Freddie Frinton
Encyclopedia
Freddie Frinton, born Frederick Bittiner Coo (17 January 1909 – 16 October 1968) was an English comedian
who remains a household name in Germany and Scandinavia because of his performance in Dinner for One
.
Frinton was born in Grimsby
, Lincolnshire
, the illegitimate child of a seamstress, Florence Elisabeth Coo and was brought up by foster parents. He started working in a Grimsby fish processing plant—where he is said to have entertained his colleagues with parodies and jokes—but was ultimately sack
ed. He moved into music hall
, where he enjoyed modest success and renamed himself Freddie Frinton.
During the Second World War he made a moderate breakthrough as a comedian. In 1945, Frinton first performed the sketch Dinner for One in Blackpool
. As he had to pay a royalty every time he performed the sketch, he bought the rights to Dinner for One in the 1950s, which turned out to be a very prescient decision.
At the age of 55, Frinton became a belated success as a plumber
character in the television sitcom
Meet the Wife
, which ran for 40 episodes (the wife was played by Thora Hird
). The series is mentioned in the Beatles
song "Good Morning Good Morning
" with the line "It's time for tea and Meet the Wife". In October 1968, at the age of 59, Freddie Frinton died suddenly from a heart attack in London. He is buried in Hanwell Cemetery
.
This would be the end of the story of a not very well remembered English comedian, were there not a surprising postscript. In 1963, Frinton's Dinner for One
was recorded by the Norddeutscher Rundfunk
(NDR
) German television station, and bizarrely, watching the non-subtitled English language sketch on television subsequently has become a German New Year's Eve
tradition, with the short seeing multiple repeats every year from 1972 onwards. The television cult also caught on in Scandinavia and Dinner for One has been a hugely popular permanent, mandatory institution on Danish, Finnish and Swedish television on New Year's Eve for many years, as well in Belgium in the original version. It became so popular that a Dutch
version was made with the Dutch actor Joop Doderer
for Dutch viewers. It is also shown every 23 December on the Norwegian television, (NRK) and has been shown on the Australian SBS television network on New Year's Eve for at least the last fifteen years. Interestingly the programme and its main actor Frinton are far less well known in Britain than in any of these countries.
Ironically for an actor whose roles often comprised playing a drunk, Frinton was a teetotaller
, having seen in others the damage that alcohol
could do.
Frinton was married twice with family by each marriage.
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
who remains a household name in Germany and Scandinavia because of his performance in Dinner for One
Dinner for One
Dinner for One, also known as The 90th Birthday, or by its corresponding German title, Der 90. Geburtstag, is a comedy sketch written by British author Lauri Wylie for the theatre in the 1920s....
.
Frinton was born in Grimsby
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, the illegitimate child of a seamstress, Florence Elisabeth Coo and was brought up by foster parents. He started working in a Grimsby fish processing plant—where he is said to have entertained his colleagues with parodies and jokes—but was ultimately sack
Firing
Dismissal is the termination of employment by an employer against the will of the employee. Though such a decision can be made by an employer for a variety of reasons, ranging from an economic downturn to performance-related problems on the part of the employee, being fired has a strong stigma in...
ed. He moved into music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
, where he enjoyed modest success and renamed himself Freddie Frinton.
During the Second World War he made a moderate breakthrough as a comedian. In 1945, Frinton first performed the sketch Dinner for One in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
. As he had to pay a royalty every time he performed the sketch, he bought the rights to Dinner for One in the 1950s, which turned out to be a very prescient decision.
At the age of 55, Frinton became a belated success as a plumber
Plumber
A plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in installing and maintaining systems used for potable water, sewage, and drainage in plumbing systems. The term dates from ancient times, and is related to the Latin word for lead, "plumbum." A person engaged in fixing metaphorical "leaks" may also be...
character in the television sitcom
British sitcom
A British sitcom tends, as it does in most other countries, to be based on a family, workplace or other institution, where the same group of contrasting characters is brought together in each episode. Unlike American sitcoms, where twenty or more episodes in a season is the norm, British sitcoms...
Meet the Wife
Meet the Wife
Meet the Wife is a 1960s BBC situation comedy written by Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe, which featured Freddie Frinton as Freddie Blacklock with Thora Hird as his tyrannical wife, Thora. It ran to five series....
, which ran for 40 episodes (the wife was played by Thora Hird
Thora Hird
Dame Thora Hird DBE was an English actress.-Early life and career:Hird was born in the Lancashire seaside town of Morecambe. She first appeared on stage at the age of two months in a play her father was managing...
). The series is mentioned in the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
song "Good Morning Good Morning
Good Morning Good Morning
"Good Morning Good Morning" is a song written by John Lennon and recorded by The Beatles, featured on their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.-Lyrical inspiration:...
" with the line "It's time for tea and Meet the Wife". In October 1968, at the age of 59, Freddie Frinton died suddenly from a heart attack in London. He is buried in Hanwell Cemetery
Hanwell Cemetery
Hanwell Cemetery is a cemetery located in Hanwell, Ealing, west London. Originally called City of Westminster Cemetery it is owned and managed by the City of Westminster's Parks Service.-History:...
.
This would be the end of the story of a not very well remembered English comedian, were there not a surprising postscript. In 1963, Frinton's Dinner for One
Dinner for One
Dinner for One, also known as The 90th Birthday, or by its corresponding German title, Der 90. Geburtstag, is a comedy sketch written by British author Lauri Wylie for the theatre in the 1920s....
was recorded by the Norddeutscher Rundfunk
Norddeutscher Rundfunk
Norddeutscher Rundfunk is a public radio and television broadcaster, based in Hamburg. In addition to the city-state of Hamburg, NDR transmits for the German states of Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein...
(NDR
NDR
NDR may refer to:* Numalian Democratic Republic a Micronation within the borders of Malaysia.* Nador International Airport — IATA code Morocan airport* National Derby Rallies...
) German television station, and bizarrely, watching the non-subtitled English language sketch on television subsequently has become a German New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
tradition, with the short seeing multiple repeats every year from 1972 onwards. The television cult also caught on in Scandinavia and Dinner for One has been a hugely popular permanent, mandatory institution on Danish, Finnish and Swedish television on New Year's Eve for many years, as well in Belgium in the original version. It became so popular that a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
version was made with the Dutch actor Joop Doderer
Joop Doderer
Johan Heinrich Doderer was a Dutch actor, well known for his role as the tramp Swiebertje in the eponymous television series. The series ran for 17 seasons between 1955 and 1975, and was broadcast by the NCRV...
for Dutch viewers. It is also shown every 23 December on the Norwegian television, (NRK) and has been shown on the Australian SBS television network on New Year's Eve for at least the last fifteen years. Interestingly the programme and its main actor Frinton are far less well known in Britain than in any of these countries.
Ironically for an actor whose roles often comprised playing a drunk, Frinton was a teetotaller
Teetotalism
Teetotalism refers to either the practice of or the promotion of complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages. A person who practices teetotalism is called a teetotaler or is simply said to be teetotal...
, having seen in others the damage that alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
could do.
Frinton was married twice with family by each marriage.
External links
- Dinner For One The Sketch (Video)