Derek Roy (comedian)
Derek Roy (25 August 1922 – 15 March 1981) was an English comedian, whose public profile was at its greatest in the late 1940s and early 1950s. His BBC Radio show, "Hip Hip Hoo Roy", was written by amongst others Spike Milligan, and was the show where Milligan's Goon Show character Eccles first appeared. Roy's unsuccessful star-vehicle "Happy Go Lucky" also gave the first writing break to Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, who would soon team up with the show's last producer Dennis Main Wilson to create "Hancock's Half Hour". Roy also hosted  Variety Bandbox, a talent show that made known such performers as Michael Bentine, Frankie Howerd, Jimmy Edwards, Tony Hancock, Alfred Marks, Morecambe and Wise, Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers, Graham Stark and Harry Worth. Roy was a resident of the large Art Deco apartment block, Du Cane Court in Balham, South London. A neighbour remembered: "He was short, plump and wore glasses; and besides being a stand-up comedian, he featured on an amusing radio variety show. He was well liked, well known and very vulgar. He lived in B11 and had a large dog which he would take on stage  as part of his act". He appeared in the film, "Dance With Me", alongside Anne Shelton and Max Wall. In 1955, he also appeared on the first night of ITV. He died of cancer in March 1981 aged 58.