Max Wall(1908-1990)

He made his stage debut at the age of two with his father, Jack Lorimer, a music hall star. At fourteen, he ran away from home to play the son of George Lacey's Mother Goose in a touring panto, in which he was billed as 'Max the Boy with Obedient Feet' or 'Max Wall and His Independent Legs'. Being a dancer, his 'dumb act' didn't earn much in fees, so one night he added a joke and got a bit of a laugh. Before long, he was doing more jokes and less dancing. During WWII, he was an acting corporal in the RAF, drilling, lecturing and entertaining the troops. In 1946, he topped the bill for the first time in his first live radio comedy series 'Our Shed' with Patricia Hayes. His first dramatic role was as Père Ubu in Ubu Roi at the Royal, Court followed by The Old Ones, also at the Royal Court and as Archie Rice in The Entertainer at Greenwich, The Caretaker, Waiting For Godot and Krapps Last Tape. In 1955,he had his first television series, The Max Wall Show, which he also wrote. In the 70's, his biggest West End success was in 'Cockie'. Always busy he was never out of work for more than two months.