Frank Carson is an Irish comedian
and occasional actor. Born in Belfast, he came to England
to work as a stand-up comedian and had success on the
long running music-hall revival show on TV, The Good
Old Days.
He also won the peak-viewing national favourite
talent show Opportunity Knocks, presented by the veteran
actor Hughie Greene, several times. His style of telling
jokes and good material came over well on TV and he
was one of the most noticeable of the acts when he
appeared on The Comedians (1971).
This was a novel
TV show at the time and consisted of a half hour of
non-stop stand-up comedy from several comedians per
show. It became a hit in the UK and Frank Carson's
career was established from then on. The show started
success for a long list of UK comedians, many of who
are still working today.
The Comedians led to similar show Who Do You Do?
and The Wheel-tappers And Shunters Club. The last was
an attempt to bring the northern English working man's
club show to TV.
Frank Carson was a regular on TV for
many years after The Comedians, also working as a stage
entertainer and appearing before the royal family in
shows. Carson's two catchphrase's never seem to fail
when he appears before an audience, and he often tells
'Irish jokes'. i.e. jokes mocking an Irishman in a
mild way.
He had heart surgery in 1976 and it was suggested
that this would mean he would retire. But he continued
working and also went into making TV acting appearances
and also acting in two cinema films in the nineties,
and directing a film in 2002. Today he is still working,
making live appearances, and doing a charity work for
which he was awarded a papal knighthood by the Pope. |