Cast of Round the Horne

Kenneth Horne first went ‘on the Air’ in Britain in 1940 when, as a member of the R.A.F. he was instructed by his superior officer to organise a broadcast. He ended the war with the rank of Wing Commander and went on to combine a successful career in British industry—he had read economics at Cambridge — with his radio and television work, He had a long and fruitful association with Richard Murdoch which resulted in the popular wartime and post war radio show ‘Much Binding in the Marsh’. In 1958, the year ‘Beyond Our Ken’ burst upon an unsuspecting public, Kenneth Home decided to devote all his time to broadcasting. He died on February 14 1969. Round Mr Horne -The Life of Kenneth Horne from Amazon

Kenneth Williams was born in London and educated both in London and abroad, and served in the Army in the Far East. A star of stage, screen, and radio he worked extensively in revue and appeared in 26 of 31 ‘Carry On’ films. He died on April 15, 1988. The Kenneth Williams Diaries from Amazon.

Betty Marsden was born in Liverpool, studied at the Italian Conti Stage School, and toured for E.N.S.A. during the war. An accomplished actress in both farce and straight theatre, her career has included work in radio and television as well as many stage performances. She died on July 18, 1998.

Hugh Paddick was born in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire and began his professional life in law, but soon found that he preferred a theatre audience to a crowded court room. As well as his wide range of work in radio and television he has been a frequent performer on the West End stage, including three and a half years as Colonel Pickering in the Drury Lane production of ‘My Fair Lady’. He died on November 9, 2000.

Bill Pertwee gave his first professional appearance as an impressionist in concert party in 1955 and has been steadily engaged in work for radio, television, stage, and film ever since. He is fondly remembered as the Air Raid Warden in ‘Dad’s Army’.  He was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s 2007 Birthday Honours list for his services to charity. He died on 27 May 2013.

Douglas Smith joined the European Service of the BBC in 1946, and went on to be an announcer and newsreader for the Home Service and television. In addition to his participation in ‘Beyond Our Ken’ and ‘Round the Home’, he pursued his interest in works for narrator and music until his death on 15 October 1972

The Fraser Hayes Four. Tony Hayes studied art, and Jimmy Fraser engineering, before they each dropped out to become dance band guitarists. They met and formed their group in the ‘fifties, and worked together in variety, clubs, TV, and radio until 1967. Jimmy pursued a solo career in the U.S., while Tony formed a vocal harmony group, The Skyliners.