Michael Crawford

Stage, screen and recording star Michael Crawford shares anecdotes and film/TV clips highlighting his flair and daring as a physical comedian before receiving the 2016 Aardman Slapstick Award for Visual Comedy Excellence. The award recognises his career-long contributions to public entertainment and, especially, his multi award-winning portrayal of the accident-prone yet loveable Frank Spencer in the BBC series Some Mothers Do 'Ave ‘Em (1973-78) which captivated 16 million viewers a week; turned “Ooh, Betty” into a national catchphrase and earned Crawford comparisons with Buster Keaton, due to his mastery of slapstick-style, physical comedy and his willingness to perform daring stunts, such as dangling from a Morris Minor over a cliff edge or roller-skating underneath a moving articulated lorry.

The Aardman Slapstick Visual Comedy Award is presented annually by the Bristol-based Slapstick Festival and Aardman Animations in salute to a performer seen as a worthy heir to the stars of early silent comedies which the festival celebrates. Previous recipients include Eric Sykes CBE, The Goodies, Reeves and Mortimer and Pierre Etaix.