Tommy Cannon
Date of birth: 27-06-1938Tommy Derbyshire was a factory welder in Oldham, Lancashire when he met Robert Harper, and together decided to form the double act Cannon and Ball. They started as singers working the pubs and clubs before switching to comedy because the money was better.
From a 1974 appearance in Opportunity Knocks they rose to be a staple of primetime Saturday night TV in the 1980s, with their self-titled LWT show running for nine series, leading to the 1982 film The Boys in Blue together in 1982, in which they played policemen.
They enjoyed the trappings – and the stresses - of success in their heyday, living the high life with Rolls-Royces and second homes (Cannon even bought Rochdale football club), but also falling out to the point they were barely on speaking terms. And after their TV series was cancelled in 1992, they were faced with huge tax bills. In 2017 Cannon, declared bankruptcy.
That changed when Ball became a Christian in 1986 and put his wild days behind him, and the pair eventually had a rapprochement. Cannon found God eight years later and together, they published a book called Christianity for Beginners
Read More
