On This Day in 1961, We Lost the Singing, Ukulele-Playing Comedian Who Inspired the Beatles

Never afraid to experiment with different sounds, the Beatles incorporated various instruments like the sitar and piano into their music. Lead guitarist George Harrison was particularly fond of non-Western elements like the ukulele, a small, dainty guitar-like object. Initially popularized in Hawaii, multi-hyphenate entertainer George Formby brought the ukulele to the UK. Formby, who died on this day (March 6) in 1961, was one of Harrison’s earliest influences.

George Formby Followed His Dad into Entertainment

By the time George Hoy Booth was born in Lancanshire, England, on May 26, 1904, his father, James Booth, was already a successful comedian performing under the stage name George Formby—a moniker his son would later adopt. Adamant that none of his children follow him into show business, James Booth sent the 7-year-old boy to become an apprentice horse jockey. He entered his first professional race at age 10.

Eventually his father relented, allowing the young Formby to star as a savvy young stable boy in the 1915 thriller By the Shortest of Heads. After filming wrapped, he continued his work as a jockey until his father’s death in February 1921. He made his professional stage debut just one month later, using his dad’s material.

The story goes that Formby, still struggling to make his own name, bought his first ukulele off a fellow actor for two pounds, 10 shillings. Apparently as some kind of bet, he incorporated the instrument into a show at the Alhambra Theatre in Barnsley. It was a huge hit, and from that point forward, Formby was rarely spotted onstage without his trusty ukulele.

[RELATED: Tom Petty Wrote His Only Holiday Song on a Ukulele George Harrison Gave Him, Then Created a Wall of Sound Around It]

George Harrison Was His Biggest Fan

George Formby kicked off his film career in 1934, appearing in more than 20 movies throughout his four-decade career. While his characters—typically hapless, bumbling accidental heroes—were rarely serious, his ukulele playing certainly was. He helped write and record more than 200 songs, including “When I’m Cleaning Windows and With My Little Stick of Blackpool Rock.”

After his death from a heart attack at age 56, fans formed the George Formby Society to keep his memory and trademark instrument alive. Its most famous member, George Harrison, spoke about his love for Formby during a 1991 meeting in Blackpool.

“The best thing about it for me is that it’s just funny music,” the ex-Beatle said. “It’s very light-hearted and it’s hard to play a ukulele or banjo without smiling. Y’know it tends to lighten life up a bit.”

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