Hope and Keen

{{Infobox comedian

|name = Hope and Keen

|past_members = {{plainlist|

Mike Hope
Albie Keen

}}

|years_active = 1956–1974

|notable_works = {{plainlist|

Comedy Bandbox
Hope and Keen's Crazy House
Hope and Keen's Crazy Bus
The Hope and Keen Scene

}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Mike Hope

| birth_name = Michael Gerald Harrison

| birth_date = {{birth date|1935|6|17|df=y}}

| birth_place = Birmingham, England

| death_date = {{death date and age|2019|4|12|1935|6|17|df=y}}

| death_place = East Sussex, England

| spouse = {{plainlist|

Ann Maureen Kennedy (1965–1970)
Charlotte Howard (1975–?)
Patricia Rosevar (1993–?)

}}

| children = 3

}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Albie Keen

| birth_name = Thomas Albert Henry Harrison

| birth_date = {{birth date|1935|6|4|df=y}}

| birth_place = Belfast, Northern Ireland

| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|3|2|1935|6|17|df=y}}

| death_place = Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire, Charente, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

| height_m = 1.55

| height_ft = 5'1

}}

Mike Hope (born Michael Gerard Harrison; 17 June 1935 – 12 April 2019) and Albie Keen (born Thomas Albert Henry Harrison; 4 June 1935 – 2 March 2020) were a British comedy double act. They were first cousins, the sons of British Variety comedians Syd and Max HarrisonRoy Hudd and Philip Hindin, Roy Hudd's Cavalcade of Variety Acts, Robson Books, 1998, {{ISBN|1-86105-206-5}}, p.84 and first formed their act, as singers, dancers and acrobats, in 1956.{{cite web|date=2009-04-02|title=Hope & Keen|url=http://www.its-behind-you.com/doubleacts.html|work=its-behind-you.com|accessdate=2009-10-10}} They were the hosts of Hope and Keen's Crazy House and other British television and radio shows.

History

In 1971 they were engaged for the West End show Meet Me In London at the Adelphi Theatre. This was a ten-week ‘fill-in’- put on by impresario Harold Fielding after Charlie Girl closed at short notice and he was getting together a production of Show Boat.

Hope and Keen had a spot in the first half. When the other star of this part of the show, Clodagh Rodgers, walked out fifteen minutes before curtain-up on the first night after one of her numbers was cut, they filled in for her for several nights before another singer (Susan Maughan) came in. They received positive reviews from the critics in this run, as they not only demonstrated a gift for comedy, but also played several instruments between them, and showed a flair for gymnastics. Physical comedy became the mainstay of their act, and a very impressive sword-dueling sequence became a signature skit in the act. They even had offers to be hired as stuntmen.

Both were members of the Grand Order of Water Rats.[http://www.gowr.net/thekeytothewater.html Key to the Grand Order of Water Rats]. Accessed 25 November 2014 In 1979 they served as joint captains of the Variety Club of Great Britain's Golfing Society.[http://www.russwilliams.co.uk/references/VarietyClubStagDinner2007.pdf Variety Club of Great Britain Golfing Society headed stationery] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222819/http://www.russwilliams.co.uk/references/VarietyClubStagDinner2007.pdf |date=2016-03-03 }}. Accessed 26 November 2014

Hope died in 2019, aged 83.[http://www.gowr.co.uk/news-stories/rip-mike-hope RIP Mike Hope", GOWR]. Retrieved 8 December 2020 Keen died in France in 2020, aged 84.[https://www.openarch.nl/search.php?name=Thomas+Albert+Henry+Harrison "Death: Thomas Albert Henry Harrison", Fichier des personnes décédées, Montrouge]. Retrieved 24 December 2021

Television

Comedy Bandbox (ABC for ITV, 1963–64)
Hope and Keen's Crazy House (BBC1, 1971)[http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140823165709/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b85d4f0f5 BFI: Hope and Keen's Crazy House]. Accessed 26 November 2014
Hope and Keen's Crazy Bus (BBC1, 1972)
The Hope and Keen Scene (BBC1, 1974)

References

External links

{{iMDb name|1444544|Mike Hope}}
{{iMDb name|1441796|Albie Keen}}

Category:British comedy duos