- Born
- Died
- Nickname
- Ken
- Height5′ 2″ (1.57 m)
- The son of a naval officer who ran what were called "concert parties", Kenneth Connor made his stage debut at age two, and by 11 was performing in both a solo act and a doubles act with his brother in various revue shows. He later decided to become a serious actor rather than just a revue performer, and attended a professional music and drama school. After a six-year stint in the army, he returned to the theater as an actor, and secured quite a few roles on the stage. For all his training, though, he found his greatest success doing voice characterizations on radio comedy shows. His success there led to his being cast in the first "Carry On" film, and he went on to become one of the regulars in the long-running series. After it ended Connor did a lot of television work, and achieved another round of success as the undertaker Alphonse in the popular TV series, 'Allo 'Allo! (1982). He died of cancer in 1993.- IMDb Mini Biography By: frankfob2@yahoo.com
- He made his stage debut at the age of 2 in Portsmouth where his father was a Petty Officer on the Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert and helped to set up service concerts for charity. A bunch of chaps would dress up as black and white minstrels, his mother would have a collection box, his father with a banjo and ken, dressed as a monkey, would be sat on a barrel organ . His father taught Ken and his young brother basic dance steps and songs and they continued to appear in concerts throughout childhood. When his dad left the navy he ran a pub where Ken served behind the bar and took drama lessons. In 1933 he won a place at the Central School of Speech and Drama winning a gold medal in his final year. His first professional engagement was in J.M.Barries 'The Boy David' in 1936 and his film debut 3 years later as a post boy in 'Poison Pen'. After his war time service in the Middlesex Regiment and going through the Dunkirk evacuation he toured the Middle East with Stars in Battledress appearing with Wilfred Hyde White in 'Flare Path' and in Italy in 'Someone at the Door' with Geoffrey Keen. After being demobbed in 1947 he joined the newly formed Bristol Old Vic for 3 years before being drawn to radio work spending 11 years with Ted Ray in 'Rays a Laugh', Jack Warner in 'Meet the Huggetts and Eric Barker in 'Just Fancy'. At the same time he did three seasons in The Black and White Minstrel Show and appeared in several Shakespearean roles on tv. On stage he took over from Kenneth Williams in the revue ; 'One Over the Eight' . Work in the Carry on films led to a key role on the West End stage in 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' with Frankie Howerd which ran for over 500 performances. He then took over directing it when it went on tour. A favourite of David Croft who cast him as Monsieur Alfonse, the funeral director with a 'dicky ticker' in 'Allo. Allo' He never watched his own work when it was on tv saying 'What's done is done and on with the next' There was only one exception and that was 'Carry on Nurse' which he always watched, not for his own performance, but for that of his then 3 and half year old son, Jeremy.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Tonyman 5
- SpouseMargaret Irene Churchill Knox(October 20, 1942 - November 28, 1993) (his death, 1 child)
- His last screen performance was on BBC Television's Noel's Telly Addicts in 1993, just two days before he died.
- He played the father of his real life son Jeremy Connor in Carry on Nurse (1959).
- The only actor in the "Carry On..." films to appear, along with Kenneth Williams and Eric Barker in the first (Carry on Sergeant (1958)) and last authentic "Carry On..." films (Carry on Emmannuelle (1978)). This does not include the heavily criticized Carry on Columbus (1992).
- He enjoyed reading books about the sea and had a boat on the Thames and was a keen football fan.
- He was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1991 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to drama.
- Carry on Emmannuelle (1978) - £3,500
- Carry on England (1976) - £3,000
- Carry on Behind (1976) - £3,000
- Carry on Dick (1974) - £3,000
- Carry on Girls (1973) - £3,000
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