When Tony was 2 years old the family moved to Bournemouth where they eventually bought the Railway Hotel. Jack Hancock was a semi-professional entertainer at smoking concerts and Masonic functions and many of his friends at the hotel were in show business. It was here that a young Tony met many music hall artists of the day. His heart was set on following in his late father's footsteps by becoming a comedian.

His mother Lily introduced him to George Fairweather, a friend of the family who was in show business. It was George who helped Tony to find his feet. Hancock was a great admirer of a risqué comedian of the day, Max Miller, and at seventeen, calling himself "The Confidential Comic", Tony tried to perform a Max Miller routine to an audience of soldiers and Sunday school teachers; the audience's reception was decidedly frosty - the young and naive Tony himself not understanding the jokes. George Fairweather had advised Tony against doing the routine and, humiliated and in tears after being asked to leave the stage, Tony confessed his rejection and failure to George and vowed never to tell a dirty joke again - and he never did.

He was accepted by Ralph Reader who organised groups into Gang Shows and sent them off around the many war zones to entertain the troops. These Gang Shows of about ten members each had to fend for themselves, travelling around in their own coach, and it was during this time that Hancock met Robert Moreton, Graham Stark and Peter Sellers.
After the war, Hancock, like many ex-servicemen, had a difficult time establishing himself in show business. His first real break was a six week spell in 1948 as a comedian at the (in)famous 'Windmill Theatre' where comedians were hired every six weeks to entertain the audience between the nude revues. Eventually his stage work came to the notice of the BBC and he was given a spot on radios Variety Bandbox.
From then on his career began to steadily improve until, in 1951, he was selected to take over from Robert Moreton as Archie Andrews' tutor in the popular radio show, "Educating Archie". It was this role which first brought Tony to national prominence and his catchphrase, "Flippin' Kids" became very popular.

The new producer, Dennis Main Wilson, called in two new young scriptwriters their names were Ray Galton and Alan Simpson and here the two met Hancock for the first time.
After several successful series on the radio, Hancock tried a TV show. Hancock was, however, contracted to do two series with ITV. Afterwards, Hancock returned to the BBC and the writing team of Galton and Simpson. For a period of five years, the radio and TV series ran concurrently on the BBC with increasing recognition until the ultimate and unprecedented accolade was achieved -

Complaints began to pour into the BBC from publicans and shopkeepers who protested that when Hancock was on, their pubs and shops were empty and the streets deserted.

Hancock, with Galton and Simpson, produced many classic shows that now form part of our comic heritage -

On radio:
Hancock - Test Pilot, The Scandal Magazine, Fred's Pie Stall, Sunday Afternoon at Home, The Poetry Society and Sid's Mystery Tours;

On TV:
The Economy Drive, The Two Murderers, The Missing Page, The Bedsitter, The Reunion Party, The Blood Donor and many, many more.

With Hancock were three men who were to become his familiars for the whole series; Sid James, Bill Kerr, and Kenneth Williams.
Moira Lister and later Andree Melly appeared as Hancock's girlfriends and, in the fourth series, Hattie Jacques joined them as Miss Grizelda Pugh.

By 1955 Anthony Aloysius St. John Hancock of 23 Railway Cuttings, East Cheam, was firmly established in the affections of millions of listeners.

Since his tragic death, Tony Hancock's fame has not diminished but has contrived to shine ever brighter through repeats of his radio and TV shows, on record, CD, cassette and through many books and scripts. His comic genius has grown in stature, being appreciated and enjoyed by a new generation of admirers the world over.

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