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Edward Hugh McGinnis (25 June 1941 – 2 April 2020), better known by the stage name Eddie Large, was a Scottish comedian. He was best known as a part of the double act Little and Large, with Syd Little.
| Eddie Large | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Edward Hugh McGinnis |
| Born | 25 June 1941 Glasgow, Scotland |
| Died | 2 April 2020 (aged 78) |
| Medium | Comedian |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Years active | 1971-2006; 2010; 2018 |
| Spouse | Sandra (?–?) (divorced) Patsy Ann Scott (1983–2020, his death) |
| Children | 3 |
| Notable works and roles | Little and Large |
Early life
Large was born Edward Hugh McGinnis in Glasgow in 1941. His father Teddy served as a Petty Officer in the Royal Navy during World War II and after he returned from the war the family moved to a tenement in Oatlands.[1] When he was nine years old the family moved again to Manchester, where he attended Claremont Road Primary School[2] and a grammar school.[3] He played football as a schoolboy, became a supporter of nearby Manchester City which had its ground opposite his home[4] and has maintained a life long devotion to the club. After he left school he worked as an electrician and was a singer.
Little and Large
He met singer and guitarist Cyril Meed in the Stonemason's Arms pub in Wythenshawe and they formed a double act following the reaction to Eddie's comic heckling of Cyril,[2] who switched to comedy. The duo then performed in northern clubs. As Little and Large they began their TV career on the talent show Opportunity Knocks winning in 1971 and went on to star in many television comedy programmes, including their own series The Little and Large Show and the ITV series Who Do You Do? doing impressions and also becoming popular as pantomime stars.
In an interview in 2010, Large said that he and Syd Little had not spoken to each other for several years.[5] During the 2010–11 football season, football entertainment show Soccer AM produced comedy sketches with Peterborough footballer Mark Little, and Eddie Large, as the newly reformed Little and Large.[6]
Later career
Large worked on the after-dinner circuit, and in recent years performed some cameo acting roles in dramas such as The Brief and Blackpool. In 2006 he appeared on a comedy edition of The Weakest Link, but was eliminated prior to the penultimate round. His autobiography entitled Larger than Life was published in 2005.
In 2013, Large released his first single without Little, a parody of "Je t'aime... moi non plus" by Serge Gainsbourg entitled "Gee Musky... Moi Non Plus".[citation needed]
Personal life
Large lived in Portishead, near Bristol, with his wife Patsy and 26-year-old son.[citation needed] He also had two daughters and three grandchildren.[citation needed]
After being admitted to hospital in March 2002 due to kidney problems, he underwent a heart transplant at Papworth Hospital, Cambridge in 2003 at the age of 62, and recovered fully. Large was hospitalised for some weeks in late 2013 after tripping over a road sign near his Portishead home.[7] Large died on 2 April 2020 after contracting COVID-19 while in hospital receiving treatment for heart failure. Large had suffered from kidney and heart problems for a number of years.[8][9]
References
- ^ Eddie Large and Stafford Hildred (1 July 2005). Larger Than Life: My Autobiography. John Blake. ISBN 1844541282.
- ^ a b Wythenshawe Famous locals Little and Large Retrieved 11 February 2016
- ^ Who's Who on Television. ITV Books, 1982
- ^ https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/lifestyle/showbiz/heart-swap-for-eddie-large-1655690
- ^ "Little and Large 'haven't spoken for a long time'". The Independent. 1 June 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- ^ "Soccer AM | Sky Sports". Soccer AM. 13 August 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- ^ "Comedian Eddie Large in hospital after road sign fall". BBC News. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
- ^ "Eddie Large dies aged 78". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- ^ Cricket, Jimmy [@jimmy__cricket] (2 April 2020). "With a heavy heart I have just found out, (through his son Ryan), that his father Eddie Large has passed away" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
External links
- Eddie Large at IMDb