A Million: Golden Greats Of The 20's
• Max A Million: Golden Greats Of The 30's
• Max A Million: Golden Greats Of The 40's
• Max A Million: Golden Greats Of The 50's
• Max A Million: Golden Greats Of The 60's
• Maximemories
• Party Sing-Along
• True Love
• You Are My Sunshine
• You Need Hands
• What A Wonderful World
• Wandrin Star
• The Old Fashioned Way
• Max Bygraves Classics
• Max Bygraves Collection
• The Singalong Collection
• Come Sing Along With Me

External links

• Max Bygraves at the Internet Movie Database
• Max Bygraves - official website

Preceded by Bob Monkhouse

Host of Family Fortunes 1983–1985

Succeeded by Les Dennis