Harry Secombe CBE, 80 (1921-2001) Welsh comedian/singer

Harry Donald Secombe, CBE, 80 (8th September 1921 - 11th April 2001) was a Welsh comedian and singer. Secombe was a member of the British radio comedy programme The Goon Show (1951-60), playing many characters, but most notably, Neddie Seagoon. A baritone singer, he also appeared in musicals and films - notably as Mr Bumble in Oliver! (1968) - and, in his later years, was a presenter of television shows incorporating hymns and other devotional songs. Secombe died on 11th April 2001 at the age of 79, from prostate cancer, in hospital in Guildford, Surrey. His ashes are interred at the parish church of Shamley Green.

[@robertainsworth7276]

A wonderfully talented man. Harry Secombe was multi talented and a real gentle giant.

[@angelaberni8873]

What an AMAZINGLY ,TALENTED obviously ADORABLE man who was much loved by MANY !!! RIP ❤

[@johnfrancis2215]

What a guy, you can honestly say they don't make them like this anymore

[@tempusfugit7127]

I loved Harry Secombe so very much , he was a rare blessing to my grandparents , parents and also to my generation . Respect to a wonderful. .kind ..sensitive soul .

[@christinelegate8137]

Oh my goodness! This brings back memories of watching him on TV when I was a kid. What a lovely, talented, funny man. Thanks for posting this.

[@Wilkins_Micawber]

Memories of when I was a child, before our family had a TV listening to the Goons on the radio howling with uncontrolled laughter. What happened to good comedy? God bless and RIP Harry, Spike, Pete and Michael. Thanks for the memories.

[@davemuckeye]

What a joy...!! What a man...!! What a GOON...!! 🙏🏼

[@Whippy99]

I grew up listening to the Goon show. Even as a child it made me cry with laughter. Treasured memories of me and my dad laughing our heads off.

[@Steve20127]

The Goons have got me through some very rough times in my life and I'm still listening to them in my late 60s. God bless 'em and God bless Sir H!!

[@aussieoffroader1974]

Thanks for the memories Harry! I bet god is laughing so hard with you and those other two blokes. Rest In Peace Harry Spike and Peter. ❤️

[@alisonj9854]

R.I.P Mr Secombe. My dad would listen to you sing for hours. Your voice was lovely to listen to. All the best 1's have gone. 😥😥🙏🏼🙏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@Steve20127]

Top Man!! Rest in Peace, Sir H. Heaven must be rocking with laughter every second!!!

[@angelaberni8873]

What a MAGNIFICENT voice !!!!!

[@dannyhughes9874]

I never realized that he had such a special singing voice. Right up there on the World class list.

[@PG-]

I met Harry probably around the time he was doing his "Highway" thing. He was lovely, kind, thoughtful and great fun to be with. As genuine a bloke as you could ever meet! One in a hundred million :)

[@joyleenpoortier7496]

I grew up loving this man and his voice

[@joyleenpoortier7496]

I am so sad after this. This great man who enjoyed his life to the fullest by making everyone else so happy is gone. RIP Harry

[@billcobbett9259]

I met Harry while filming Highway, after he'd lost weight. We were on location in Carlisle and in between takes he felt a chill and asked if he could borrow a jacket from one of the crew rather than going back to his caravan. I'm not a big man, but my jacket fitted him perfectly. Always a kind and courteous man, unlike many in the business who show their true nature when not on camera.

[@danielpasterp5837]

A great actor and a great singer!

[@johncliff5417]

Harry Secombe was always one of my favorite members of the Goons from years back. What a singing voice he had, I suppose that had got to be something to do with being Welsh you know. ( I'm Yorkshire, so no bias there). RIP Sir Harry.

[@PLuMUK54]

Apparently Harry Secombe was a keen golfer, and in the 1950s visited the Penfold Golf Ball factory. He sang for the staff, and pulled my mum out of the audience, sat her next to him and sang whilst keeping his arm around her shoulders. She said he was a lovely man, and one of the nicest of the various celebrities who visited the factory.

[@grantd165]

Love this story.

[@andyjay9346]

Great docco. Thanks for the upload.

[@johnhanson5943]

Loved him. A real blessing - for all of us. Wish our society could wind back the clock! God bless!

[@johnmoorely7275]

My father served with Harry in the 2nd WW and told me he was universally liked, respected and always laughing

[@TheChipmunk2008]

It's interesting to see Sir Harry's career from this angle. As a 40 something now.... Highway is what introduced me to him. Thought 'this guy is not like most religious show presenters...he should do comedy!' mentioned this to my mum, she laughed, and told me to go to the library (it was that long ago) and look up the goon show

[@odettewiddicombe6673]

May they all rip.and having good time up there

[@joeoconnor5400]

The greatest, funny straight man ever in The Goons.

[@Kevin-mx1vi]

I remember that when he was knighted, he was of course granted a Coat of Arms. Naturally, The Royal College of Heralds (who might seem like a humourless bunch) gave him the motto "Go on". Priceless. 😁

[@finncullen]

And the arms bear a mermaid combing her hair to represent "Sea Comb"

[@NRTSean]

Thank you....

[@preem7]

He was doing Freddy Starr before Freddy Starr! And! I wonder where Mel Brooks got the idea for the closing fight scene in Blazing Saddles, from!! A truly wonderful man!!!

[@ronvbbaatjes]

Mid-1960's,I first heard Harry Seacombe's powerful voice.Wunderbar!.Then mid-1970's I discovered The Goon Show.Crazy, but brilliant.What a lovable allround entertainer this man was.Whatever happened to good,clean, witty comedy? Harry Seacombe was truly a man's man.

[@Jamie_Dodger]

Great upload. As a family we were never religious but we always watched Highway back in the 80s because of Harry. I first remember seeing him in Oliver and recognising him from the above mentioned show. True all round talent. RIP Sir.

[@ljmcdonald2703]

May his soul rest in peace

[@Fcutdlady]

Cancer took my mother's life too. I often wonder why good people get struck down by it. Makes me sad and angry. I think, if God exists, he she or they take many breaks in looking after us. R. I. P Harry. Going to listen to the goons now.

[@davecooper5951]

A Swansea boy ! My Grandmother loved seeing him on TV, his clowning and singing....I think they broke the mould when he was born.

[@rupertthebear2771]

WONDERFUL Man---RIP Mr Secombe

[@joconnor3846]

Beautiful man

[@gilbert01284]

Much missed...

[@edwinkirkland8856]

A blessed man especially spike the dand peter

[@ceejay6738]

i am really touched at the acceptance of your life style . i do hope i can make a sand just like you. God bless your soul. you are a true mentor

[@JohnSmith-gy4qj]

What a great man. Man alive what a voice though. Great summary of his life. Thx for posting.

[@brianjamison2160]

I had been living in Sydney for 4 years and met Harry when i worked at Channel nine he advised me to get my family out fromBelfast, we later did the Xmas show atChatswood public school in 1970 what a lovely person he was.Great memories,

[@antoniosucco4452]

What a great man god bless harry

[@gerardoneill1513]

Very funny, always seen him in song's of praise but I was wrong it was highway on a Sunday great show, more for the scenery for me but a great show at early teen's didn't appreciate the voice he had on him but do now, may your God be with you.

[@Alan-lh1yw]

I was lucky enough to be in panto with Harry in Swansea early 50’s

[@mariaefelices6543]

Very fond memories and big part of my life thanks harry I c u I hope again nos da ms cdf

[@robertenglnad8029]

I was so fortunate to be in England in 1964 and saw Harry in Pickwick, it was an unforgettable night for several reasons, it was a brilliant musical, Harry did a cartwheel on stage, and he sang that beautiful song "If I ruled the World' a song i have loved all these years and a song I want Harry to sing at my funeral as it embodies all that I believe life should be, but sadly is not and a life that I would have loved to have lived according to the words of the song, but failed miserably.

[@papaalphamike]

I had only seen Sir Harry on Highway here in Canada. Just loved his voice and the show, but now I'm just laughing. I'm sharing this with my sister and brother-in-law He came to Canada 57/58 not sure which

[@edwinkirkland8856]

Poor 😢myra died of a broken heart 💔 rest you and Harry together 😢

[@SIRHOPES]

A genius and a true gentleman 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@matteich81]

Talk about Pavarotti if you want, but Harry's version of Nessun Dorma is my favourite. I'm also a massive fan of the Goon Show (insert Rasberry here).

[@semajttam]

Really enjoyed that.

[@jameswillis1763]

Happy 100th Birthday Sir Secombe.

[@user-eu1cm8wz9g]

Sir Harry was fantastic RlP Sir Harry forever ❤️ 20:58

[@7arboreal]

I read somewhere that they had to do lots of retakes in Oliver! because Harry was too nice to be rough with the child actor playing Oliver.

[@deanlowther4020]

one of my earliest memories is of listening to the goons in my dads triumph 2000 heading to cornwall eventually me mam had to turn the tape off coz me dad couldn't keep the car straight he was laughing so much happy days

[@waynewilliams3380]

In all of life.there are but a few kings..Harry was def one.

[@edwinkirkland8856]

God bless him 😢

[@annprince5298]

Whatvabout Michael Bentine , hev was member of the Goon Show. I knowvit about Harry Seacombe and I applaud him , his voice was Magnificent

[@joycebriault7498]

Remember seeing him at the guardian theatre in walthamstow with my brother

[@honeyjbc1]

A marvelous video.

[@michaelstevens3479]

When comedians were funny,where did it all go wrong?

[@neiltappenden1008]

So very true

[@BuckyBrown-lt4ry]

Were funny and CLEAN.

[@miketravis6149]

42:00 Classic Spike Milligan. Lovely man, I grew up with the Goons. Nice family.

[@brianneale2006]

We keep a Welcome. for Harry

[@bobturnley2787]

Great tenor voice. Could easily have had a career in opera. Would have loved to hear him sing in Pagliacci, Rigoletto, La Boheme and an English language version of The Magic Flute.

[@edwinkirkland8856]

😢😢😢😢😢😢😢sireesecombe😢

[@MrSoerenbager]

One om my heroes; but I must insist he was tenor!

[@therugburnz]

I'd heard about The Goons but in America they only talk about Sellers. American media is so sad. I could have been watching his show for decades yet I didn't even hear of it until the InterWeb was HUGE.

[@mrsunshine6936]

Harry seemed a much nicer person than Sellers as well. A family man and that voice - WOW! R.I.P.

[@therugburnz]

@@mrsunshine6936 I knew so little I though the comedian and the singer were different people.

[@mariafelices8000]

A Welsh treasure Mark Cardiff

[@MOGGS1942]

Actually, he's from Swansea.

[@adamwithey4746]

Today, it's 20 years since Sir Harry Secombe CBE passed away in 2001 at 79. Who was he? (Sunday 11th April 2021)

[@francis400]

John Snagge "Watch it Secombe or I'll ban your record on housewife's choice!" On with the motley!'

[@billybronco4223]

I remember Spike Milligan saying he wanted Harry to die first because he didn't want him to sing at his funeral.

[@will5107]

Yea. And when Spike did die, a recording of Harry singing was played at his funeral. I heard that Peter Sellers went first, and had a recording of a Glenn Miller song played at his funeral. They all hated Miller's songs but Peter knew he wouldn't have to hear it and that the other Goons would!

[@wakeupuk3860]

Have recently been listening to the Goon Shows and laughing out loud to all of them 'equally', especially off script remarks, which never happens when I watch TV now, which I rarely do. Using KZbin to find out more about Harry found the clip of the film where he sings Nesa Dorma and it brought tears to my eyes. Can you think of any comedian who was on par with Sellars and Spike but was a top-notch opera singer as well, I can't, More, so it is obvious unlike Sellars and Spike he never succumbed to mental turmoil that being famous, rich and talented that the other two did but managed to know his wife and children were important and fame was fickle. All our cebs and so-called comedians are incapable of that, except maybe Michael Macintyre and Lee Evans, I expect we will never see the likes of him again sadly, our loss.

[@edwinkirkland8856]

😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@edwinkirkland8856]

😢😢😢😢😢

[@BRIRICO]

The title of this nice clip ought to have been "Harry Seacombe, 79", since he did not make it to his 80th birthday.

[@edwinkirkland8856]

😢😢😢😢

[@edwinkirkland8856]

Secombe to spike.."tellenthestory😂

[@edwinkirkland8856]

He loved myrna to 😊death 😢😢😢😢😢dam n

[@najbritcol]

Am I the only one who thinks he looked like Douglas Hurd?

[@martinjones5965]

11:36 Charles the Prince as he was.

[@garystockdalevideos]

Wonderful, but the notes call him a baritone. He was a tenor if there ever was one.

[@saanzacs]

21:15

[@RayMilland-tf2we]

Pity he turned to God towards the end of his career...