Person    | Male  Born 8/9/1921  Died 11/4/2001

Harry Secombe

Actor, comedian and singer. Born Harry Donald Secombe in St Thomas, Swansea where he grew up. In WW2 he served in the Royal Artillery, and whilst in North Africa he first met Spike Milligan. After the war, he joined the cast of the Windmill Theatre, where he met Michael Bentine and Peter Sellers. The Goon Show was the result of these meetings and Secombe played Neddie Seagoon until the show ended in 1972. He appeared in several films, including 'Oliver!' in which he played Mr Bumble the Beadle, and on stage, he created the title role in the musical 'Pickwick'.
He had his own television show for several years, and was a presenter of the religious programmes, 'Songs of Praise' and 'Stars on Sunday'. When Milligan heard of Secombe's death, he jokingly said that he was glad he had died first because he didn't want him singing at his funeral. Secombe however had the last laugh, as one of his recordings was played at Spike's memorial service. 

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Harry Secombe

Commemorated ati

Last Goon Show

The Camden Palace was home to the Goon Show through the 1950s.

Read More

Spike's statue - Goons

This little group shows Secombe, Milligan and Sellers, holding "Goons" script...

Read More

The Goon Show

{Caricatures of the four comedians, followed by:} The Goon Show, 1951-1960, f...

Read More

Other Subjects

Edgar Wallace

Edgar Wallace

Prolific writer: crime, novels, journalism, plays films. Born 7 Ashburnham Grove, Greenwich to an unmarried mother.  Adopted by a Billingsgate fish porter and wife.  Aged 18 joined the army medical...

Person, Cinema, Journalism / Publishing, Literature, Theatre

2 memorials
John Alfred Prestwich

John Alfred Prestwich

Inventor and designer of engines. Born Kensington.  He worked with Sebastian de Ferranti and the cinema pioneer William Friese-Greene to produce cameras, mutoscopes, cutting and perforation machine...

Person, Cinema, Engineering

1 memorial
Ava Gardner

Ava Gardner

Actor. Born near Smithfield, North Carolina, USA. Married: Mickey Rooney, Artie Shaw, Frank Sinatra (divorced 1957). This last was a famously stormy and passionate romance. Aged 33 moved to Madrid,...

Person, Cinema, Seriously Famous, Spain, USA

2 memorials
Dame Thora Hird DBE

Dame Thora Hird DBE

Character actor.  Born Lancashire.  Played many comic roles.  Late in her life Alan Bennett wrote a number of roles for her.

Person, Cinema, Humour, TV & Radio

1 memorial
George Harrison

George Harrison

Musician and songwriter. Born Liverpool.  One of the four Beatles.  Died Los Angeles.

Person, Cinema, Music / songs, Seriously Famous

2 memorials

Previously viewed

Anthony White Southwell

Anthony White Southwell

Anthony White Southwell was born on 21 November 1936 in Surbiton, Surrey, the son of Arthur Joseph White Southwell (1897-1962) and Eva Winifred Southwell née Monk (1898-1963). His birth was registe...

Person, Sculpture

1 memorial
Croydon East Rotary Club

Croydon East Rotary Club

Rotary clubs were founded to encourage fellowship amongst members of local business communities.

Group, Community / Clubs

4 memorials
Baynard’s Castle

Baynard’s Castle

There have been two buildings known as Baynard's Castle, on different sites. Just to the east of where Blackfriars station now stands Ralph Baynard erected a Norman fortification in about 1000.  Th...

Building, Property, Royalty

1 memorial
Buxton Memorial Fountain

Buxton Memorial Fountain

SW1, Millbank, Victoria Tower Gardens

Due to strong shadows it was only on our fourth visit that we managed to take a good photo of this important mosaic. High up on the edifi...

8 subjects commemorated, 3 creators
Michael Flanders

Michael Flanders

Broadcaster, writer and performer. Born Michael Henry Flanders in Hampstead. He served in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, but contracted poliomyelitis and spent the rest of his life as a wheelcha...

Person, Literature, Music / songs, Theatre, TV & Radio, Wales

1 memorial