I actually have a bit of Frankie Howerd “gossip”, if it could be called such. Friend and former colleague of mine (bloke in his late 50s now, let’s call him Paul) told me about a veeery unpleasant incident he had at work with Howerd decades ago when he was a younger man (I think about 25 or so?). FH was visiting an establishment in some capacity and my friend Paul was a manager of the establishment in question. Howerd burst into Paul’s office and pretty luridly sexually propositioned him (Paul is straight and I think was possibly married to his first wife at this point). When the inevitable wide-eyed refusal was issued, Howerd bolted the door closed and tried to, er, insist, shall we say.
I’m not entirely sure how exactly but proceedings were interrupted/stalled and my friend was unhurt, but pretty shocked and appalled, as you can imagine!
tThis waspretty much his standard routine, by all accounts. Loads of people have told how he would get them into his dressing room and ask them to massage his leg as he was in "agony" before trying to get them go high and higher.
Ther was an old time entertainer, Jess Conrad, who said he locked the door, and he had to threaten to stab him with his pen-knife to get out.
One producer said to a comic, "say what you like about Frankie, he puts bums in seats" The comedian replied "It's the safeset way when he's around"
I actually have a bit of Frankie Howerd “gossip”, if it could be called such. Friend and former colleague of mine (bloke in his late 50s now, let’s call him Paul) told me about a veeery unpleasant incident he had at work with Howerd decades ago when he was a younger man (I think about 25 or so?). FH was visiting an establishment in some capacity and my friend Paul was a manager of the establishment in question. Howerd burst into Paul’s office and pretty luridly sexually propositioned him (Paul is straight and I think was possibly married to his first wife at this point). When the inevitable wide-eyed refusal was issued, Howerd bolted the door closed and tried to, er, insist, shall we say.
I’m not entirely sure how exactly but proceedings were interrupted/stalled and my friend was unhurt, but pretty shocked and appalled, as you can imagine!
tThis was pretty much his standard routine, by all accounts. Loads of people have told how he would get them into his dressing room and ask them to massage his leg as he was in "agony" before trying to get them go high and higher.
Ther was an old time entertainer, Jess Conrad, who said he locked the door, and he had to threaten to stab him with his pen-knife to get out.
One producer said to a comic, "say what you like about Frankie, he puts bums in seats" The comedian replied "It's the safeset way when he's around"