- Born
- Died
- Birth nameJames Casey
- Jimmy James, whose real name was James Casey was born in Stockton on Tees in 1892, His father, who was a clog dancer on Northern and Midland halls in 1904 introduced James as Terry the Blue Eyed Irish Boy who then did a song and dance act. After a while he joined Will Netta's juvenile singing troupe, Jockeys then Phil Ree's Stable Lads and Clare Lovedales Ten to One On. He then formed his own sketch company and toured The Spare Room as a bridegroom who got drunk at the reception and got locked out on the wedding night, Playing Sunderland in 1929 he was seen by George Black's agent and given a London booking at the Palladium, He was essentially a visual comic doing drunk routines, rolling a cigarette around his mouth, facial contortions. He had 3 routines Drunk, chipster and his best known The Shoebox with gormless Hutton Conyers, originally played by his son in law, Jack Darby then his son Cass James then Roy Castle (1956 ~ 59) Bretton Woods and his nephew Jack Casey.
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-- IMDb Mini Biography By: Tonyman 5 - Born Jimmy Casey he lived at Arncliffe Avenue Stockton on Tees and was educated at St Mary's School and as a boy of 10 won a £5 talent show prize. Encouraged by his father He walked to Darlington and joined a a juvenile troupe - The Singing Jockeys . which toured Britain The police found him 3 months later by which time he was a seasoned trouper singing as Terry, the Blue Eyed Irish Boy.When war broke out he was singing, whistling and dancing in a double act. He joined the Northumberland Fusileers in WW1 and after being wounded and gassed he was discharged. In 1921 he was established as a straight man in The Harry Norris Show. but became a comic by accident in 1925 when he stood in for a comic and wearing his suit got lots of laughs and was a big hit ,His show at various times included his wife, sons Jack, Andy Peter and his son Jimmy James Jr as his dresser. In the late 40's one of his stooges was named Hutton Conyers, after a North Yorkshire village and another Bretton Woods after the scene of a 1944 war conference. For a period Bretton was played by Roy Castle who put his career on hold between 56 and 59 so that he could work with Jimmy and study his comedy act as he could get laughs just with a look, grimace or a turn of the head. At one point he spent a night in Brixton Prison over a £360 unpaid tax debt which he then paid and was back on stage the next night While being a staunch teetotal he was a great gambler losing thousands on the horses and was made bankrupt three times- IMDb Mini Biography By: Tonyman 5
- Born in Stockton on Tees he started in show business at 12 after winning £5 at a local talent contest.His father, a professional clog dancer encouraged him to join a juvenile troupe called Will Netta's Singing Jockeys which toured Britain, He changed his name from Casey after an agent booking him for two years work in Wales suggested that Casey was unsuitable for Welsh audiences. Young James sang as 'Terry the Blue-eyed Irish boy (5 dances.,a whistling routine and a standing jump over a five bar gate) He was a sergeant in the Northumberland Fusiliers in the 1914 -18 war, wounded in a leg and gassed he was demobbed and carried on with his singing act, he had no idea of becoming a comic. He became one by accident in 1925 when his company was playing at Longton, Staffordshire and eventually he became the greatest ad - lib comic of all time, He was in variety for 60 years, 40 of them as a comedian but he never told a joke, seldom smiled and invariably ran over his time and was the despair of producers. Roy Castle abandoned his own stage act between 1956 and 59 to work with Jimmy as one of his stooges His artistry was such that he could walk on to a stage and spontaneously spin humour out of a chance remark He collapsed on stage at Skegness and was eventually taken back to his home in Blackpool Had a son, jim who became a BBC producer in Manchester. Often dogged by money troubles he twice faced bankruptcy proceedings in 1955 and 1963 despite earning about £250 a week due to his gambling not helped by him fitting his theatre bookings in with local race meetings- IMDb Mini Biography By: Tonyman 5
- SpouseIsabelle Darby(April 12, 1922 - August 4, 1965) (his death, 1 child)
- Although famous for playing drunks, he was teetotal.
- Nephew is Eli Woods.
- His son James Casey was a lt in the army during World War II.
- In 1943 needing another feed for his act his brother, Andy gave up his job at Durham Iron and Steel and joined Jimmy acting as Bretton Woods while another brother, Peter became his dresser ,.
- He died just days before he was due to move to a new bungalow in Stockton.
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