Trivia

His father worked at a Guinness Brewery and his mother was an opera singer.

Was considered for the role of the grandfather in Only Fools and Horses (1981).

He divorced his wife Molly Josephine after she had a child, Michael, in 1955, by the Brambells' lodger, Roderick Fisher.

In A Hard Day's Night (1964), sings a few bars of "A Nation Once Again," an Irish folk song, in the police station.

He went on holiday to Thailand every year.

Appeared in the Broadway musical "Kelly" at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City; however, it closed after just one performance.

He left the bulk of his estate and a flat in Pimlico, London, to a close friend and flatmate, Yussof Bin Mat Saman.

His long-term partner was Yussof Bin Mat Saman, a much-younger Malayan man to whom he would refer coyly in public as his "valet".

He was due to play the role of Jeff Simmons, bass guitarist with The Mothers of Invention, in Frank Zappa's 1971 film 200 Motels (1971) but left the production after an argument with Zappa.

Released two 45rpm singles, 'Second Hand' with B Side 'Rag Time Ragabone Man'.

His father was of English descent, and his mother was Jewish.

He was already playing old men on television when he was only in his early forties.

Appeared in The Salvage Gang which was shown at the Montevideo 1960 Film Festival and won a special award.