Spike Milligan Birthday & Fun Facts

Spike Milligan Birthday Highlights

Birth Name

Terence Alan Milligan

Place Of Birth

Ahmednagar, British India

Age

105 years old

Birth Date

April 16 1918

Spike Milligan Facts

Child Star?

no

Occupation

Education & Qualifications

St Saviours School

Net Worth

$65,000,000

Current Partner

Shelagh Sinclair

Children

Sean, Sile, Laura, Jane

Parents

Leo Alphonso Milligan, Florence Mary

Spike Milligan was an Irish actor born on April 16, 1918, in British India.

His father was Irish, and his mother was English, so he held British and Irish citizenship. Milligan was an amateur jazz vocalist in the early '30s and late '40s.

Spike Milligan fought against Nazi Germany during World War II. Milligan was famous for his innovative comedy radio shows, especially 'The Goon Show'. His major TV venture was the sketch comedy series 'The World Of Beachcomber.' Milligan played the role of Monsieur Rimbaud: The French Revolution in the 1981 movie 'History Of The World: Part I,' William McGonagall in 'The Great McGonagall'.

What was Spike Milligan's net worth?

Spike Milligan had amassed a significant sum of wealth from being an actor, comedian, writer, playwright, poet, and musician. His net worth was estimated to be $65 million before he died.

How much did Spike Milligan earn per year?

Spike Milligan earned a considerable net worth from his career though no details about his annual earnings and spending habits are available.

How tall was Spike Milligan?

Spike Milligan stood 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) tall.

How old was Spike Milligan?

Spike Milligan was born Terence Alan Milligan on April 16, 1918, in Ahmednagar, British India. He died on February 27, 2002 (aged 83) in Rye, East Sussex, England. Milligan held British (1918-1962) and Irish citizenship (1962-2002).

Spike Milligan, initially known as Terence Alan Milligan, was born on April 16, 1918. He grew up in British India. His father was Captain Leo Alphonso Milligan, MSM, RA (1890–1969), an Irish serving in the British Indian Army, and his mother, Florence Mary Winifred (1893–1990), was English. He spent his childhood in Poona and later in Rangoon, the capital of British Burma. Regarding his education, Spike Milligan studied at the Convent of Jesus and Mary, Poona, and later attended St Paul's High School, Rangoon. In 1931, Milligan moved to Brockley, southeast London, at the age of 12, where he attended Brownhill Road School (later to be renamed Catford Boys School) and St Saviours School, Lewisham High Road. After completing school, Spikes Milligan worked as a clerk in the Woolwich Arsenal, played the cornet, and discovered jazz. He also joined the Young Communist League.

Who was Spike Milligan's partner?

Spike Milligan married his first wife, June Marlow, in 1952 and had three children, Laura Milligan, Seán Milligan, and Síle Milligan, and divorced in 1960.

He married Patricia Ridgeway in June 1962 and welcomed their daughter, Jane Milligan, in 1966. The marriage ended with Patricia's death from breast cancer in 1978.

Spike Milligan reportedly had another child, a daughter, Romany, with a Canadian journalist, Roberta Watt.

Milligan's last wife was Shelagh Sinclair, with whom he married from 1983 until his death on February 27, 2002. Shelagh Milligan died in June 2011.

Best Known For…

During the British Raj, Spike Milligan was born on April 16, 1918. He was an amateur jazz vocalist during and after the time of world war II in the late '40s when he was called up to fight against Nazi Germany. He also tried to pursue the world of radio as a performer or scriptwriter. His first success in the radio world was as a writer for comedian Derek Roy's show. After a delayed start, Spike Milligan, Michael Bentine, Harry Secombe, and Peter Sellers joined forces for an innovative comedy radio project, 'The Goon Show.' During its first season, the BBC titled the show 'Crazy People' to make the program enjoyable to BBC officials. However, Milligan did not appear much in the early performances. Still, eventually, he became a lead performer in almost every episode of 'The Goon Show,' playing characters such as Minnie Bannister, Eccles, Jim Spriggs, Minnie Bannister, and Count Moriarty. Spike Milligan was the primary author of most of the scripts and co-author with some notable writers such as Eric Sykes and Larry Stephens.

Along with being a comedian, Spike Milligan swooped into television as a writer-performer and also made many guest appearances on variety, interviews, and sketch comedy series from the '50s to the '00s. Milligan's major TV venture was the sketch comedy series 'The World Of Beachcomber' (1968), and later, he starred in the comedy TV shows, 'Curry and Chips' and 'Q5.' Spike Milligan played the voice role of characters in the animated series, 'Wolves, Witches, and Giants.' Milligan also did poetry and has written several recognized poems. The comedian Stephen Fry described his poetry as 'absolutely immortal—greatly in the tradition of Lear.' Spike Milligan wrote a series of war memoirs and did voice recordings for 'Adolf Hitler: My Part In His Downfall' in 1971, 'Monty: His Part In My Victory' in 1976, and Mussolini: His Part in My Downfall (1978). His theater plays include, 'Treasure Island,' 'The Bed Sitting Room' and a novel-based play named 'Oblomov.' Spike Milligan wrote several books including, 'Puckoon,' 'The Murphy,' and 'William McGonagall: Freefall.'

What awards did Spike Milligan win?

In 1957, Spike Milligan won the BAFTA TV Award in the Best Writer category. In 1970, Spike Milligan was nominated for the BAFTA TV Award in the Best Light Entertainment Personality category for his work in the television comedy shows, 'The World of Beachcomber' (1968), 'Curry and Chips' (1969), and 'Q5' (1969). The same year, he was nominated for Hugo Awards in the Best Dramatic Presentation category for his role in 'The Bed Sittin Room' (1969). In 1994 at the British Comedy Awards, Spike Milligan won the Lifetime Achievement Award.

• Spike Milligan had bipolar disorder for most of his life and went through several severe mental breakdowns, several lasting over a year.
• Prince Charles was a fan of Spikes Milligan and saw his play 'Oblomov' five times.
• Spike Milligan has done many innovative comedy radio shows, including 'The Goon Show,' and 'The Idiot Weekly.'
• Spike Milligan was a jazz vocalist during the late '40s and was recognized for his voice.
• During World War II, Spike Milligan served as a signaller in 56th Heavy Regiment, D Battery, Royal Artillery, as Gunner Milligan, 954024, and fought against Nazi Germany.
• Spikes Milligan was born in British India on April 16, 1918, and died in England on February 27, 2022.
• Spike Milligan wrote the script for an episode of the TV mini-series 'Australia,' 'The Melting Pot,' and 'Son of Fred.'
• He played voice roles in 'Calling All Cars,' 'Moonshadow,' 'Dot And The Kangaroo,' and 'The Ratties.'

We would love your help! If you have a photo of Spike Milligan, either of them alone or a selfie that you would be happy to share, please send it to [email protected].
If you have knowledge or information that you think would help us improve this article, please contact us.