Richard Hearne or Mr Pastry

Actor-acrobat-dancer Richard Hearne as the madcap, bowler-hatted creation Mr. Pastry.

Richard Hearne was resident clown at the BBC for thirty years. He was born in Norwich in 1908 into a theatrical family. His father was an acrobat and his mother a dramatic actress.

The slapstick antics of Mr. Pastry brought Hearne rich financial rewards. In one week on American television he appeared before an estimated 120 million viewers and received a £2,500 fee. On a previous trip, his earnings were calculated at £125 a minute.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Mr
• Pastry
• Richard
• Hearne
• BBC
• Childrens
• TV
• Television
• 1950s
• Comedy
• British

[Joshuamarcuscook]

@MediaCentury  mr pasrty is my great great great garndad on my mums side lol :)

[MediaCentury]

Today I still find Richard appealing and thankfully DVD distributor Renown Pictures has made a number of his films available for fans to enjoy all over again. The not so forgotten Mr Pastry AKA Richard Hearne was awarded the OBE in 1970 for all his charity work and so deserved at that. Renown Pictures have released a number of his films now on DVD so if you are a fan its worth checking them out on Amazon. Thanks OopNorth for paying tribute to the great Richard Hearne..

[MediaCentury]

Ah Mr Pastry.Richard learned his skills from his circus roots. I've visited his home, walked around his garden and visit his grave each year. He was a principled man who off screen spent a great deal of his life raising money for what was then the Spastics and did in fact fund raise enough for no less than 11 hydro pools.

[Nojnotpu]

I disagree that Richard was not even acting but was the same in real life. Mr Pastry was a character of Richard's creation. He spent 30 years, or whatever, as a younger man, playing the part of an old man. When he was not doing that, he was at his farm in Kent. His act was probably the inspiration for Clive Dunn, who also had a career of impersonating doddery old characters much older than himself. 

[WhoviansUSA]

He might have made an interesting 4th Doctor, but that would have meant NO TOM BAKER and that would be a bad thing.

[chalomirof63]

Takes me right back to my childhood, watching Ed Sullivan's "Toast of the Town" in the 50s! Classic, and many thanks for posting!

[ZXC5000]

what a wonderful entertainer, real good at his craft, just watch the control in this, yet it appears as chaos. Anyone know the title of the piece he dances the lancers to?

[stevehawk1000]

Mr Pastry,total Legend! Fondly remembered,just had a good giggle at this!