The Patton Brothers, comprising Jimmy Elliott (20 August 1931 – 26 July 2019)[4][non-primary source needed] and Brian Elliott (born 13 December 1933),[5] were an English comedy double act and the two older brothers of Barry and Paul Elliott, the Chuckle Brothers. They began their career as a double act in the 1950s.

The Patton Brothers
The Patton Brothers (Brian left, Jimmy right) on stage at the Futurist Theatre in Scarborough, 2013
BornJimmy Elliott
(1931-08-20)20 August 1931[1]
Brian Elliott
(1933-12-13) 13 December 1933 (age 90)[1]
Kent, England
DiedJimmy:
26 July 2019(2019-07-26) (aged 87)[2]
MediumTelevision and stage
Years active1954–2019
GenresPantomime
SpouseJimmy:
Valerie
(m. 1964⁠–⁠2010)

Amy
(m. 2017⁠–⁠2019)

Brian:

Christine
(m. 1962⁠–⁠1977)

Rachel
(m. 1983)
Relative(s)Chuckle Brothers (brothers)
Pete and Sophie Sandiford (great-nephew and great-niece/grandchildren)[3]
Notable works and rolesChuckleVision (1990–2009; various episodes)

Biography

edit

The brothers' father, Jimmy Elliott, was a comedian who later became known as Gene Patton. Jimmy and Brian grew up in Rotherham, like their brothers the Chuckle Brothers, but were born in Kent. Their other brother Colin never became an actor; he was a car mechanic. Their sister, Sheila, a dancer, was married to the actor Bill Waddington.

When Jimmy left school in 1946, he joined "Britain's Dead End Kids" and appeared in five pantomimes before Brian joined him. The brothers got their big break in 1956 when they performed in Aladdin as Chinese policemen. Over the course of their career they appeared alongside British pantomime favourites such as Barbara Windsor, Ronnie Corbett and John Inman.

Both Jimmy and Brian made appearances in the children's television series ChuckleVision alongside their younger brothers Paul and Barry. Jimmy's character was known as "No Slacking" due to the catchphrase that he constantly used to berate the Chuckle Brothers; Brian's was known as "Get Out of It!" for similar reasons. Prior to ChuckleVision, all four brothers had appeared together on the game show 3-2-1 in 1982 and the talent show New Faces.

In 2015, Jimmy became engaged to a 25-year-old ChuckleVision fan whom he had met via Facebook.[6] The couple married in 2017.[1]

Jimmy died in July 2019, aged 87.[2]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c Windham, Dan (20 April 2017). "Chuckle Brother and South Yorkshire resident Jimmy Patton, 85, weds 26-year-old girlfriend". The Yorkshire Post. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  2. ^ a b Starkey, Adam (25 July 2019). "Paul Chuckle 'devastated' after brother Jimmy Patton dies aged 87". Metro. UK. Archived from the original on 11 November 2023.
  3. ^ Corner, Natalie L (14 September 2020). "How Gogglebox stars Pete and Sophie Sandiford are related to The Chuckle Brothers". OK!. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  4. ^ Cricket, Jimmy (12 August 2019). "Me and Mrs C. have been to the funeral of one of Comedy's Showbiz Legends, Jimmy Patton, with so many showbiz friends today, and we met up after to celebrate his life, singing and telling stories, at the hotel where him and wife Amy attended a regular showbiz get together! 🎭". Twitter. Archived from the original on 22 March 2024.
  5. ^ Patton, Brian; Patton, Jimmy (10 November 2018). The Patton Brothers Laughing All Our Lives. LULU Press. ISBN 978-0-244-40166-5.
  6. ^ Coley, Jackson (19 September 2015). "Chucklevision's 'No Slacking guy' Jimmy Patton to marry fan 59 years younger than him". Metro. UK. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
edit