Nephew of Therese Marian Jackley Hirsch (born 1895).
His third wife Pamela (born 1939), died 22 March 1995.
He made his first stage appearance as a member of the Eight Lancashire Lads at the Hippodrome, Chesterfield in 1920. in 1927 he toured with his sister Joy in a piano comedy routine and eventually tuned solo in 1931.