EVERGREEN entertainers Reg and Bob Young are still treading the boards and staging local charity shows, but the pinnacle of their showbusiness career was 50 years ago this week.

The Clacton brothers were compering their first summer season at Clacton’s Savoy Theatre - now the Vice Versa night club - when the legendary Max Miller headlined there for one week from August 31, 1959.

Max had been one of their variety idols for many years.

“He was a larger than life character on and off the stage. He was a great performer and we used to watch him from the wings,” said Bob.

They introduced Max Miller twice nightly to packed audiences and remember how he used to pinch their beer from the dressing room.

Bob remembers Max saying he would buy them a drink on the last night and when they went into the bar after the show he made them sit on a sofa until a member of the audience offered to buy them all a drink.

The brothers also worked with other golden oldies at The Savoy including Dottie Wayne the whistler, Dickie Valentine, Alma Cogan and the Billy Cotton band. They went on to appear at the Felixstowe Spa where they worked alongside Jerry Dorsey, later aka Englebert Humperdink.

The brothers remember vividly the days when they worked two jobs - Reg at the Post Office and Bob at the Ministry of Defence - during the day and then rushed off to The Savoy for their evenings on stage.

The enduring twosome who have been in the spotlight for some 58 years had won the summer season contract after winning the Pick of the County talent competition.

The first prize was a summer season and £200. Bob used his share to get engaged to his wife Rita.

The funnymen, now 79 and 83, had the chance to turn professional and they were regular entertainers at local holiday parks and hotels. They took part in national publicity campaigns for the town and for decades have fronted charity shows at the West Cliff Theatre showcasing young talent and raising thousands of pounds for the theatre.

The duo who started out in showbusiness at the same time as Morecambe and Wise are still out there making us laugh and bringing a little bit of sunshine to the seaside shows.