Harry H. Corbett
Updated: 12/11/2025, 6:23:31 PM Wikipedia source
Harry H. Corbett (28 February 1925 – 21 March 1982) was an English actor. He is best remembered for playing rag-and-bone man Harold Steptoe alongside Wilfrid Brambell in the long-running BBC Television sitcom Steptoe and Son (1962–1965, 1970–1974). His success on television led to appearances in comedy films including The Bargee (1964), Carry On Screaming! (1966) and Jabberwocky (1977).
Infobox
Born
(1925-02-28)28 February 1925Rangoon, British Burma
Died
21 March 1982(1982-03-21) (aged 57)Hastings, East Sussex, England
Occupation
Actor
Years active
1945–1982
Notable work
See below
Television
Steptoe and Son
Spouses
mw- Sheila Steafel (m. 1958; div. 1964) Maureen Blott (m. 1969)
Children
2, including Susannah Corbett
Tables
· Television roles
1955
The Girl
Role(s)
Tony
Notes
As Harry Corbett
1956
New Ramps for Old
Role(s)
Kegworthy
1956–1958
Role(s)
ITV Play of the Week
Notes
Various
1957
1957–1960
Role(s)
The Adventures of Robin Hood
Notes
Various
1957–1968
Role(s)
Armchair Theatre
Notes
13 episodes
1960
Song in a Strange Land
Role(s)
Ricardo Tancredo
1960–1961
Role(s)
Deadline Midnight
Notes
Harry Armitage/Harry Briggs
1961
1962–1975
Role(s)
Comedy Playhouse
Notes
Various
1962
Role(s)
Harold Steptoe
1962–1965
1970–1974
Role(s)
Steptoe and Son
1967
Mr Aitch
Role(s)
Harry Aitch
Notes
14 episodes
Christmas Night with the Stars
Role(s)
Harold Steptoe
1968
1969
1969–1970
Role(s)
The Best Things in Life
Notes
Alfred Wilcox
1973
1976
The Chiffy Kids,
Role(s)
Hungry Herbert
Notes
Episode: "Pot Luck"
1977
Premiere
Role(s)
Alan Glut
Notes
Episode: "A Hymn from Jim"
1980
Grundy
Role(s)
Grundy
Comedy Tonight
1981
Nice to See You,
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1955 | The Girl | Tony | As Harry Corbett |
| 1956 | New Ramps for Old | Kegworthy | |
| 1956–1958 | ITV Play of the Week | Various | 5 episodes |
| 1957 | Theatre Night | Jules Palotin | Episode: Nekrassov, |
| 1957–1960 | The Adventures of Robin Hood | Various | 4 episodes |
| 1957–1968 | Armchair Theatre | 13 episodes | |
| 1959 | The Torrents of Spring | Sonny | |
| 1960 | Song in a Strange Land | Ricardo Tancredo | |
| Police Surgeon | George Drake | Episode: "Lag on the Run" | |
| 1960–1961 | Deadline Midnight | Harry Armitage/Harry Briggs | 2 episodes |
| 1961 | Theatre 70, ATV | Various | 3 episodes |
| Tales of Mystery | Milligan | Episode: "The Man Who Was Milligan" | |
| 1962–1975 | Comedy Playhouse | Various | Three episodes |
| 1962 | Studio 4 | The Landlord | Episode: "A Voice from the Top" |
| Christmas Night with the Stars | Harold Steptoe | ||
| 1962–1965 1970–1974 | Steptoe and Son | ||
| 1963 | Zero One | Vladimir Petrovsky | Episode: "Discord" |
| 1966 | Jackanory | Storyteller | Various |
| The Ken Dodd Show | Harold Steptoe | ||
| 1967 | Mr Aitch | Harry Aitch | 14 episodes |
| Christmas Night with the Stars | Harold Steptoe | ||
| 1968 | Theatre 625 | Jake Whittington | Episode: "The Fall of Kelvin Walker" |
| City '68 | Jigger Barrett | Episode: "The System: The House That Jigger Built" | |
| 1969 | Galton and Simpson Comedy | Basil Puddifoot | Episode: "Never Talk to Strangers" |
| 1969–1970 | The Best Things in Life | Alfred Wilcox | |
| 1971 | The Des O'Connor Show | Self | |
| 1973 | The Bruce Forsyth Show | ||
| The Goodies | Minister for Health | Episode: "Hospital for Hire" | |
| 1976 | The Chiffy Kids, | Hungry Herbert | Episode: "Pot Luck" |
| 1977 | Premiere | Alan Glut | Episode: "A Hymn from Jim" |
| 1979 | Shoestring | Tom | Episode: "Nine Tenths of the Law" |
| 1980 | Potter | Harry Tooms | 3 episodes |
| Grundy | Grundy | ||
| The Dick Emery Christmas Show: For Whom the Jingle Bells Toll | Nico | ||
| Comedy Tonight | |||
| 1981 | Nice to See You, | ||
| 1982 | Tales of the Unexpected | George Balsam |
· Discography
1955
The Singing Sailor
Role(s)
Vinyl, LP
Notes
Topic Records TRL3
1962
Junk Shop / The Isle of Clerkenwell
Role(s)
Vinyl, 7" single
Notes
Pye Records 7N.15468
1963
Like The Big Guys Do / The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God
Role(s)
Pye Records 7N.15552
The Table And The Chair / Things We Never Had
Role(s)
Pye Records 7N.15584
1967
Blow The Man Down
Role(s)
Topic Records TOP98
Notes
Credited to: Ewan MacColl, A. L. Lloyd, Harry H. Corbett, reissue from 1955
Flower Power Fred / (I'm) Saving All My Love
Role(s)
Decca F 12714
Notes
Credited to: Harry H. Corbett with The Unidentified Flower Objects
1971
Harry You Love Her / It's The End Of A Beautiful Day
Role(s)
Columbia DB 8841
1974
Only Authorised Employees To Break Bottles
Role(s)
RA Records RALP 6022
Shetland Oil / Your Baby Has Gone Down The Plug Hole
Role(s)
Grampian Records Ltd. NAN 1035
1979
An Old Fashioned Christmas / Especially When You're Young
Role(s)
Symbol Records S 001
Notes
Credited to: Harry H. & The Kids
| Year | Title | Format | Label | Notes | Ref |
| 1955 | The Singing Sailor | Vinyl, LP | Topic Records TRL3 | Credited to: Ewan MacColl, A. L. Lloyd, Harry H. Corbett | |
| 1962 | Junk Shop / The Isle of Clerkenwell | Vinyl, 7" single | Pye Records 7N.15468 | ||
| 1963 | Like The Big Guys Do / The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God | Pye Records 7N.15552 | |||
| The Table And The Chair / Things We Never Had | Pye Records 7N.15584 | ||||
| 1967 | Blow The Man Down | Topic Records TOP98 | Credited to: Ewan MacColl, A. L. Lloyd, Harry H. Corbett, reissue from 1955 | ||
| Flower Power Fred / (I'm) Saving All My Love | Decca F 12714 | Credited to: Harry H. Corbett with The Unidentified Flower Objects | |||
| 1971 | Harry You Love Her / It's The End Of A Beautiful Day | Columbia DB 8841 | |||
| 1974 | Only Authorised Employees To Break Bottles | RA Records RALP 6022 | |||
| 1974 | Shetland Oil / Your Baby Has Gone Down The Plug Hole | Grampian Records Ltd. NAN 1035 | |||
| 1979 | An Old Fashioned Christmas / Especially When You're Young | Symbol Records S 001 | Credited to: Harry H. & The Kids |
References
- thisisannouncements.co.ukhttps://web.archive.org/web/20120107071940/http://www.thisisannouncements.co.uk/5848606
- ancestry.comhttps://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/harry-corbett-24-ggwq4r?geo_a=r&geo_s=us&geo_t=us&geo_v=2.0.0&o_xid=62916&o_lid=62916&o_sch=Partners
- Corbett, S. (2012). Harry H. Corbett – The Front Legs of the Cow. The History Press, Stroud, Glos. ISBN 978-0-7524-7682-
- televisionheaven.co.ukhttps://televisionheaven.co.uk/biographies/harry-h-corbett
- comedy.co.ukhttps://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/harry-h-corbett-acting-in-the-sixties/
- BBChttps://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0028dy8
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/arts/features/story/0,11710,776815,00.html
- www.headington.org.ukhttp://www.headington.org.uk/adverts/tea_coffee_milk.htm
- peterice.comhttps://web.archive.org/web/20031228160127/http://peterice.com/RA.htm
- britishclassiccomedy.co.ukhttps://www.britishclassiccomedy.co.uk/harry-h-corbett-in-profile#:~:text=In%201969%20Corbett%20appeared%20as,and%20Simpson%20who%20wrote%20Steptoe.
- mylondon.newshttps://www.mylondon.news/news/nostalgia/bbc-sitcom-popular-1970s-prime-22817006
- The Telegraphhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4720904/The-Honours-Game.html
- Sin to Win: Seven Deadly Steps to Success, Marc Lewis ISBN 1-84112-311-0
- "Steptoe and daughter – interview with Susannah Corbett"https://web.archive.org/web/20120812015049/http://sussex.greatbritishlife.co.uk/article/interview-with-susannah-corbett-harry-h-corbett-steptoe-42680/
- Daily Mirrorhttps://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/steptoe-son-gets-reboot-harry-8802940
- The Times, 14 July 1980
- Wilfred Brambell pays tribute to Harry H. Corbett (incomplete)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N09mfMnW0yA
- BBC Programme Indexhttps://web.archive.org/web/20230906213656/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/260/20?order=first&filt=is_radio&q=%22Harry+H+Corbett%22#top
- Discogshttps://www.discogs.com/release/26254073-Ewan-MacColl-A-L-Lloyd-Harry-H-Corbett-The-Singing-Sailor
- Discogshttps://www.discogs.com/release/2274304-Harry-H-Corbett-Junk-Shop
- Discogshttps://www.discogs.com/release/2273252-Harry-H-Corbett-Like-The-Big-Guys-Do
- Discogshttps://www.discogs.com/release/15803703-Harry-H-Corbett-The-Table-And-The-Chair
- Discogshttps://www.discogs.com/release/4804708-A-L-Lloyd-Ewan-MacColl-and-Harry-H-Corbett-Blow-The-Man-Down
- Discogshttps://www.discogs.com/release/15913326-Harry-H-Corbett-With-The-Unidentified-Flower-Objects-Flower-Power-Fred
- Discogshttps://www.discogs.com/release/11069614-Harry-H-Corbett-Harry-You-Love-Her
- Discogshttps://www.discogs.com/release/9028074-Harry-H-Corbett-Only-Authorised-Employees-To-Break-Bottles
- Discogshttps://www.discogs.com/release/13264989-Harry-H-Corbett-Shetland-Oil
- Discogshttps://www.discogs.com/release/6374710-Harry-H-The-Kids-An-Old-Fashioned-Christmas