Quotes

[talking about his early career as a stand-up comedian at the Windmill Theatre] My early performances were disastrous. I deliberately didn't laugh at my own jokes... but neither did the audience.

[talking about the considerable amount of female fan mail he received] I think they take one look at my face, bearing all the marks of human suffering, and they think I need mothering.

[talking about his avid interest in newspapers and politics] I think it started in 1928, when, as a child of five, I was patted on the head by Lloyd George.

[describing the impression he had of himself as an actor] I'm not so much an actor, but more of a performing dog with a wagging tail and anxious to please.

[describing "the little man" role that he adopted in a variety of successful sitcoms] I think the public like him because, in the end, he comes out on top and it only means something if he is faced by somebody who is dominant.

[describing his childhood hero Stan Laurel] I saw Laurel and Hardy on stage, and they were brilliant. They were real professionals, economical, they didn't do anything unless it was funny.