Syd Little
Encyclopedia
Syd Little is an English
comedian
and straight man in the double act
Little and Large
, with Eddie Large
.
Born in Blackpool
, Little grew up in Manchester. After leaving Yew Tree Secondary Modern School, Wythenshawe
, and working as an interior decorator, Little started as a singer and guitarist in Manchester
pubs before teaming up with Large. Originally titled Cyril Mead and Friend, then Mead and McGinnis, after changing their name to Little and Large their double act won Opportunity Knocks in 1971 and this eventually led to a successful 20 year television career. The duo's first television pilot was filmed in 1976, and this led to a regular series in 1977. The show was cancelled 14 years later, in 1991.
After the cancellation of The Little and Large Show, Little fell into relative obscurity, appearing occasionally on shows such as Shooting Stars
, until 2005 when he took part in the reality television
show Trust Me I'm A Holiday Rep. He also appeared in The Bob Monkhouse Show
, Wogan
and Comedy Map of Britain
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
and straight man in the double act
Double act
A double act, also known as a comedy duo, is a comic pairing in which humor is derived from the uneven relationship between two partners, usually of the same gender, age, ethnic origin and profession, but drastically different personalities or behavior...
Little and Large
Little and Large
Little and Large were a British comedy double act comprising straight man Syd Little and comic Eddie Large . They formed their partnership in 1962, appearing as singers in local pubs around the North-West of England...
, with Eddie Large
Eddie Large
Eddie Large is the stage name of Edward Hugh McGinnis, a British comedian. He is best known as a partner in the double act Little and Large, with Syd Little....
.
Born in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
, Little grew up in Manchester. After leaving Yew Tree Secondary Modern School, Wythenshawe
Wythenshawe
Wythenshawe is a district in the south of the city of Manchester, England.Formerly part of the administrative county of Cheshire, in 1931 Wythenshawe was transferred to the City of Manchester, which had begun building a massive housing estate there in the 1920s to resolve the problem of its inner...
, and working as an interior decorator, Little started as a singer and guitarist in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
pubs before teaming up with Large. Originally titled Cyril Mead and Friend, then Mead and McGinnis, after changing their name to Little and Large their double act won Opportunity Knocks in 1971 and this eventually led to a successful 20 year television career. The duo's first television pilot was filmed in 1976, and this led to a regular series in 1977. The show was cancelled 14 years later, in 1991.
After the cancellation of The Little and Large Show, Little fell into relative obscurity, appearing occasionally on shows such as Shooting Stars
Shooting Stars
Shooting Stars is a British television comedy panel game broadcast on BBC Two as a pilot in 1993, then as 3 full series from 1995 to 1997, then on BBC Choice from January to December 2002 with 2 series before returning to BBC Two for another 3 series from 2008 until its axing in 2011...
, until 2005 when he took part in the reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
show Trust Me I'm A Holiday Rep. He also appeared in The Bob Monkhouse Show
The Bob Monkhouse Show
The Bob Monkhouse Show was an entertainment show presented by Bob Monkhouse.The show celebrated the art of comedy and comedian guests were invited to perform a stand-up. The programme began in 1983 and ran for three series until 1986...
, Wogan
Wogan
Wogan was a chat show on British television, hosted by Terry Wogan. It followed the format of a series broadcast in 1980 entitled What's On Wogan?, which failed to gather viewers. The Wogan show was initially broadcast on Tuesday evenings on BBC1 in 1981 and from 1982 to 1984, it moved into the...
and Comedy Map of Britain
Comedy Map of Britain
Comedy Map of Britain is a BBC documentary series which visits the places that have inspired many of Britain's leading comedians. It first aired on BBC Two in 2007 and 2008....
.