
Acting
Jun 26, 1938
Oldham, Lancashire, England
Tommy Cannon
Acting
Biography
Oldham born comedian, Tommy Cannon (real name Thomas Derbyshire), is perhaps best known for his comic partnership with Bobby Ball. As the straight man to Ball, the pair enjoyed great success in the 1980s and continue to perform sporadically together to this day. Like Ball, Cannon has ventured into solo acting with several stage performances and a semi regular role in TV's Doctors. In 2017 it was announced that Cannon was declared bankrupt.
Feature Films (9)

Now known as the Quail's First Christmas. Identical, except for the title change on the cover. Imagine the "greatest story ever told" as seen from the perspective of three small birds! The three quails befriended by Mary and are swept along on the journey of their lives. They are captured by King Herod, but discover a plot against Mary's baby, so they decide they must escape to warn the family that the king is looking for Jesus.The animated film was the idea of London-based Christian writer Steve Legg as a holiday evangelism tool. After realizing that so many children have no idea who Jesus Christ is, he wanted to communicate to them the real meaning of Christmas. It has become a favorite seasonal staple in the UK. Recommended for ages 3 and up.
Quails Quest: Its a Boy!

A team of inept undertakers attempt to get a coffin to a funeral on time. An undertaker is in charge of moving a coffin from a home to the church. The home is on the 26th floor of a skyscraper; the stairs are narrow; the lift is small and prone to stop working. Chaos ensues.
Mr. H Is Late

Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball filmed live at the Blackpool Grand. Blending new and contemporary sketches with their traditional magic, this is entertainment for the whole family to enjoy.
Cannon and Ball Live: Legends of Comedy

Sgt. Cannon (Tommy Cannon) and PC Ball (Bobby Ball) run the police station in the quiet town of Little Botham. When the station is threatened with closure due to a lack of crime, they decide to invent some crimes to justify their existence. When they try to steal a painting from a local rich businessman (Roy Kinnear), they accidently stumble across a gang of real art thieves who have just stolen £1 million worth of paintings. It is up to the two bungling cops to stop them escaping with their haul.
The Boys in Blue

A tribute to one of Britain's most popular entertainers, Bobby Ball who died recently. Friends, family and co-stars celebrate the much-loved comedian and actor's life.
Rock On, Tommy: The Bobby Ball Story

Double act Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball entertain us with their own unique brand of humour. The programmes feature various sketch shows along with many celebrity guests.
The Best of Cannon & Ball

When a lovesick musician is given the wrong number for his dream girl, he teams up with a driven psychology student to find her. Together, they spark a hilarious campus-wide frenzy that tests their own hearts and ambitions along the way.
Finding Emily

A selection of rarely seen comic moments from the actor and comedian, who rose to fame as Kevin Turvey and as Rick in The Young Ones, a show he helped create. Rik Mayall later achieved more widespread fame in Bottom, and The New Statesman.
Rik Mayall's Sketches: Rare And Unseen
Television & Series (20)

Shooting Stars is a British television comedy panel game broadcast on BBC Two as a pilot in 1993, then as 3 full series from 1995 to 1997, then on BBC Choice from January to December 2002 with 2 series before returning to BBC Two for another 3 series from 2008 until its cancellation in 2011. Created and hosted by double-act Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, it uses the panel show format but with the comedians' often slapstick, surreal and anarchic humour does not rely on rules in order to function, with the pair apparently ignoring existing rules or inventing new ones as and when the mood takes them.
Shooting Stars

Surprise, Surprise is a British television programme originally hosted by Cilla Black and produced by London Weekend Television for ITV. It ran for 14 series from 6 May 1984 to 5 September 1997, after which four annual specials were produced between 1998 to 2001. In 2012, the show returned after a 11-year hiatus. The revived version is produced by ITV Studios and presented by Holly Willoughby. The show is currently in its second series.
Surprise, Surprise

A long-running British TV series showcasing the comedic talents of Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball through a variety of sketches and performances.
Cannon And Ball

The Story of Light Entertainment is a British documentary series shown on the BBC in 2006. The series comprises eight episodes and is narrated by Stephen Fry.








