Happy 100th Birthday Wilfrid Brambell aka Albert Steptoe’You are a dyed-in-the-wool, fascist, reactionary, squalid little, ‘know your place’, ‘don’t rise above yourself’, ‘don’t get out of your hole’ – complacent little turd. ‘
Harold Steptoe
I know I just wished Jack Kerouac a happy birthday in the last post but today would have been the 100th birthday of the actor Wilfrid Brambell who is best known for the character Albert Steptoe in the hit 60’s TV programme Steptoe and son and he is one of my favourite characters of all time.
For most of us who watched and loved this hilarious show, we all had a soft spot for Albert, though he was filthy, disgusting and described best in the words of his own son Harold “You dirty oul man’ the show was stomach murdering funny and Wilfrid a true legend.
Not many know the Wilfrid was Irish and hailed from my neck of the woods in Dublin. Not many know also that he was a great singer and Broadway performer and unrecognizable when scrubbed up and out of character.
But he will always be remembered for the brilliant Albert Steptoe. This character, along with his son Harold played by Harry H Corbett lasted right through the ’60s into the ’70s and had two movie spin-offs too.
The show is basically about two poor rag and bone men living in Shepherds Bush in London. Albert is a crank disgusting filthy old man while his son has aspirations but is constantly held back by his father, so they are always at each other’s throat. Albert is lazy, cynical, foul-mouthed, dirty, very vindictive with a load of disgusting habits that made you cringe and laugh at the same time.
One of my favourite characters of all time, Wilfred Brambell I salute you, happy 100th birthday and thanks for all the nutty crazy funny memories.
JOE GOBBETT
Hello, I just read this article on Wilfred Brambell, I am a big fan of that show.
Have you any idea what his address was when he lived in Dublin, am I right in saying it was somewhere in Rathgar.
Joe Gobbett