Jack Hulbert

Biography

Born in Ely, Cambridgeshire, he was the elder and more successful brother of actor Claude Hulbert. He was educated at Cambridge and appeared in many shows and revues, mainly with the Cambridge Footlights. He was one of the earliest famous alumni of the comedy club. After Cambridge, he earned recognition and fame performing in musicals and light comedies. However the First World War delayed his rise to fame; he joined the army for the remainder of the conflict. After the war he resumed his career in the theatre

He made his film debut in Elstree Calling (1930); appearing opposite his wife and frequent stage and screen co-star Cicely Courtneidge, whom he had married in 1916. His career went through a successful period during the 1930s when he appeared in several films, including The Ghost Train (1931), Love on Wheels (1932) and Bulldog Jack (1935), a tongue-in-cheek homage to the popular Bulldog Drummond films in which Jack was supported by his brother Claude. He had a hit record in 1932 "The Flies Crawled Up the Window", which was originally sung in the film Jack's the Boy.

In 1934 he was voted the most popular male British star at the box office.

In 1936 exhibitors voted him the third most popular British film star.

Hulbert's popularity waned as the 1930s came to an end, and after the war he and his wife continued to entertain chiefly on stage. In 1962 he appeared in the BBC radio sitcom Discord in Three Flats, along with Courtneidge and Vic Oliver.

Autobiography

In 1975, Hulbert published his autobiography, The Little Woman's Always Right. His marriage to Cicely Courtneidge lasted for 62 years until his death. Their relationship is mentioned in the British television series Dad's Army in the episode Ring Dem Bells when Hulbert pulls out of shooting a Home Guard training film to spend time with his wife.

Hulbert died, at the age of 85, at his home in Westminster, London on 25 March 1978.