George Formby made his screen debut in the 1915 British film ‘By the Shortest of Heads’ directed by Bert Haldane. It was classified as a lost film after its final copy perished in 1940. He next portrayed ‘John Willie’ in the 1934 Bert Tracy-directed British comedy film ‘Boots! Boots!’ The film had its premiere in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent North. In 1935, he starred as ‘John Willie’ in the British film ‘Off the Dole’ directed by Arthur Mertz. The film was a moderate success at the box office. That same year, he also appeared in the Monty Banks-directed British musical comedy ‘No Limit.’ The film was a major commercial success and became one of the biggest box office hits of Formby’s career. He was next seen in films like ‘Keep Your Seats, Please’ (1936), ‘Feather Your Nest’ (1937), ‘Keep Fit’ (1937), ‘I See Ice’ (1938), ‘It's in the Air’ (1938), ‘Trouble Brewing’ (1939), ‘Come On George!’ (1939), and ‘Let George Do It!’ (1940). Formby played the role of ‘George’ in the 1940 British black-and-white musical comedy war film ‘Spare a Copper’ directed by John Paddy Carstairs. The film holds a 6.1 out of 10 rating on IMDb. The following year, he appeared in the Marcel Varnel-directed British comedy film ‘Turned Out Nice Again.’ The film premiered at the London Pavilion Cinema.
He continued to star in films like ‘Much Too Shy’ (1942), ‘Get Cracking’ (1943), ‘Bell-Bottom George’ (1944), ‘He Snoops to Conquer’ (1945), and ‘I Didn't Do It’ (1945). In 1946, he portrayed ‘George Harper’ in the British comedy film ‘George in Civvy Street’ directed by Marcel Varnel and Ben Henry. The film was a commercial failure and marked the last big-screen appearance of Formby. He next appeared in television shows such as ‘Ask Pickles’ (1954), ‘Top of the Town’ (1955), ‘Dick Whittington’ (1957), ‘Top of the Bill’ (1957), ‘The Frankie Vaughan Show’ (1958), ‘Many Happy Returns’ (1958), ‘George Formby Presents: Formby Favourites’ (1958), ‘Val Parnell's Spectacular: The Atlantic Showboat’ (1959), ‘Steppin' Out With Formby’ (1959), ‘Showtime’ (1959), and ‘The Time of your Life’ (1960). Formby last appeared in the television show ‘The Friday Show’ in 1960.
Come on George! is a comedy musical film which tells the story of George, a young stable-hand who discovers that he is the only one who can calm down a nervous horse, and make it win races.
