454:, New Zealand, where he spent countless hours working with jazz/blues pianist Malcolm Bishop. According to Bishop,, "Lofty was clearly looking for someone to pass the figurative baton on to. He was extremely generous with time, his resources, and a shortbread that he loved made for him by a local friend. On the evening before Don returned to the UK I sat with him in his living room until after 4 am as he so passionately encouraged and advised me in my own career. Even though we had discussed business for after his return to New Zealand, part way through the evening I realised this would be the last time I would see my friend."
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Beyond reuniting with family and friends, the reasons for
Estelle's UK visit were twofold. The BBC was filming a documentary on the history of British comedy and had requested interviews. He also needed a liver transplant, but he became too weak for doctors to operate. Estelle returned to the UK
419:, "in recent years Estelle cut a slightly sorry figure, dressed in his 'Lofty' outfit, setting out a stall of his tapes and singing to passers-by in shopping centres." He appeared as a "dirty old man" in the promotional video for
278:, and on returning home after the war, he continued singing at St Mary's Church, Crumpsall. He later joined a charity group, the Manchester Kentucky Minstrels, and with them, performed "
413:(1999), Estelle was extremely bitter about modern-day entertainment producers describing them as being "tight-crutched, white-trousered morons". According to his obituary in
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character often mocked Lofty in the storylines. The character was given the ironic nickname of Lofty because of
Estelle's 4 ft 9 in (145 cm) stature.
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in 1962 at the
Garrick Theatre in London and the two men formed an act which toured theatres and clubs for four years. Estelle had small roles in
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228:(22 May 1933 – 2 August 2003) was an English actor and singer, best known as Gunner "Lofty" Sugden in
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called Gerald in three more in 1970). He eventually gained the role of Gunner "Lofty" Sugden in the
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he wore as Gunner "Lofty" Sugden. He was survived by his second wife, Elizabeth.
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361:(1976), all three recorded with Windsor Davies. Estelle also acted in the films
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Estelle gained experience by singing one song 12 times a week in the show
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676:(19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 187.
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620:"Life after Lofty: where did it all go wrong for Don Estelle?"
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Rochdale
Cemetery, Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England
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565:. Don Estelle Music Publishing. p. 98.
403:Linda Smith's A Brief History of Timewasting
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262:, at the age of eight, he was evacuated to
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320:removals man in one 1969, episode and an
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400:. In 2001, he appeared in an episode of
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270:. It was there he found his voice as a
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349:in 1975 with a semi-comic version of "
588:"Farewell to screen star 'Lofty' Don"
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618:Chilton, Martin (2 September 2021).
462:on 2 August 2003, and was buried in
458:weeks before his death. He died in
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290:'s northern studios in Manchester.
814:British expatriates in New Zealand
647:Hayward, Anthony (3 August 2003).
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859:21st-century British male singers
854:20th-century British male singers
809:20th-century English male actors
757:Barker, Dennis (4 August 2003).
673:British Hit Singles & Albums
586:Byrne, Michael (5 August 2003).
563:Sing Lofty: Thoughts of a Gemini
411:Sing Lofty: Thoughts Of A Gemini
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824:English male television actors
594:. M.E.N. Media. Archived from
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849:21st-century English singers
844:20th-century English singers
834:Male actors from Manchester
746:. BBC News. 19 August 2003.
353:", followed by a cover of "
266:, Lancashire to escape the
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744:"Actor Don Estelle buried"
282:" in the 1954 talent show
276:Holy Trinity Parish Church
839:Male actors from Rochdale
450:Estelle briefly moved to
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16:English actor (1933–2003)
428:Girl Jo Hicks's single "
670:Roberts, David (2006).
393:The League of Gentlemen
390:In the first series of
383:, who also appeared in
373:(1984), in addition to
341:Estelle had a powerful
534:Santa Claus: The Movie
409:In his autobiography,
376:Santa Claus: The Movie
254:(historically part of
829:People from Crumpsall
561:Estelle, Don (1999).
385:It Ain't Half Hot Mum
331:It Ain't Half Hot Mum
231:It Ain't Half Hot Mum
150:It Ain't Half Hot Mum
40:It Ain't Half Hot Mum
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187: 1955;
37:Estelle as Lofty in
466:with the oversized
435:The Benny Hill Show
201:Elizabeth Amy Brent
517:A Private Function
460:Rochdale Infirmary
370:A Private Function
284:What Makes a Star?
97:Greater Manchester
683:978-1-904994-10-7
659:on 24 April 2017.
598:on 21 April 2013.
592:Rochdale Observer
572:978-0-9537377-1-0
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379:(1985) alongside
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173:Mary Heywood
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87:(2003-08-02)
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804:2003 deaths
799:1933 births
780:Don Estelle
629:2 September
522:Barraclough
474:Filmography
468:pith helmet
446:Final years
440:Cyril Smith
367:(1976) and
316:(playing a
272:boy soprano
226:Don Estelle
113:Nationality
62:22 May 1933
25:Don Estelle
793:Categories
714:21 October
548:References
430:Yakety Sax
426:Page Three
359:Sing Lofty
355:Paper Doll
322:ARP warden
313:Dad's Army
256:Lancashire
252:Manchester
238:Early life
156:Dad's Army
145:Television
74:Lancashire
70:Manchester
58:1933-05-22
765:. London.
318:Pickfords
288:BBC Radio
248:Crumpsall
140:1954–2001
76:, England
66:Crumpsall
724:cite web
464:Rochdale
93:Rochdale
422:The Sun
302:at the
280:Granada
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163:Spouses
116:English
99:England
680:
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490:Notes
484:Title
326:sitcom
294:Career
264:Darwen
708:(PDF)
701:(PDF)
539:Groot
487:Role
481:Year
343:tenor
304:Hulme
242:Born
211:(
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183:(
179:
124:Rolly
784:IMDb
730:link
716:2007
678:ISBN
631:2021
567:ISBN
529:1985
512:1984
495:1976
189:div.
82:Died
48:Born
782:at
286:at
246:in
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
