Unhappy Facts About Tony Hancock, The Haunted Comedian
Hiding Behind The Laughter
Tony Hancock spent his entire career making people laugh. But when it came to his own life and its shockingly tragic end, it turned out he didn’t have much of anything to laugh about.
1. He Started Young
Growing up in England in the 1920s, Tony Hancock came to his obsession with comedy honestly. By day, his father worked at the Railway Hotel. But by night, he entertained audiences as a comedian. Inspired by his father and another English comedian, Max Miller, Hancock hoped for his moment in the spotlight—that is, until an unexpected tragedy.
2. He Lost His Hero
Hancock’s father passed suddenly in 1934. Just 10 years old at the time, he and his brothers went to live with their mother and stepfather. Even more tragedy lurked, though. He lost a brother shortly after his father, finding himself mired in double amounts of grief. Even so, he tried to take a traditional route forward, but ultimately failed.
3. He Couldn’t Cut It
Despite all the struggles, Hancock managed to finish his secondary schooling and head off to pursue a degree at Bradfield College. It didn’t last long, though. He gave up on school by 15 years old and turned his attention to other pursuits.
But unfortunately for him, the life of his dreams danced just out of his reach.
4. He Got Sidetracked
WWII raged on during Hancock's adolescence. Like many young men in Britain, he went to fight when he came of age, enlisting in the RAF. Though not his first choice, this did provide an opportunity for him to break into what he really wanted to do with his life: perform. But life wasn't done tormenting Tony Hancock.
