Harry Worth

Harry Worth
The famous optical illusion from the opening titles of his BBC TV series Harry Worth.
Born	Harry Bourlon Illingsworth (1917-11-20)20 November 1917 Hoyland Common, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died	20 July 1989(1989-07-20) (aged 71) Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England
Cause of death	Spinal cancer
Residence	Berkhamsted, England
Occupation	Comedian
Website	www.harryworth.co.uk

Harry Bourlan Illingsworth (20 November 1917, Hoyland Common, West Riding of Yorkshire – 20 July 1989, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire), professionally known as Harry Worth was an award winning English comedy actor and comedian. Unlike the brash humour of other comedians at the time, Harry portrayed a charming, gentle and genial character, totally bemused by life, creating comedic confusion wherever he went.

Worth was the youngest child of a miner. He had ten siblings. When he was only five months old his father died from injuries resulting from an industrial accident. He left school at 14 and was a miner for eight years. He earned 2s 2½d and worked near the lift in the mine, and said he hated every minute of it. He later joined the RAF in 1941.

As a teenager he was in the Tankersley Amateur Dramatics Society and taught himself ventriloquism from a book he borrowed from the local library, buying his first dummy in 1936. During the Second World War, he performed in an RAF Variety show in India and had extra material written for him by the show's director, Wallie Okin. Harry Worth warned his audience beforehand that he was not very good, according to ITMA impressionist Peter Cavanagh, the start of his apologetic and inept style.

He was a variety act for many years before he became known and was often at the bottom of any 'bill'. Having left the RAF and adamant he would never go down the mines again, he started in show business with his first booking at the Bradford Mechanics' Institute in 1946. In 1947 he married his wife Kay and in 1948 like many other comedians from the forces of the day, he got his audition at London's Windmill Theatre. Of 40 in the audition, he passed, along with Morecambe and Wise, who were sacked after just one week. He did six shows a day as comedian between fan dancers. In 1948 he also made his first radio appearance in a show New to You. He now had two dummies for his ventriloquist act, Fotheringay and Clarence but meanwhile developed his performing voice.