occupation chesney allen
A double act , also known as a comedy duo , is a comic pairing in which humor is derived from the uneven relationship between two partners , usually of the same gender , age , ethnic origin and ___MASK100___ but drastically different in terms of personality or behavior . Often one of the members of the duo  the straight man , feed , dead wood , or stooge  is portrayed as reasonable and serious , while the other one  the funny man , banana man or comic  is portrayed as funny , less educated or less intelligent , silly , or unorthodox . If the audience identifies primarily with one character , the other will often be referred to as a comic foil . The term " feed " comes from the way a straight man is wont to set up jokes and " feed " them to his partner . World War II ( often abbreviated to WWII or WW2 ), also known as the Second World War , was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945 , although related conflicts began earlier . It involved the vast majority of the world ' s nations  including all of the great powers  eventually forming two opposing ___MASK72___ alliances : the Allies and the Axis . It was the most widespread war in history , and directly involved more than 100 million people from over 30 countries . In a state of " total war ", the major participants threw their entire economic , industrial , and scientific capabilities behind the war effort , erasing the distinction between civilian and ___MASK72___ resources . Marked by mass deaths of civilians , including the Holocaust ( in which approximately 11 million people were killed ) and the strategic bombing of industrial and population centres ( in which approximately one million were killed , and which included the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ), it resulted in an estimated 50 million to 85 million fatalities . These made World War II the deadliest conflict in human history . Bud Flanagan , ( 14 October 1896  20 October 1968 ) was a popular English music hall and ___MASK2___ entertainer and ___MASK30___ , and later a television and film actor , he was best known as a double act with Chesney Allen . Flanagan was famous as a wartime entertainer and his achievements were recognised when he was awarded the Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire ( OBE ) in 1959 . Florrie Forde ( 16 August 1875  18 April 1940 ), born Flora May Augusta Flannagan , was an Australian popular ___MASK76___ and ___MASK73___ . She was one of the most popular stars of the early 20th century music hall . Flanagan and Allen were a British singing and comedy double act popular during World War II . Its members were Bud Flanagan ( 1896  1968 ) and Chesney Allen ( 1893  1982 ). They were first paired in a Florrie Forde revue , and were booked by Val Parnell to appear at the Holborn Empire in 1929 . Val Parnell ( 14 February 1892  22 September 1972 ), born as Valentine Charles Parnell , was a British ___MASK64___ managing director and ___MASK6___ , actor and theatrical impresario . A former staple of stage production , his career started in ___MASK64___ with the launch of the ITV network in 1955 . Music hall is a type of British theatrical ___MASK8___ that was popular from the early Victorian era circa 1850 and lasting until 1960 . It involved a mixture of popular songs , comedy , speciality acts , and variety ___MASK8___ . The term is derived from a type of theatre or venue in which such ___MASK8___ took place . British music hall was similar to American vaudeville , featuring rousing songs and comic acts , while in the United Kingdom the term " vaudeville "' referred to more working - class types of ___MASK8___ that would have been termed " burlesque " in America . Chesney Allen ( 5 April 1894 -- 13 November 1982 ) was a popular English ___MASK73___ of the Second World War period . He is best remembered for his double act with Bud Flanagan , Flanagan and Allen .