Malcolm Wheatman, of Kendal, recalls three Northern wireless comedians

IN THE 1920s, 'the wireless' was in its infancy and, in the years around World War Two, to the National programme (later the Home Service when the Radio Times was 2d) was added the Forces Programme.

These eventually became Radio 4 and Radio 2, alongside regional services that included what is now Cumbria.

Popular early northern-born comedians soon lost their pre-war music-hall image. Opening words caught people's imagination and some comics were surprised to hear them used by people in the street.

Three characteristic greetings were:

'Hello Folks' (Tommy Handley). His show, It's That Man Again, was known by probably the first radio-show acronym, 'ITMA'.

It was an amazing wartime morale booster from about 1940, and ended just after the war with his sudden nation-stunning death. Its format was a series of short, rapid character appearances and catchphrases loosely set around them.

'Hello Playmates' (Arthur Askey). On his first 'Band Wagon' he opened with, 'Hello Folks'. After the show, he was immediately telephoned by Tommy Handley saying that 'Hello Folks' was his opener, so Arthur adopted the word 'Playmates'.

'Can you hear me, mother?' (Sandy Powell). This phrase arose from the start of his first broadcast when, nervous, he dropped his script.

Calamity! The live show had to continue, and while sorting his pages, he wondered whether his mother, a little deaf, was receiving the broadcast.

To fill the 'empty air' he said the words. At his next appearance (on stage) the theatre manager begged him to say his catchphrase. He did not know that's what it was, but complied.

The audience cheered. Years later it still made people laugh. Since then, catchphrases have withstood the test of time.