Syd Walker (born Sydney Kirkman; 22 March 1886 – 13 January 1945) was a British actor and comedian.
Syd Walker | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Sydney Kirkman 22 March 1886 Salford, Lancashire, England |
| Died | 13 January 1945 (aged 58) |
| Occupation(s) | Comedian, actor |
| Spouse | Lily (Lydia) Louie Margaret Kirkman |
| Children | Pete Walker |
Born in Salford, Lancashire, he started his career in music halls, both as a solo performer and in double acts. He was also a member of Fred Karno's comedy troupe.[1] After some years performing with Karno, and after losing his Lancashire accent, he became a regular on BBC radio's Band Waggon (1938–1939) as Mr. Walker, a philosophical rag-and-bone man with the popular catch phrase: "What would you do, chums?"[2][3] He later had his own show, Mr Walker Wants to Know.[1]
He fell ill with appendicitis while playing in pantomime in Croydon, and died in Hove, Sussex, in 1945 at the age of 58.[1]
His son is the film director Pete Walker.[4]
Filmography edit
- Old Bill Through the Ages (1924)
- Royal Cavalcade (1935)
- Let's Make a Night of It (1937)
- Over She Goes (1938)
- Hold My Hand (1938)
- Sweet Devil (1938)
- Oh Boy! (1938)
- What Would You Do, Chums? (1939)
- I Killed the Count (1939)
- The Gang's All Here (1939)
References edit
- ^ a b c Busby, Roy (1976). British Music Hall: An Illustrated Who's Who from 1850 to the Present Day. London: Paul Elek. p. 176-177. ISBN 0-236-40053-3.
- ^ "Brighton and Hove people: W". Brighton History. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
- ^ Partridge, Eric (2 September 2003). A Dictionary of Catch Phrases. ISBN 9781134929993.
- ^ "Syd Walker". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 17 January 2009.
External links edit
- Syd Walker at IMDb
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