Colin Crompton

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Colin Crompton (June 22, 1933, Manchester - d 1984) was a British stand-up comedian. He found fame on the Granada Television programme The Comedians in the early 1970s.

From 1974 to 1977 he was also the "club chairman" in another Granada programme, The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club. An attempt by producer Johnnie Hamp to reproduce the atmosphere of the working men's clubs in a television studio, Crompton was famous for ringing a hand operated fire alarm bell and telling the audience to "give order" when making announcements from "the committee" in between acts. He wrote his own scripts, with occasional additions by Neil Shand. The MC for the show, Bernard Manning claimed he was cast in the role because he "had been on The Comedians and he had that gormless look about him so he was ideal." 1

According to Johnnie Hamp; "Colin was criticised by real club chairmen for the way he acted. One actual club chairman wanted to appear and have it out with him on the show. He came along and met Colin, who was dressed in a very good suit, very smart, and here was this man looking more of a caricature than Colin ever did." 1

Later, Crompton also had a small role as 'Roughage' in the film Confessions from a Holiday Camp in 1977.

A favourite moment during The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club was when he rang his bell to interrupt ventriloquist Ray Allen halfway through his act: "...excuse me Mr. Allen we've had some complaints that they can't quite hear you at the back. Could you hold your dummy a little closer to the microphone please?" This particular joke, like the character of the club chairman itself, owed a heavy debt to the comedian Norman Collier.

[edit] External links

• Colin Crompton at the Internet Movie Database
• Off The Telly on The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club
• Nostalgia Central on The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club