People Open DS/UK/1897 Clapham and Dwyer (c.1920) Clapham and Dwyer c.1920 British comedy duo Group (Male) London, England (formed) British Comedy; Sketch, duo Members: Charlie Clapham (William Charles Conrad Clapham; 6 January 1894–27 July 1959) Bill Dwyer (William Henry Dwyer; 7 May 1887–11 January 1943) Clapham and Dwyer were a British comedy duo popular in the 1920s and 1930s, comprising Charlie Clapham and Bill Dwyer. They were the first comedy double act to become famous on British radio, and continued to broadcast regularly through the 1920s and 1930s. Dwyer was the straight man, and Clapham - with monocle and moustache - was the fool. Their sketches often featured "Cissie the Cow", a disruptive influence that was initially imaginary but was later played onstage in the manner of a pantomime horse. As a stage act from 1928, they appeared in venues all over the country. In 1929, they appeared in two early short films made in the Lee de Forest Phonofilm sound-on-film process. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clapham_and_Dwyer (2021) International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) 2nd edition - ICA 2004 ISBN 2-9521932-2-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 RAHSkeyte 9/21/2012 Rachael.Fragola 3/1/2022 2b4ff02c-aada-49ea-b0da-1edd99d0351b