Bobby Ball
| Bobby Ball | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Robert Harper |
| Born |
28 January 1944 Oldham, Lancashire, England |
| Medium | Comedian, actor |
| Years active | 1963–present |
| Spouse |
Joan Lynn (m. 1964; divorced) Yvonne Nugent (m. 1974)[1] |
| Children | 3 |
| Website | Official website |
Robert Harper, known professionally as Bobby Ball (born 28 January 1944), is an English comedian, best known as one half of the double act Cannon and Ball, with Tommy Cannon. They hosted their own ITV show The Cannon and Ball Show for nine years between 1979 and 1988. Ball has since gone on to star in various sitcoms and dramas including Last of the Summer Wine, Heartbeat and Not Going Out.
In 2005, Ball took part in the fifth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.
Early life
Ball was born at Boundary Park General Hospital, Oldham, Lancashire, on 28 January 1944,[2] to May (née Savage) and Bob Harper.[3] He attended High Crompton Secondary, Shaw, Oldham.[2]
Ball went to work in a factory as a welder, where he also met his future partner, Thomas Derbyshire (Tommy Cannon).
Career
Cannon and Ball
Ball was one half of comedy duo Cannon and Ball, opposite his friend and former colleague Tommy Cannon. The duo's primetime Saturday night television series The Cannon and Ball Show, was one of LWT's most successful series, with consistently high viewing ratings that lasted for twelve years. They starred in the film The Boys in Blue together in 1982 and guest starred in the Eric Sykes slapstick film, Mr H is Late in 1988. Other notable guest appearances were The Kenny Everett Show in 1982 and Shooting Stars in 1996.
Cannon and Ball competed in the fifth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.
In 2011, Cannon and Ball were guest judges on one episode of ITV's Show Me the Funny'.
Television
Ball is the creator of the BBC children's cartoon series Juniper Jungle, which aired in 1992.
Ball played Lenny in the BBC series Last of the Summer Wine from 2005 until 2008.
He played Mr. Turner (also known as Topsy Turner) in the ITV drama series Heartbeat from 2005-2006.
Ball starred in the 2009 comedy The Fattest Man in Britain playing Morris Morrissey.
From 2009 until 2014, Ball played Frank (Lee's father) in the BBC One sitcom Not Going Out, appearing in the episodes: "Absent Father Christmas" (2009), "Life on Mars Bars" (2011), "Dads" (2012), "Therapy" (2013), "Boat" (2013), "The House" (2013), "Donor" (2014), "Alcohol" (2014) and "Wedding" (2014).
He has played Barry in the Sky1 sitcom series Mount Pleasant since 2011.
Ball has taken part in two episodes of BBC One's Pointless Celebrities, the first in 2012 with Tommy Cannon. The second time, he appeared in the show was for a Children in Need special in November 2013 with Lee Mack.[4]
In 2013, Ball played the role of Duckers in the ITV sitcom The Security Men.
Other work
Cannon and Ball star in the Safestyle UK television advertisements.
Personal life
Ball married his first wife, Joan Lynn, in 1964,[5] with whom he had two sons, Robert (born 1965) and Darren (born 1969), who are now a comedy double act in their own right, performing under their surname 'Harper'. Ball and Lynn separated in 1970. Ball married his second wife, Yvonne Nugent, in 1974[6] (although some reports say 1971.[2]). In an interview with Bob Fischer on BBC Tees on Tuesday 28 June 2016, Bobby said that he met Yvonne while performing with Tommy Cannon in The Fiesta Club in Norton, Stockton-On-Tees. He told Bob "we were playing there and she was a 'Fiesta Fawn,' she came downstairs in a little mini skirt, looked at me and Tommy, shook her head and walked away. I thought - i'd spend my life with her..." Ball and Nugent live in Lytham St. Annes, Lancashire.[7]
Ball became a born-again Christian in 1986, as did Cannon in 1992, with their conversion having a lot to do with the re-kindling of their broken friendship. Together, they published a book called Christianity for Beginners.[8] They now regularly feature in their own gospel and "An audience with..." show in churches around the country.
Filmography
- Television
| Year | Show | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1979–1988 | The Cannon and Ball Show | Himself, co-star |
| 1980 | Summer Royal | Himself |
| 1982 | The Kenny Everett Show | Himself, Guest |
| 1991 | Plaza Patrol | Trevor Purvis |
| 1996 | Shooting Stars | Himself, Guest |
| 2001 | Rex the Runt | Wayne the Zebra |
| 2004 | Revolver | Various Characters |
| The Royal | John Wilson | |
| 2005 | I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! | Himself, Contestant |
| 2005–08 | Last of the Summer Wine | Lenny |
| 2005–06 | Heartbeat | Mr. Turner/Topsy Turner |
| 2007 | The Afternoon Play | Bingo Manager |
| 2009 | The Fattest Man in Britain | Morris Morrissey |
| 2009– | Not Going Out | Frank (Lee's father) |
| 2010 | All Star Mr & Mrs | Himself, Contestant |
| 2011 | Show Me the Funny | Guest judge |
| 2011– | Mount Pleasant | Barry |
| 2012 | Coach Trip | Himself, Guest |
| Casualty | Gerry Davies | |
| Strictly Come Dancing: Christmas Special | Himself, Contestant | |
| 2013 | The Security Men | Duckers |
- Film
| Year | Show | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | The Boys in Blue | PC. Bobby Ball |
| 1988 | Mr H is Late | Driver's Mate |
References
- ↑ http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk/cgi/marrind.cgi
- 1 2 3 "Cannon & Ball.Com - Cannon and Ball Biographies".
- ↑ "Pay as you go".
- ↑ Jamie Harris (14 November 2013). "McFly, Lee Mack, Terry Wogan for 'Pointless' Children in Need special". Digital Spy.
- ↑ "Pay as you go".
- ↑ "Pay as you go".
- ↑ "How we met: Tommy Cannon & Bobby Ball - Profiles - News - The Independent". The Independent. 24 December 2006.
- ↑ Christianity for Beginners Archived 13 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine.