North East Comedian - Bobby Thompson
click play below to hear Bobby tell his life story
It was Richard Kelly who discovered BobbyThompson in 1946 and launched his career in the successful “Wot cheor Geordie” programmes based loosely around his comedy routines. In these sketches Bobby played the part of the various characters in his act, from his wife, his son Tadger, his brother in law and even his mother in law.
From this highly successful series, Bobby Thompson moved on to do a series on Tyne Tees TV a well documented mistake, which saw Bobby with a London producer who had no knowledge of Tyneside, nor the Geordie dialect. Bobby Thompson was a spontaneous comedian and the fact that he was forced to use a script was a major factor in the downfall of the show, which to quote him “was a disaster” and having started to drink, he was letting clubs down by not turning up. On occasions, double booking himself to a club paying more money. With his reputation in tatters, I found Bobby in the early 1970's doing ‘Go as you Pleases’ around the Working Men’s Club circuit often not even getting a place.
Bobby Thompson told me that he had been working on new material, I went to Dick Kelly and told him that I .jpg)
wanted to record one of Bobby’s new acts – a new routine about meeting Hitler in the fish-shop – “No, he’s finished” he said. “we haven’t got money to waste hiring halls and things in the hope that you get people in” “I own Byker Mission which has its own Social Halls, in addition, I have my own recording Studio so I’m going to do it regardless of what you say”. The results were spectacular. I broadcast 5 minutes each day and the telephone lines were blocked “You’re going to have to pay him something, Mr Kelly” I said. He reluctantly agreed a very small expenses fee of £5 for two half-hour broadcasts. Bobby was delighted and never looked back. I used him on my Outside Broadcasts and the Tyneside Summer Exhibition.
Years later, I met him at a Show we were both doing in Newbiggin by Sea, Northumberland, I remember remarking to Bobby that he’d finally made it – He was earning more than I for the show which I was compereing and producing.
Bobby agreed to do his life story for me. I never broadcast it until he died, and in it he said he owed his first break to Richard Kelly and his second break to Frank Wappat – an honour indeed from such a talented man.
I still have in my personal collection rare material of Boby Thompson never before released.
I was never paid by the BBC for the weekly recording sessions, which I produced in the my Mission premises in the East End of Newcastle upon Tyne, and out in the region. When I had produced over 600 local musicians and vocalists, the "Sunday Sun" presented me with their "Jack-o-CIubs" Command Show Award in 1978 at the Mayfair Ballroom, Newcastle - by which time I had done eighteen Shows at Newcastle's City Hall, each one a sell-out. I booked the artistes and produced and compered the Shows for broadcasting.
