Bernard Manning
A brash, unapologetic comic from the working men's club circuit whose politically incorrect humor fell out of TV fashion but never lost its audience.
1930–2007 (age 77)·English comedian·Birthday: August 13·The Silent Generation
Biography
Bernard Manning was a product of post-war Manchester, a bulk of a man with a bow tie and a microphone who built his own comedy empire, the Embassy Club, from the ground up. His humor was direct, rooted in the tradition of northern English social clubs, and delivered with a powerful singing voice he'd use for punchlines. Television made him a household name in the 1970s on shows like 'The Comedians,' where his quick-fire gags found a massive audience. As cultural sensitivities evolved, Manning's material, which traded heavily in racial and ethnic stereotypes, became a lightning rod for controversy. Broadcasters gradually sidelined him, but he wore his 'un-PC' badge with defiance, insisting he was an equal-opportunity offender and that his club was a place where people came to laugh, not to take offense. He performed live relentlessly until his death, a figure both condemned and adored, representing a bygone era of comedy.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Bernard was born in 1930, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bernard Was Born
The biggest hits of 1930
#1 Movie
All Quiet on the Western Front
Best Picture
All Quiet on the Western Front
Bernard's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1930Born
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1935Started school
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1943Became a teenager
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1946Could drive
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1948Could vote
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1951Turned 21
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1960Turned 30
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 40
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 50
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 60
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 70
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2007Died at 77
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
Key Achievements
- Achieved national fame through frequent appearances on the ITV stand-up show 'The Comedians' throughout the 1970s.
- Founded and operated the famous Embassy Club in Manchester, which became a hub for his live performances for decades.
- Hosted the popular ITV variety show 'The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club,' which simulated a working men's club atmosphere.
- Released multiple comedy albums and videos that sold consistently well to his loyal fan base.
Did You Know?
He served as a driver in the Royal Artillery during his national service.
He was a talented singer and often performed serious ballads as part of his act.
His father was a bookmaker, and Manning worked in the family betting business before comedy.
He claimed to have performed for British troops in the Falkland Islands after the 1982 war.
“I'm not racist. I hate everybody equally.”
