Wigan Borough Celebs

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Frank Randal

(1901-1957)
Frank Randle was born in Standish in Wigan in 1901. He was a childhood friend of George Formby, (also a Wigan man), who later became his main rival. Randle was probably one of the best music-hall comedians of his day. Curiously, he always appeared on stage without teeth. His career began in 1916, when he appeared as an acrobatic with the stage name of Arthur Twist. His stage acts were distinguished by his wild, extravagant, cheeky dialogues, frequently filled with risqu� topics and bad language. Of course, none of this was permitted in his movies, where he appeared as an honest comic cheeky chappie. However, it was to be much later, in the 1930s, before he would achieve notoriety as a comedian and popular entertainer with his own touring company known as "Randle's Scandals" . He was also a popular movie actor/comedian and starred as top of the bill regularly in summer season shows at Blackpool. During the early fifties his health declined and he died in Blackpool in 1957.

I hate to be a pedant but Pey Wapp has mentioned Sir Ian McKellan as a Wiganer.

Wikipaedophile has Sir Ian McKellan as being born 25th May 1939 in Burnley.

He did however spend his early and formative years in Wigan.

He was educated at Bolton School,  in Bolton.

And Standish isn't in Wigan. And it wasn't in Wigan 'borough' until 1972.

A celeb of sorts

Sir Leslie Cannon (1920 - 9 December 1970) was a prominent British union official and served as General President of the Electrical Trades Union from 1963 to 1970. He was born in Wigan, the son of a coalminer, and became a Communist activist, and trade union leader; member of Electrical Trades Union Executive Council, North Lancashire and Merseyside, 1948 - 1954. He left the Communist Party of Great Britain in 1956. In 1961 he uncovered an ETU ballot rigging scandal, and successfully sued the union. Cannon became president of the ETU in September 1963, a post left vacant by disgraced former president Frank Foulkes.
In his time as leader of the ETU, he took part in a merger with the plumbers' union to create the EETPU.
Cannon died from cancer on 9 December 1970.

David Bowie asked to meet me for a drink in the bees knees once, I agreeed, (Dog and partidge)

He released Just a gigolo soon after. True story.

Yes it could have been him

Admin wrote:A celeb of sorts

Sir Leslie Cannon (1920 - 9 December 1970)

..... member of Electrical Trades Union Executive Council, North Lancashire and Merseyside ....

However, Merseyside didn't exist until 1972. And he was dead!

Les Howard sang on the BBC with the BBC northern Dance Band,

Has Joe Gormley been mentioned???

Yes, very recently in fact.  

Thingy off Dad's  army...

Colin Bean, lived in the flats at Scholes.

Joseph has mentioned that Ken Parry was an Incer , He used to Toller about appearing in a famous film with Elizabeth Taylor, My late Brother in law was from Ince and He went to School with mester Parry ,and my Brother-in law claimed that He could act Ken off the stage , also I have just remembered that Tommy off early doors is also a wigginer

Joseph wrote:Colin Bean, lived in the flats at Scholes.

Yes, that's the man

broady wrote:Has Joe Gormley been mentioned???

He wasn't from Wigan!

tonker wrote:Luke Marsden!  Why has nobody mentioned him?  He's definately a Wigan Celeb.,  laaaaike!  

I was at college with him

Gormley was from Ashton, a suburb of the Mighty town that is Wigan.

Mac wrote:Gormley was from Ashton, a suburb of the Mighty town that is Wigan.

Not at all.   Ashton in Makerfield is a town in its own right and is regarded as a standalone urban area in the Government National Statistics.

PS: and what's more, Joe Gormley worked in the St.Helens coalfield mines and was leader of the St.Helens branch of the NUM until he was President.

It was a village between the mighty town of Wigan and lilold St Helens when he was born though.

Admin wrote:It was a village between the mighty town of Wigan and lilold St Helens when he was born though.

It was a town and an urban district of Lancashire.

I like Haydock, I take the kids there and tell them I invented a time machine and we have gone back a hundred years

How do you explain the presence of the transport hub of the north-west, the presence of some of the biggest distribution depots in the North of England, the presence of a popular horse race course along with 3 hotels. Home of leading neurological rehabilitation centres ..... am I going on a bit?

I tell them I brought it all back in time with me, and soap, I took soap.

Horse racing was around a hundred years ago. I asked the inventor of the horse about it, he said it was.

HAHAHA

Corky Ringspot wrote:HAHAHA

That was me laughing at Tonker's riposte.