Norman Evans

Norman Evans, born Norman Gunston on June 11, 1901, in Rochdale, Lancashire, was an English stage and radio comedian. He attended Castlemere Council School and initially held various jobs, beginning as an office boy at Arrow Mills in Castleton before becoming a salesman and insurance agent. While working these roles, he participated in amateur dramatic groups and gained a local reputation for delivering after-dinner speeches. Gracie Fields reportedly discovered him in 1934, though Oswald Stoll had already recognized his potential. Evans turned professional in 1934 and quickly achieved success on national variety tours, marking a significant shift from his earlier commercial endeavors.

Evans's comedy was described as “broad boisterous” and praised for its "warmth of personality," often revolving around the persona of Fanny Fairbottom, a Lancastrian housewife. This character, based on his mother, became central to his best-known work, the sketches and programmes titled "Over the Garden Wall." The "Over the Garden Wall" series aired as a BBC radio program in three series, from 1942 to 1950, featuring Betty Jumel as his neighbor. A film adaptation of the same name followed in 1950, starring Jimmy James as his husband. His signature act involved impersonating a gossiping woman leaning over a garden fence, a style that later inspired Les Dawson's own comedic persona. He received top billing at the London Palladium as a pantomime dame and was considered one of the greatest since Dan Leno.

Norman Evans’s career extended beyond radio and stage, encompassing film and television appearances. He made his first U.S. appearances in New York in 1949 and had a season at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood in 1950, further solidifying his international recognition. He appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1949 and performed in three Royal Variety Performances (1937, 1947, and 1951). In 1956, he hosted "Saturday Comedy Hour" and starred in "The Norman Evans Show," a six-part BBC series that aired from April to October. A car accident in May 1955 resulted in the loss of his right eye. He continued performing until his death in Blackpool in November 1962, with his final summer season at Butlin’s Holiday Camp in Pwllheli. He is buried in Carleton Cemetery and remembered for influencing comedians like Les Dawson, who credited Evans as the inspiration for his Ada character.