MAX WALL the comedian died in Westminister Hospital, London, yesterday
after falling as he left his favourite restaurant, Simpson's in The
Strand where he took lunch with friends. He did not regain consciousness
after the accident. He was 82.
Mr Wall, married three times, once owned two mansions and played golf
with King Edward VIII. He died almost a recluse, living in a modest
one-bedroom council flat in South London.
The master of the funny walk, he starred last year in the film We
Think The World Of You with actress Liz Smith.
Mrs Joan Pritchard, his agent for 16 years, said: ''He had lunch with
some friends at his favourite restaurant, Simpson's in the Strand.
''His eyesight was rather poor lately. No one actually saw what
occurred but apparently he took a very unfortunate tumble down the
stairs.
''He was taken to hospital with a fractured skull but never regained
consciousness. His son Meredith was with him when he died.''
Mrs Pritchard went on: ''I am very shocked by this. It was very sudden
and totally unexpected. ''But I suppose he had a nice ending, dining
with friends and telling showbusiness stories.''
She said Mr Wall had not performed his live stage show for several
years: ''His health had deteriorated and on doctor's advice he could not
do his professor role.''
His Professor Wallofski character involved double-jointed antics often
imitated but never rivalled.
Mrs Pritchard said: ''The last thing I saw him in was his readings of
Beckett. He was a remarkable man and I shall miss him greatly.''
Comedian Ernie Wise, who worked with Mr Wall when they were on tour
together with the Jack Hylton Band in 1939, said: ''There are so few of
the great comedians left now. He didn't suffer fools gladly. He was very
much his own man. He was an original and there will never be another one
like him.''
Charlie Chester said: ''He was a brilliant comic but he was not a
loveable man. He could be very aggressive.
''He had a chip on his shoulder. He always blamed his mother for not
giving him the right education to be an officer in the RAF.
''But he was one of the last great music hall comics. He was one of
the brilliants. I only wish he'd been more loveable.''
Comedian Frankie Howerd said: ''Max was one of the great music hall
acts I used to watch and hero worship when I was very young and had
ambitions to become a comedian.'' Howerd eventually worked with Wall on
radio shows.''I admired him particularly as he got older. He changed
into an extremely fine actor who could combine comedy with tragedy. He
was unique.''
Max Wall was born in 1908 into music hall, his father being an
established artiste among others in the family.
After a distinguished music hall career from the 1930s, it was his
later appearances in plays by Samuel Beckett which bridged the culture
gap and made his name in mainstream theatre. He gained the rare respect
of Beckett himself.
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