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.