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Mr Pastry: Forgotten TV Star's Norwich Legacy
21 Jun
Summary
- Richard Hearne, known as Mr Pastry, was a British TV star.
- He appeared 29 times on the US Ed Sullivan Show.
- Few remember the star in his birth city of Norwich.
Richard Hearne, once a household name in Britain for his Mr Pastry character, is now largely forgotten even in his birth city of Norwich. Hearne, who began his career as a baby in a Norwich theatre, became a significant television personality in the 1950s and 1960s. His doddery, good-natured Mr Pastry character was famous for its slapstick routines and appeared across various TV shows.
Hearne's fame extended internationally, with 29 appearances on the US Ed Sullivan Show, the same program that later boosted the Beatles' careers. He was lauded in American media as a successful foreign comedian. Beyond entertainment, Hearne raised significant funds for disabled children's charities, earning an OBE for his efforts.
Despite his past achievements and philanthropic work, a recent exploration in Norwich reveals a stark lack of public recognition for the star. Many residents, particularly younger generations, have no recollection of Mr Pastry, underscoring the ephemeral nature of fame.
