Eric Sykes
Eric Sykes (May 4 1923 - ) was born in Oldham, Lancashire (now Greater Manchester) and is a British comedic writer and actor. He is widely regarded as an unsung hero behind much of the British comedy scene over the past 50 years.
He is perhaps best known for his BBC television sitcom with Hattie Jacques and Deryck Guyler, called Sykes. However, he was well-known on radio during the 1950s, both behind the scenes and in front of the microphone.
He also helped Spike Milligan with The Goon Show after Milligan's depression. He had first collaborated with Milligan on a radio special called Archie in Goonland, which was a crossover between The Goon Show and the "radio ventriloquism" show Educating Archie starring Peter Brough and his dummy Archie Andrews, which Sykes had been writing. Archie in Goonland was not a success, and all existing recordings and scripts have been destroyed, but Milligan and Sykes collaborated on numerous Goon Show scripts and shared an office for years afterward.
He has appeared recently as Mollocks on BBC Television's Gormenghast and continues to act on stage, despite his advancing years.
Sykes became profoundly deaf as an adult. His "trademark" spectacles contain no lenses, but are rather a bone-conducting hearing aid.
Television
- Curry and Chips
- Dress Spectaculars
- Eric Sykes Show
- Gormenghast: It's Your Move
- Mr H is Late
- The Nineteenth Hole
Film
- If You Go Down to the Woods Today
- Invasion Quartet
- Kill or Cure
- Monte Carlo or Bust
- One Way Pendulum
- Rhubarb
- The Spy With the Cold Nose
- The Plank
- Watch Your Stern
