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This story is taken from an interview with Roy Irvine, and has been added to the site with their permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions. The interview was by Walter Love, and transcription was by Bruce Logan.
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[Tommy Handley was on the wireless in the 1940s]

For something light-hearted, it was the wireless shows that were on. “It’s that man again”
And don’t forget all the catch-phrases that were on.
”Can I do you now, sir?” — that was Mrs Mop the Cleaning Lady.
“I don’t mind if I do” — that’s Colonel Chinstrap.
“It’s being so cheerful that keeps me going” — that’s Mona Lott.
“Zis is Funf speaking” was the German spy.
And people used to say “After you, Claude.”
“No, after you, Cecil.”
The programmes went on from July 1939 to July 1949, when Tom …

[In the early days of the war you weren’t allowed to make Comic references to Hitler. It was still the time of Appeasement. But 3 days into the war, Tommy Handley appeared in a live programme called “Who is that man who looks like Charlie Chaplin?”]

“Now we’ve seen a lot of pictures of the people in the news.
And we’ve got to know a lot of them by sight.
Chamberlain with his umbrella, Churchill with his hats.
Hore-Belisha, well we know him quite alright.
But there’s one whose lovely photograph we’ve seen for years and years.
And we ask ourselves this question every time his face appears.
Who is this man who looks like Charlie Chaplin?
What makes him think that he can win a war?
It can’t be the moustache. That only makes us laugh!
And Charlie’s done it better, and before.
If it wasn’t for the boots and cane and trousers,
You couldn’t tell the 2 of them apart.
But the whole idea’s absurd. Charlie’s never said a word!
And Adolf couldn’t play a silent part!

Imagine Adolf starring in “The Gold Rush”.
He hasn’t got a half of Charlie’s charm.
But he gives a lot of troubles
To his film director doubles
When he plays the leading part in “Shoulder Arms”.
He’s amusing when he tries to play the villain.
It’s bound to get a laugh in every clime.
I believe it’s all a fake-up,
And in spite of all the makeup
We’re convinced it’s Charlie Chaplin all the time!

Supposing Charlie Chaplin got the fever.
A war would be a comedy, Pro Tem.
Imagine Adolf getting skittish,
Signing pacts with Rome and British,
And dropping custard pies on MGM.
Charlie Chaplin would be bigger, louder, funnier.
With him in charge the battles would be fun.
And the chief of his Gestapo
Wouldn’t be Groucho Marx, but Harpo,
And he’d soon have Shirley Temple on the run!

If Adolf was in pictures he’d try soft stuff.
East Lynn would be his story as a start.
Little Eva, played by Goering, would be a trifle boring,
I’d sooner see Charles Laughton in the part!
But don’t let us be too hard on poor old Adolf,
He’s a god-send to the comics, he’s sublime.
Cartoonists love his make-up, but one morning we shall wake up
And find it’s Charlie Chaplin all the time!

[Roy, 1 band was very popular in the wartime]

The Glen Miller band. Everyone remembers it. Many bands today still play in the same style.

They came here in Aug 44 and played at 2 places - Langford Lodge and the Plaza Ballroom, which was the American Red Cross. The band was hugely popular. The civilian band, 1939 with “Moonlight Serenade” and “In the Mood”. These tunes were carried on into his military band, his “band of the American Expeditionary force”.

[He disappeared shortly after visiting NI]

No-one knows what he would have done after the war. very sad, that part.

“Don’t sit under the apple tree (with anyone else but me)”

There were so many of them.
“When they sound the last all-clear.”
“When the lights go on all over the world.”
People were fed up with the war. They were hoping “end of the war, soon”.

[Izzy Bum came to Belfast]

He was a comedian on radio with “Variety Band-Box”. He recorded “Shine on Victory Moon” [6 months before VE day].

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