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The act for which he is best remembered was "Over the Garden Wall", in which he played Fanny
Fairbottom, a toothless hatchet-faced Lancastrian housewife gossiping over a garden wall. The caricature was reportedly based on his mother. The one-sided conversations would embrace local gossip, including
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scandal about the neighbours and personal medical complaints, including silently mouthing words deemed too rude to be spoken out loud, and accompanied with a range of facial contortions and glances round for supposed eavesdroppers.
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In May 1955, he lost his right eye in a serious car accident while driving near
Preston. The accident was caused after he swerved trying to avoid a black cat. Despite the accident, he had his first television series,
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characters. Another famous stage sketch was "The
Dentist" in which Evans played both patient and dentist, and in which he employed a large screen through which only
237:. He also toured with a stage show, "Good Evans", and made the first of a successful series of U.S. appearances in New York in 1949, followed by a season at the
275:, another top pantomime dame: "Working in a Butlin theatre is a terrific experience, and although I've not been too well, I've never been happier in my life".
286:. The headstone of his grave is a low wall built from natural gritstone blocks. His epitaph (preceding birth and death dates) reads "His last garden wall".
131:(11 June 1901 – 25 November 1962) was an English stage and radio comedian, best remembered for his sketches and programmes entitled "Over the Garden Wall".
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Grace, Beauty and Banjos: Peculiar Lives and
Strange Times of Music Hall and Variety Artistes
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played the part of Evans' husband. It was also the inspiration for
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played the part of his neighbour, and for several films including
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Radio Comedy 1938-1968: A Guide to 30 Years of
Wonderful Wireless
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Ixion (26 May 1955). "Occasional
Comments - Condolences".
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The routine provided the basis for a BBC radio series,
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406:Roy Hudd's Cavalcade of Variety Acts
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19:For the British architect, see
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28:Norman Evans (speedway rider)
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16:British actor (1901–1962)
21:Norman Evans (architect)
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538:English male comedians
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503:Sample of Evans' act
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305:Under New Management
261:Saturday Comedy Hour
188:Over the Garden Wall
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