Norman Evans, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

    

Norman Evans

British actor

Date of Birth: 11-Jun-1901

Place of Birth: Rochdale, England, United Kingdom

Date of Death: 25-Nov-1962

Profession: actor, comedian, stage actor

Nationality: United Kingdom

Zodiac Sign: Gemini


Show Famous Birthdays Today, United Kingdom

👉 Worldwide Celebrity Birthdays Today

About Norman Evans

  • Norman Evans (11 June 1901 – 25 November 1962) was a variety and radio performer, born in Rochdale, Lancashire, England. Evans was discovered by fellow Rochdale entertainer Gracie Fields.
  • The act for which he is best remembered was "Over the Garden Wall", in which he played Fanny Fairbottom, a toothless hatchet-faced Lancastrian housewife gossiping over a garden wall, The routine was the inspiration for Les Dawson and Roy Barraclough's later Cissie and Ada characters.
  • The one-sided conversations would embrace local gossip, including scandal about the neighbours and personal medical complaints, including silently mouthing words deemed too rude to be spoken out loud, and accompanied with a range of facial contortions and glances round for supposed eavesdroppers.
  • Another famous stage sketch was "The Dentist" in which Evans played both patient and dentist, and in which he employed a large screen. His first appearance on the London stage was alongside a young Betty Driver.
  • Evans was the only pantomime dame to receive top billing at the London Palladium. In May 1955, he lost his right eye in a serious car accident while driving near Preston.
  • The accident was caused after he swerved trying to avoid a black cat.His final summer season was at Butlin's Holiday Camp, Pwllheli in 1962.
  • He wrote to Clarkson Rose (another top pantomime dame) "Working in a Butlin theatre is a terrific experience, and although I've not been too well, I've never been happier in my life". Norman Evans is buried in Carleton Cemetery, Blackpool.
  • The headstone of his grave is a low wall built from natural gritstone blocks.
  • His epitaph (preceding birth and death dates) reads "Norman's last garden wall!"

Read more at Wikipedia

See Also