Wikipedia:Today's featured article/requests/Kenneth Horne

Kenneth Horne

 * This is the archived discussion of the TFAR nomination for the article below. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as Wikipedia talk:Today's featured article/requests). Please do not modify this page. 

The result was: scheduled for Today's featured article/February 27, 2015 by — Crisco 1492 (talk) 13:57, 29 January 2015 (UTC)



Kenneth Horne (1907–1969) was an English comedian and businessman. His burgeoning career with the Triplex Safety Glass company was interrupted by wartime service with the Royal Air Force. While serving in a barrage balloon unit he was asked to broadcast as a quizmaster on the BBC radio show Ack-Ack, Beer-Beer. The experience brought him into contact with the entertainer Richard Murdoch, and the two wrote and starred in the comedy series Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh (1944–51). After demobilisation Horne returned to his flourishing business career, and kept his broadcasting as a sideline. He later became the chairman and managing director of toy manufacturers Chad Valley. In 1958 Horne suffered a stroke and gave up his business dealings to focus on his entertainment work. He was the anchor figure in Beyond Our Ken (1958–64). When the programme came to an end in 1964, he recorded four series of the seminal comedy Round the Horne (1965–68). Before a planned fifth series, Horne died of a heart attack. A 2002 BBC radio survey to find listeners' favourite British comedian placed Horne third, behind Tony Hancock and Spike Milligan.
 * Most recent similar article(s): Currently: 17 September 2014 George Formby (as "media" biography, broadly construed); possibly 15 February 2014 if John Barrymore is selected. (Again, rather broad to connect an American actor with a British radio presenter, but both fall under the broad church of "entertainers" or "media", I suppose
 * Main editors: SchroCat
 * Promoted: 9 February 2014
 * Reasons for nomination: Birthday: 27 February 1907 (no great anniversary, so happy for a non-specific date is a more pressing need for 27 Feb)
 * Support as nominator. SchroCat (talk) 23:28, 9 January 2015 (UTC)
 * Support – A quite definitely fantabulosa idea.  Tim riley  talk    13:36, 10 January 2015 (UTC)
 * Comment. Looks good. I made a few tweaks to the text. Thanks Schro. - Dank (push to talk) 16:54, 13 January 2015 (UTC)