Jimmy as a Bluecoat @Pontins
Jimmy @Red Coat Reunion
Hi folks, thought I would tell you me a bit about myself, so come closer!
I was actually born James Mulgrew on October 17 1945 in Cookstown, Northern Ireland, so I celebrated (if that’s the right word!) my 72nd birthday in 2017.
I left school at 16 years of age and worked for the next two years in a betting shop, before spending the summer of 1966 working as a Redcoat in Butlin’s holiday camp at Mosney, County Meath, followed by two more summers at the Butlin’s holiday camp in Clacton.
By the early 1970s I was living in Manchester and from 1972 worked at the Pontins holiday camps in Southport and Morecambe.
I won LWT’s talent contest, Search For A Star, and was later given my own series on Central Television in the mid-1980s called “And There’s More” (which included the first TV appearance by the impressionist Rory Bremner). I also had my own programme on BBC Radio 2, featured in The Krankies Klub alongside The Krankies (who else!) and Bobby Davro and appeared on the Royal Variety Show (1984). I appeared in the 2007 Comic Relief video of The Proclaimers’ song “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” which featured Matt Lucas and Peter Kay.
I am married to May, who is a very good singer, and we have four children, Dale (an events manager and coordinator), Jamie (who is Deputy Head in a Special Needs school), Katie (a comic and talented scritpwriter) and Frankie, who started off as a comedian but who is now a Roman Catholic Priest.
After producing several CDs, my first DVD was released in early 2010 and my latest adventure in musical theatre , “Maloney’s Big Moment”, premiered at the Thwaites Empire Theatre in Blackburn during 2013. This musical is a fun piece about an Irishman called Paddy Maloney who lives in an ex-pat community in the south of Spain. When the local Spanish Mayor gets thrown out due to corruption, Paddy steps up to the plate and becomes Mayor without being able to speak a word of Spanish!
I have appeared across most platforms within stage and screen over my long career, and have loved the challenges.
At the end of 2015 I featured in a special Christmas show alongside the internationally acclaimed ‘Osmonds’. The show was called the ‘Andy Williams Christmas Spectacular’ and it toured for fifteen dates during the month of December, visiting venues around the UK such as the O2 Arena in London and the Harrogate International centre.
And finally, I did Panto in 2017 in my adopted home town of Rochdale, for the very first time, and loved the warm reception the town’s people gave me!
My best-known catchphrases include “come closer!” and “…and there’s more!”.
I wear a funny hat, have my wellies on the wrong feet and regularly get a Letter from Mammy!
And there’s more…!
My favourite Charity is the Children’s Hospice, “Francis House”, Parrs Wood Road Manchester M20 5NA with the main organiser and contact events manager Mr Jim Nicholas, we have been doing Parish Hall shows within the Catholic Diocese of Salford, raising money with our touring show now for almost 20 yrs.! If you have a venue and would like to help raise funds for this worthy Charity please contact Jim on:- 0161 793 0248
My favourite Charity is the Children’s Hospice, “Francis House”, Parrs Wood Road Manchester M20 5NA with the main organiser and contact events manager Mr Jim Nicholas, we have been doing Parish Hall shows within the Catholic Diocese of Salford, raising money with our touring show now for almost 20 yrs.! If you have a venue and would like to help raise funds for this worthy Charity please contact Jim on:- 0161 793 0248.
My great friend Jim Nicholas with one of the event’s parish organisers.
Facebook (photos and messages): I have two official accounts on Facebook (it’s a long story!) – either will do
Flickr (photographs): Search for… Jimmy Cricket – come closer to my photos!
Twitter (short messages)
YouTube (videos)
List of achievements
- Appeared in four television series on ITV of “And There’s More.”
- Appeared in a television Special broadcast on ITV called “All Cricket and Wellies”
- Appeared in the, “Royal Variety Performance”, 1985.
- Appeared in many over the years, “The Children’s Royal Variety Performance”
- Appeared in five Radio Series of “Jimmy’s Cricket Team” broadcast on BBC Radio Two
- 5 CD’s released: “Best of Jimmy Cricket”, “Jimmy Cricket – Bee in his bonnet” ,“Jimmy Cricket – I’m dreaming of a far off land” and “Jimmy Cricket – Light and Shade”, “Santa bring my Wellies back to me”.
- 1 DVD released: “Jimmy Cricket Live – Pull your seats forward” (available from his website)
- Two books published of “Letters from his Mammy”
- Three Musicals written called “One good season”, “Let’s hear it from the Wee Man” and “Maloney’s Big Moment”.
- One Comedy Play which aired on 16th September 2018 @Empire Theatre Blackburn, “No More Fiffing and Faffing”.
Jimmy has performed in the following Panto’s over the decades!
1981/82 Robinson Crusoe In Outer Space-Charter Theatre Preston.
1983/84 Jack and the Beanstalk-Birmingham Hippodrome.
1984/85 Dick Whittington-Oxford Apollo.
1985/86 Aladdin-Theatre Royal Nottingham.
1986/87 Aladdin-Wolverhampton Grand.
1987/88 Aladdin-Bradford Alhambra.
1988/89 Cinderella-Grand Opera House Belfast.
1889/90 Cinderella-Darlington Civic
1990/91 Robinson Crusoe-Grand Opera House Belfast.
1991/92 Pinocchio-Pavilion Theatre Glasgow.
1992/93 Dick Whittington-Liverpool Empire.
1993/94 Jack and The Beanstalk-Grand Opera House Belfast.
1994/95 Dick Whittington-Wyvern Theatre Swindon.
1995/96 Cinderella-Princess Theatre Torquay.
1999/00 Jack and The Beanstalk-Tameside Hippodrome.
2000/01 Dick Whittington-Wolverhampton Grand.
2002/03 Cinderella-Hall for Cornwall.
2003/04 Cinderella-Lichfield Garrick.
2004/05 Aladdin-Lichfield Garrick.
2005/06 Cinderella-Weston Super Mare Playhouse.
2006/07 Jack and The Beanstalk-Lichfield Garrick.
2010/11 Aladdin-Doncaster Civic.
2011/12 Cinderella-Darlington Civic.
2014/15 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs-Charter Theatre Preston.
2016/17 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs-White Rose Theatre Yorkshire.
2017/18 Dick Whittington-Ellesmere Port & Rochdale.
Below are some off the Posters for the Panto’s above!