Person    | Male  Born 8/9/1921  Died 11/4/2001

Harry Secombe

Actor, comedian and singer. Born Harry Donald Secombe in St Thomas, Swansea where he grew up. In WW2 he served in the Royal Artillery, and whilst in North Africa he first met Spike Milligan. After the war, he joined the cast of the Windmill Theatre, where he met Michael Bentine and Peter Sellers. The Goon Show was the result of these meetings and Secombe played Neddie Seagoon until the show ended in 1972. He appeared in several films, including 'Oliver!' in which he played Mr Bumble the Beadle, and on stage, he created the title role in the musical 'Pickwick'.
He had his own television show for several years, and was a presenter of the religious programmes, 'Songs of Praise' and 'Stars on Sunday'. When Milligan heard of Secombe's death, he jokingly said that he was glad he had died first because he didn't want him singing at his funeral. Secombe however had the last laugh, as one of his recordings was played at Spike's memorial service. 

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Harry Secombe

Commemorated ati

Last Goon Show

The Camden Palace was home to the Goon Show through the 1950s.

Read More

Spike's statue - Goons

This little group shows Secombe, Milligan and Sellers, holding "Goons" script...

Read More

The Goon Show

{Caricatures of the four comedians, followed by:} The Goon Show, 1951-1960, f...

Read More

Other Subjects

Sir Ben Kingsley

Sir Ben Kingsley

Actor. Born Krishna Pandit Bhanji in Snaiton, Yorkshire to an English mother and an Indian Kenyan father. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company and also performed with the Royal National Theatre....

Person, Cinema, Seriously Famous, Theatre, TV & Radio

1 memorial
Derek Jarman

Derek Jarman

Artist, film director, stage designer, writer, gardener, and queer activist. Born as Michael Derek Elworthy Jarman in Northwood. Had a studio at Butler's Wharf in the 1970s. Died of an AIDS-related...

Person, Art, Cinema, Gender Issues, Seriously Famous

1 memorial
Joyce Grenfell

Joyce Grenfell

Born Joyce Phipps in Montpelier Square, London. Her mother was sister to Nancy Astor, MP, so she was "well brought up". Aged 19 she married Reggie, her husband until her death. The picture is a se...

Person, Cinema, Humour, Theatre

2 memorials
Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie

Detective novelist and playwright.  Born in Torquay, into a well-off family, where a bust has been erected, as Agatha Miller.  Married Archie Christie in 1914.  In WW1 she trained and worked in a p...

Person, Cinema, Literature, Seriously Famous, TV & Radio

5 memorials
Norman Wisdom

Norman Wisdom

Comedian, actor, singer and songwriter. Born Norman Joseph Wisdom at 91 Fernhead Road. He made his stage debut in 1946 and went on to star in many films, most of them featuring his downtrodden char...

Person, Cinema, Humour

1 memorial