George Formby (1904–1961) was an English actor, singer-songwriter and
comedian. On stage, screen and record he sang light, comical songs,
usually playing the ukulele or banjolele, and became the UK's highest-
paid entertainer. After an early career as a stable boy and jockey,
Formby took to the music hall stage after the early death of his father
in 1921. In 1923 he purchased a ukulele, and married Beryl Ingham, a
fellow-performer who became his manager. She insisted that he appear on
stage formally dressed, and introduced the ukulele to his performance.
He started his recording career in 1926 and, from 1934, he increasingly
worked in film to develop into a major star. During the Second World
War, Formby entertained civilians and troops (pictured in France), and
by 1946 it was estimated that he had performed in front of three million
service personnel. After the war his career declined, although he toured
the Commonwealth, and continued to appear in variety and pantomime.
Formby was considered Britain's first properly home-grown screen
comedian. He was an influence on future comedians—particularly Charlie
Drake and Norman Wisdom—and, culturally, on entertainers such as the
Beatles.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Formby>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1176:
Byzantine–Seljuk wars: The Seljuk Turks prevented the
Byzantines from taking the interior of Anatolia at the Battle of
Myriokephalon in Phrygia.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Myriokephalon>
1716:
French soldier Jean Thurel enlisted in the Régiment de
Touraine at the age of 17, beginning a career of military service that
would span 90 years.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Thurel>
1849:
American slave Harriet Tubman escaped; she would become famous
for orchestrating the rescues of more than 70 other slaves via the
"Underground Railroad".
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Tubman>
1914:
Andrew Fisher, whose previous term as Prime Minister of
Australia oversaw a period of reform unmatched in the Commonwealth until
the 1940s, became Prime Minister for the third time.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Fisher>
1939:
World War II: The Soviet Union invaded Poland from the east,
sixteen days after Nazi Germany's attack on that country from the west.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_Poland>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
rapine:
The seizure of someone's property by force; plunder.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/rapine>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
You know, that's the first thing that got me about this place, that
there wasn't anybody laughing. I haven't heard a real laugh since I came
through that door, do you know that? Man, when you lose your laugh you
lose your footing.
--Ken Kesey
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Ken_Kesey>