Tuesday 5 October 2010

Jimmy Pritchard. A Man You Don't Meet Everyday.

Post rehearsal I went for a wander into Bognor.
I was walking down the London Road precinct when this wonderful bloke hove into view:
I asked him his name and if he would allow me to take his picture.

This is Mr. Jimmy Pritchard.
He rummaged about in his pockets and gave me an A4 piece of paper with a photocopy of an article from the local newspaper that, more or less, detailed his whole life as a song and dance man.

We discussed the great comics of days gone by. Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe and Ronnie Barker.
He told me about working in 'Stars In Battledress' with the likes of Harry Secombe (a really nice bloke) and Spike Milligan (mad as a hat).
People who made us laugh before the university boys took over.

I said 'It's been a pleasure to meet your sir'.
'Why do you call me sir?' he replied.
'Because anybody who can walk through Bognor Regis wearing a pink stetson deserves the greatest of respect.' I told him.
'Call me Jimmy' he said.

1 comments:

Wartime Housewife said...

How brilliant. One sees these characters wandering about but rarely have time to stop and talk. Well done you.