Bob was my neighbour for over 20 years - a kinder, wittier more generous man I've never met. I still miss our chats. Thanks, Bob - for all the laughs over the years.
My Dad met Bob twice, about 5 years apart, for 5 minutes at a time. The second time they met, Bob remembered my Dad's name and what he did for a living. The man had an amazing memory and was genuinely interested in people.
The world is a poorer place without Bob , you are missed Mr Monkhouse , you were a constant on the TV during my childhood and beyond , thank you for the laughs and happy times
RIP Bob Monkhouse (June 1, 1928 - December 29, 2003), aged 75 And RIP Sir Michael Parkinson (March 28, 1935 - August 16, 2023), aged 88 You both will be remembered as legends.
Bob was a lovely chap. He was much more likeable in real life than his familiar itv screen persona and it comes across here. His knowledge of 'film' was truly mind blowing. I could never get on with Lulu; just far too much 'edge'. Cilla Black was always lovely. Clodagh Rodgers was a delight too.
I've never seen anyone as confident in their own talent as Bob. You could literally get him to front any old tripe and he would make it work. Safest pair of hands in the business. RIP.
Lovely interview of the Great Man. Very fleetingly I met him when I was working at his local UK airport around the time of the interview. He needed to produce his passport and couldn't find it! Eventually, he did, having already asked very politely if it was necessary. ("Yes, please.") Only when he did produce it - courteously - did I realise who he was. It was one of the most embarrassing moments in my life, so unassuming was he. May gentleman Bob Monkhouse OBE rest in peace.
Wonderful how Bob, already the consummate professional, promoted his younger generation with such admiration and respect. That makes someone a truly special person which Bob always was.
I don't know a huge amount about Bob and his style, or styles, of comedy, but I'm pretty sure he'd look at a comment like this and call it trite. And incorrect. You're trying to laud the man as something he wasn't.
My mother had an office job at a seaside theatre in her youth when young Bob was performing there for the season. She always spoke very highly of him - said he always polite, always kind to everybody who worked there.
I met Bob in 1996, outside BBC radio in Hallam Street and he was just THE nicest, charming fella I've ever met in showbiz. There were just a couple of other autograph collectors present and I was able to get a pic with Bob, as well as a few autographs (you never know if you'll be blessed with another opportunity!), each of which had a different dedication. He also signed a behind-the-scenes 10x8 from Carry on Sergeant, which he'd never seen before and was thrilled to see it. A moment I'll always treasure.
The brightest light on the tree went out when Bob Monkhouse passed away. I hope his collection is archived properly somewhere. He was the absolute master. RIP Bob. You so deserve to.
Great to see Peter Kay absolutely in awe of Monkhouse. Comics know each other, they know who's good and who's not. Monkhouse's awareness of up-and-coming talent is great to see. He was so interested in comedy and how it worked. Sadly missed.
What an interview and what a guy! Bob was an amazing talent, but until watching this didn’t realise what a fantastic person he was too. He just took his illness head on, refusing to let it bow him, publicly at least. Tremendous talent, brilliantly funny.
The line I am not scared of dying it's just the next day you are so stiff is pure comedy perfection the pause and comic timing are perfection he was more than a comic writer a brilliant comic who was a comic legend God bless you Bob
I'm not sure it's about who has the superior talent, I think it's about two guys respecting each other because they are both (a) great comedians; and (b) they both study comedy and they know exactly how it works. Love it when Monkhouse says (of Kay) 'he starts out with gags like this and then moves on to gags like this, and it works'. Both experts in their field.
Watched Bob Monkhouse live in the 80s he did 2 1/2 hrs and never stopped or repeated himself once unlike modern comedians who think an hour is enough. He brought that days local paper with him and proceeded to read news items from it making side splitting jokes about each story as he went, genius. I grew up with him and so many great comedians that would be burnt at the stake today, what a sorry sad world we live in.
Great comedian,Great writer,Great game show host,and after seeing this lovely interview,Great Man! Rest in peace Bob,you will be remembered with much love and affection 😆
Bob like so many other we have lost over the years, we’re consummate professionals. Maybe it’s me but we don’t seem to have many like this any more, and the ones we have left are popping off at a ridiculous rate.
Me and my Nan would watch him on The Golden Shot and Celebrity Squares of a Sunday. I have the fondest memories of that time. Bob was a genius Comic. Can't believe it's been 20 years since he passed away.
"The careers teacher asked me what I wanted to be when I left school". I said, "A comedian" "They all laughed!" There not laughing now! lol. A great line from one of the best. Quick witted, very funny and sadly missed.
Sorry, Bob Monkhouse but you have been gone 15 years and I been watching your video Alive & Forbidden and I laughed like I have not laughed in a long, long time. The best medicine when anyone is feeling unwell or down, check out quick-witted, clever, talented and very funny Bob Monkhouse and the clouds will disappear.....Never forgotten.
"Bob" Monkhouse , Was the real deal make NO Mistake As my Dad , described him as the Master of Improvisation A True Genius, comparing many a Night in Liverpool back in the Day R.I.P. BOB..............................................
Aw, it's so sad. How he manages to raise a laugh out of it is the mark of his greatness. His name will live on forever. He was the original British TV star, and he shone right to the very end of his life.
Bob Monkhouse was one of our greatest stand-up comics. I had the pleasure of seeing Bob dozens of times as a warm-up act. I never minded that on any other night I'd be the headliner because not only did I get to sit back and laugh my arse off but more importantly, I would learn so much just watching how he played the room like Eric Clapton playing a guitar.
Bob Monkhouse was hilarious, intelligent and very charming. He had incredible sharp and quick wit. RIP . Michael Parkinson was a legend Also. He always brought out the best in people. Very intelligent and talented xxx
I remember one night he was hosting the lottery and they couldn't get the machine to go. He ad libbed for God knows how long till they were ready. Brilliant. He was the very best.
Bob Monkhouse Bob was a very nice man ,he brought comedy and laughter to us all , I understand his house was full of comedy parts from many artists ,he was Briliant , I remember Bob lived in eggington Beds with his wife Jackie , sadly both are passed now God bless you Bob & Jackie true entertainers never die , they live on .
So many clever one liners from Bob Monkhouse over the years, eg it got up to 94° today and at my age that's not bad. When I die, I want to go peacefully in my sleep, just like my father. Not screaming and shouting like his passengers! So many more....
One of my favourites was on a audience with, filmed in 1992 in think....Now this may surprise you but it shouldnt , that Jim Bowen has bookings up to 1995...and thats £2 more than he was getting last year.
Mr. Monkhouse, despite his smarmy reputation, was remarkably lacking in ego and several other performers who have worked with him can attest to this. His attitude to his illness, for want of a better phrase, is the overused "inspiring". He believed, as I do, that life does not continue after death but it's comforting to think there is a little bit of him still around, even if it's a lie.
@@joeblack8915 he did it in a funny comedic non offensive way. U took him up wrong. Go to counselling about your feelings towards him. Maybe your therapist will watch videos of bob with you, and help you understand your issues .😛
Bob was a much nicer man in real life than the on-screen persona we often saw on in his early years on TV. It was extremely brave for him to have shared his experience with terminal illness with such great humour. He was a very kind spirit. Sadly missed to this day.!
Yep, in early TV he was awful and smarmy and you can't really blame the format of the shows either where he could have gone off-script or off-persona, if he had wanted to. However, later in life he was a 1000x better, nicer and funnier. I really miss him being around.
I pass his house every day in eggington named Claridges and always imagine what it would have been like to get to know him if he was alive. A true star and probably the cleverest comedian ever. RIP
The fastest, verbally astute comedian you will ever come across the man’s wit, the main sense of humour and man’s intelligence surpasses all of those today. God bless you, Bob may you rest in eternal peace. And also of the sad passing of Michael Parkinson There’s not too many greats around now it’s such a shame I’m glad I was born when I was Today’s society is so woke you cannot say this, you cannot say that You kids have not got a clue
They're still out there - trouble is there's barely anything left you can joke about today without lefties and the snowflake generation complaining about it.
Wow what a pleasure it was to watch Bob again, the master at everything he touched. I can't stand interview shows now, talentless wannabes only appearing flogging their latest stuff.
Ahh what a nice man bob was i always remember watching him as a kid and laughed so much as my mum and dad did to all his jokes these old gents are few nowadays rip sir you are very much missed
I can remember seeing him in the Stardust club, just outside Usk, in South Wales, back in 1981. One of the finest comedians in the business, and one of the funniest evenings i think ive had. No worries there BOB, you will certainly be remembered as one of our comedy greats
Just listen to this man, how he makes great comedy and wordplay out of his tragedy. Utterly brilliant, nobody will be doing any of this kind of sublime material ever again Genius
Part of my childhood was Bob. Game shows and a great stand up comedian. Always loved Parky .Had some great guests on his shows always let them do the talking . RIP both legends.
@@sparry4264 Haven't heard that phrase since my parents always got me the Oor Wullie Christmas annual when I was a child in Newcastle in the sixties lol.
Bob was my neighbour for over 20 years - a kinder, wittier more generous man I've never met. I still miss our chats. Thanks, Bob - for all the laughs over the years.
The Two Bobbies eh
If this is real, then i commend you and tip my hat in acknowledgement of a true British comedy hero, and the fact that you knew him 😍👌
Always came across as a warm genuine man, had so so many laughs watching him and this interview takes me back! Rest in Peace Bob, you are missed!!
You said you've never met.
What a absolutely brilliant comedian 😂@@truthseeker1867
My Dad met Bob twice, about 5 years apart, for 5 minutes at a time. The second time they met, Bob remembered my Dad's name and what he did for a living. The man had an amazing memory and was genuinely interested in people.
The world is a poorer place without Bob , you are missed Mr Monkhouse , you were a constant on the TV during my childhood and beyond , thank you for the laughs and happy times
Still watching in 2019.
Bob monkhouse was a genius. RIP Bob.
RIP Bob Monkhouse (June 1, 1928 - December 29, 2003), aged 75
And
RIP Sir Michael Parkinson (March 28, 1935 - August 16, 2023), aged 88
You both will be remembered as legends.
There ain’t many of them left on the planet anymore.
Bob was a lovely chap. He was much more likeable in real life than his familiar itv screen persona and it comes across here. His knowledge of 'film' was truly mind blowing.
I could never get on with Lulu; just far too much 'edge'. Cilla Black was always lovely. Clodagh Rodgers was a delight too.
Growing up watching Parkinson every Saturday Night after Match of the Day what great times
“People used to laugh at me when I said I wanted to be a stand up comedian. Well they’re not laughing now” - such a great joke. RIP Bob M.
I've never seen anyone as confident in their own talent as Bob. You could literally get him to front any old tripe and he would make it work. Safest pair of hands in the business. RIP.
They don't make them like Bob anymore. Pure genius. Such a brave man. Who could ever dislike him. Much missed ♥️
Fast, sharp, clean and a true gentleman even so ill and dying. He was a one off. RIP Bob.
I saw Monkhouse in a club working out of his blue book. He was extremely funny, but believe me, he was not clean!
Lovely interview of the Great Man. Very fleetingly I met him when I was working at his local UK airport around the time of the interview. He needed to produce his passport and couldn't find it! Eventually, he did, having already asked very politely if it was necessary. ("Yes, please.") Only when he did produce it - courteously - did I realise who he was. It was one of the most embarrassing moments in my life, so unassuming was he. May gentleman Bob Monkhouse OBE rest in peace.
Lovely, lovely man! Extremely generous in his comments about other performers, personable to the last and just a true gentleman.
No he wasn't, he openly slagged off those he didn't like. A total wanker.
Wonderful how Bob, already the consummate professional, promoted his younger generation with such admiration and respect. That makes someone a truly special person which Bob always was.
Lovely generous comments Christopher. Bob was also incredibly intelligent and quick-witted.
@@joeblack8915 actually i think you are the wanker!!!
Love Bob. He was the best
It's only after he "went" and seeing todays comics that you realise what a genius he was.....
A total badass dude...I won't hear a bad word about Bob. I watched a brilliant documentary about him, what a remarkable mind and man.
He was a good arse.
Don't worry Bob, we still remember you and you're still making us laugh.
Bob still makes us all laugh 15 years on from his passing. He was one of the greats and he never had to be too rude or crude.
he sure was one off great guy
A true class act
He often made sexual jokes.
I don't know a huge amount about Bob and his style, or styles, of comedy, but I'm pretty sure he'd look at a comment like this and call it trite. And incorrect. You're trying to laud the man as something he wasn't.
He definitely could be lewd
My mother had an office job at a seaside theatre in her youth when young Bob was performing there for the season. She always spoke very highly of him - said he always polite, always kind to everybody who worked there.
hard to believe this is 17 years ago, and he was gone about a year later. Remarkably gifted comedian and a jolly good egg,
Maybe that's why he lived in Eggington! Great man Monkhouse.
@@SuperFerdie1965 ha ha ;-)
Michael Parkinson , one of the finest chat show hosts and Bob Monkhouse , one of the finest comedians we have ever had!
Bob Monkhouse was an absolute master of his craft.
I miss him hugely.
I met Bob in 1996, outside BBC radio in Hallam Street and he was just THE nicest, charming fella I've ever met in showbiz.
There were just a couple of other autograph collectors present and I was able to get a pic with Bob, as well as a few autographs (you never know if you'll be blessed with another opportunity!), each of which had a different dedication.
He also signed a behind-the-scenes 10x8 from Carry on Sergeant, which he'd never seen before and was thrilled to see it.
A moment I'll always treasure.
The mad was dying and he was still having a joke about it, what a legend
The brightest light on the tree went out when Bob Monkhouse passed away. I hope his collection is archived properly somewhere. He was the absolute master. RIP Bob. You so deserve to.
One of Bob's quotes was 'hating does more harm to the hater than to the hated'...great guy!
"Let he who is without sin throw the first rock" - Bob Monkhouse
But it's so damn satisfying.
This man was the comedians comedian..a true master of the craft..quick fire..
Impeccable timing, impeccably dressed, incredible comedian. Truly one of the greats
Great comedian. Hats off to Parky also, no one does interviews like this anymore. Knew that his guests were the stars and not him.
Great to see Peter Kay absolutely in awe of Monkhouse. Comics know each other, they know who's good and who's not. Monkhouse's awareness of up-and-coming talent is great to see. He was so interested in comedy and how it worked. Sadly missed.
I'm a musician, worked with Bob a lot through the years. So sharp in his live act, so funny. What you saw was what you got, a genuinely nice bloke.
He was totally sharp. He knew about comedy - he actually wrote down every joke, that book now is probably priceless
What an interview and what a guy! Bob was an amazing talent, but until watching this didn’t realise what a fantastic person he was too. He just took his illness head on, refusing to let it bow him, publicly at least. Tremendous talent, brilliantly funny.
The line I am not scared of dying it's just the next day you are so stiff is pure comedy perfection the pause and comic timing are perfection he was more than a comic writer a brilliant comic who was a comic legend God bless you Bob
I met him once. A gentleman of high intelligence.
What comes across more than his humour is his warmth and kindness.
Bob was an incredibly talented cartoonist too, his drawings and sketches were very detailed and professional......
I thought Kay had lost his voice but no, for once he was respecting someone with far superior talent.
I'm not sure it's about who has the superior talent, I think it's about two guys respecting each other because they are both (a) great comedians; and (b) they both study comedy and they know exactly how it works. Love it when Monkhouse says (of Kay) 'he starts out with gags like this and then moves on to gags like this, and it works'. Both experts in their field.
Crikey I wish he was still down here, family fortunes on a friday night and celebrity squares on Saturday tea-time.
Watched Bob Monkhouse live in the 80s he did 2 1/2 hrs and never stopped or repeated himself once unlike modern comedians who think an hour is enough. He brought that days local paper with him and proceeded to read news items from it making side splitting jokes about each story as he went, genius. I grew up with him and so many great comedians that would be burnt at the stake today, what a sorry sad world we live in.
Great comedian,Great writer,Great game show host,and after seeing this lovely interview,Great Man! Rest in peace Bob,you will be remembered with much love and affection 😆
Bob like so many other we have lost over the years, we’re consummate professionals. Maybe it’s me but we don’t seem to have many like this any more, and the ones we have left are popping off at a ridiculous rate.
I still miss Bob. I grew up watching his shows, and he was one of those people you almost expected to be around forever.
Me and my Nan would watch him on The Golden Shot and Celebrity Squares of a Sunday. I have the fondest memories of that time. Bob was a genius Comic. Can't believe it's been 20 years since he passed away.
Bob Monkhouse and Michael Landon. Two men who approached their cancer with such stoicism. Really awe-inspiring.
Nice of you to mention michael Landon,that was really sad indeed.
Great bloke was Bob!! RIP X
"The careers teacher asked me what I wanted to be when I left school". I said, "A comedian" "They all laughed!" There not laughing now! lol. A great line from one of the best. Quick witted, very funny and sadly missed.
mike travis lightning sharp, gentleman, afraid of no one. Great guy.
*they're
One of his good ones.....
"I'm very lucky; I'm still having regular sex at 74. It's very handy because I only live at no. 76..."🤣🤣🤣
2020 still hilarious... Thank you for being so totally brilliant.
Sorry, Bob Monkhouse but you have been gone 15 years and I been watching your video
Alive & Forbidden and I laughed like I have not laughed in a long, long time. The best
medicine when anyone is feeling unwell or down, check out quick-witted, clever, talented
and very funny Bob Monkhouse and the clouds will disappear.....Never forgotten.
Bob is truly inspirational on how you look at life. Sad loss. RIP bob
Two legends, totally at the top of their game. They didn't do it for us, they did it for them - and how great they were.
Memorable man , unique voice and great entertainer
Sadly he died a year after this interview RIP
Sadly now Michael has joined him up in the television sky.
@@stephenduncan3605 Boring like like like
Boring like like like
One of the greatest men of our time, we are so lucky to have had them in our lives. Bob Monkhouse, a comedy legend & immortal icon.
"Bob" Monkhouse ,
Was the real deal make NO Mistake
As my Dad , described him as the Master of Improvisation
A True Genius, comparing many a Night in Liverpool back in the Day
R.I.P. BOB..............................................
A genius of great comic Wit and humor,........ A GIANT OF COURAGE AND BRAVERY ( Bob Monkhouse ...R.I.P)
"I'm not scared of dying....trouble is the next day you're so bloody stiff!" ;-D
Sharper than the public ever realized . RIP Bob
Yes he presented some pretty crappy game shows that weren't intelligent at all. I don't know why.
Aw, it's so sad. How he manages to raise a laugh out of it is the mark of his greatness. His name will live on forever. He was the original British TV star, and he shone right to the very end of his life.
Bob Monkhouse was one of our greatest stand-up comics. I had the pleasure of seeing Bob dozens of times as a warm-up act. I never minded that on any other night I'd be the headliner because not only did I get to sit back and laugh my arse off but more importantly, I would learn so much just watching how he played the room like Eric Clapton playing a guitar.
Bob was so brilliant.He will never be forgotten.His attitude to death and cancer were ,like his act faultless.
What a Lovely, Funny and Wise Gentleman Bob Monkhouse was ! God Bless his Memory and may he for ever reside in the hearts of All that witnessed him !
A legend of comedy never be another like him the king of comedy r.i.p
Bob Monkhouse was hilarious, intelligent and very charming. He had incredible sharp and quick wit. RIP . Michael Parkinson was a legend Also. He always brought out the best in people. Very intelligent and talented xxx
I remember one night he was hosting the lottery and they couldn't get the machine to go. He ad libbed for God knows how long till they were ready. Brilliant. He was the very best.
Timeless and very, very funny. Love watching Bob, that’s why I’m here. Yes, you are remembered with affection.
Bob Monkhouse
Bob was a very nice man ,he brought comedy and laughter to us all , I understand his house was full of comedy parts from many artists ,he was Briliant , I remember Bob lived in eggington Beds with his wife Jackie , sadly both are passed now God bless you Bob & Jackie true entertainers never die , they live on .
So many clever one liners from Bob Monkhouse over the years, eg it got up to 94° today and at my age that's not bad. When I die, I want to go peacefully in my sleep, just like my father. Not screaming and shouting like his passengers! So many more....
One of my favourites was on a audience with, filmed in 1992 in think....Now this may surprise you but it shouldnt , that Jim Bowen has bookings up to 1995...and thats £2 more than he was getting last year.
Mr. Monkhouse, despite his smarmy reputation, was remarkably lacking in ego and several other performers who have worked with him can attest to this. His attitude to his illness, for want of a better phrase, is the overused "inspiring". He believed, as I do, that life does not continue after death but it's comforting to think there is a little bit of him still around, even if it's a lie.
No, he was smarmy and disingenuous. Slagged other entertainers off while telling others how great he thought said entertainer was. Couldn't stand him.
@@joeblack8915 he did it in a funny comedic non offensive way. U took him up wrong. Go to counselling about your feelings towards him. Maybe your therapist will watch videos of bob with you, and help you understand your issues .😛
@@joeblack8915 i don't you either sounds like you are a tosser.
Bob was a much nicer man in real life than the on-screen persona we often saw on in his early years on TV.
It was extremely brave for him to have shared his experience with terminal illness with such great humour. He was a very kind spirit. Sadly missed to this day.!
Yep, in early TV he was awful and smarmy and you can't really blame the format of the shows either where he could have gone off-script or off-persona, if he had wanted to.
However, later in life he was a 1000x better, nicer and funnier. I really miss him being around.
I pass his house every day in eggington named Claridges and always imagine what it would have been like to get to know him if he was alive. A true star and probably the cleverest comedian ever. RIP
Yeah miss him. RIP. Pure talent
The fastest, verbally astute comedian you will ever come across the man’s wit, the main sense of humour and man’s intelligence surpasses all of those today. God bless you, Bob may you rest in eternal peace.
And also of the sad passing of Michael Parkinson
There’s not too many greats around now it’s such a shame
I’m glad I was born when I was
Today’s society is so woke you cannot say this, you cannot say that
You kids have not got a clue
His genius is so easily forgotten and then something like this pops up and its unmistakable
Was lucky enough to see the great man live, in one of those small clubs. Total legend, quick as a fox, & twice as smart. RIP Bob.
Where have all the old great entertainers gone 😪
They're still out there - trouble is there's barely anything left you can joke about today without lefties and the snowflake generation complaining about it.
to the great comedy club in the sky
😪
Fuck em. And say what you think
Wow what a pleasure it was to watch Bob again, the master at everything he touched. I can't stand interview shows now, talentless wannabes only appearing flogging their latest stuff.
Ahh what a nice man bob was i always remember watching him as a kid and laughed so much as my mum and dad did to all his jokes these old gents are few nowadays rip sir you are very much missed
What a brave man - his autobiography is stunning
It is really good. Brilliant in fact.
BOTH volumes. He updated from 70 onwards.
Crying With Laughter was awesome
Class act Bob Monkhouse. Parky just passed way last week. They are up there sitting at Heaven`s bar having a few and a few laughs. R.I.P. both.
Boy, he was bloody good, was Bob.
still watching and remembering you in 2020
Still miss this guy so much. Wish I could have met him.
We miss you Bob, RIP. x
What an amazing positive attitude: I can’t stop the cancer but I can change the way I look at it!
So true!
"Puckered. You said what? You heard me". That's the best put-down I've ever heard.
Never heard of this chap until I saw "Toast of London". Now I'm finally getting the references
he was a very funny man god rest his soul.
carl kane wii
Wonderful interview. RIP Bob
That was a great man.
A legend I never appreciated as a teenager, he’s one guy I wish I had seen live. He could be filthy yet always delivered his jokes with class.
I can remember seeing him in the Stardust club, just outside Usk, in South Wales, back in 1981.
One of the finest comedians in the business, and one of the funniest evenings i think ive had.
No worries there BOB, you will certainly be remembered as one of our comedy greats
A great man indeed. I'd like to see this format come back.
How great is this? The respect between the two of them is there for all to see. Both great comedians.
Doddy and Monkhouse. RIP, Comedy...
Bob was the best game show host I've ever seen. Only Bruce Forsyth came near him.
I would put Monkhouse at the top and Bradley Walsh well ahead of Forsyth.
He was so very brilliant on Bob's full house.
On everything he did.
A king of comedy. Bob was a great writer and deliverer. Sadly missed.
Thank god I grew up in a time when Bob and Parky were still on TV. Loved these two a lot. ❤
He’s amazing, sadly missed
Going thro prostate cancer now and what a lovely attitude towards it.
For once Peter Kay knows his place and lets the great man talk.
Starstruck
Just listen to this man, how he makes great comedy and wordplay out of his tragedy.
Utterly brilliant, nobody will be doing any of this kind of sublime material ever again
Genius
Part of my childhood was Bob. Game shows and a great stand up comedian. Always loved Parky .Had some great guests on his shows always let them do the talking . RIP both legends.
One of the cleverest man that lived R I P
What do we have now ant and dec😞
Help Ma Boab.
@@sparry4264 Haven't heard that phrase since my parents always got me the Oor Wullie Christmas annual when I was a child in Newcastle in the sixties lol.