Humphrey Littleton was a jazz trumpeter and comedy host who popularized jazz in England and hosted the radio show I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue. He served in WWII and recorded a performance on VE Day. Littleton continued his music career and collaborated with Radiohead and Elkie Brooks. He died in 2008, leaving behind a legacy as a legendary figure in both music and radio.
Humphrey Littleton was a noted jazz trumpeter and comedy host. He is credited with popularizing jazz throughout England and collaborated with greats of the jazz age including Louis Armstrong. Later in his career, he became the host of the long-running British comedy radio show I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue.
Born in 1921, Humphrey Littleton grew up and was educated at the prestigious British boys’ Eton school, where his father was a teacher. He served in the Grenadier Guards during WWII, famously once arriving ashore carrying both his pistol and bugle. His first television performance was accidental; was recorded playing his trumpet on 8 May 1945, a day that would come to be known as Victory Europe or VE Day.
After the war, Humphrey Littleton concentrated on his jazz career, achieving early success with his Bad Penny Blues. Although jazz was never as popular in England as it was in America, Littleton became known as a legend in the music community. At NASA’s request in 1968, Humphrey recorded a concert that was broadcast to astronauts aboard the Apollo 8 spacecraft.
Beginning in 1967, Humphrey Littleton became a radio personality, hosting the British Broadcasting Company’s (BBC) regular show The Best of Jazz. Soon after, he also became the host of one of the first British comedy shows, I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue. With its dry humor and constant misunderstanding of innuendo-filled lines, “Humph” became the cornerstone of the program. He hosted both programs until 2007, when his growing struggle with illness forced him to leave The Best of Jazz.
Humphrey Littleton was set to host the 2008 season of Sorry I Don’t Have a Clue when he was forced into the hospital due to ill health. He died on April 25, 2008, following surgery to repair an artery. The remaining recordings of I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue have been canceled indefinitely.
Despite his radio commitments, Humphrey Littleton continued his professional career as a musician. With his band, he toured Europe and America, including a 1990s tour with popular British singer Helen Shapiro. In 2001, he recorded jazz backing tracks for Radiohead’s best-selling album, Amnesiac. He has enjoyed a long professional association with singer Elkie Brooks, with whom he recorded an album in 2003.
In both the music and radio worlds, Humphrey Littleton is remembered as a legendary figure. In the months since his death, tributes have flowed in from fans and collaborators, commemorating the great and entertaining life of this Renaissance man. BBC Radio celebrated ‘Humphrey Littleton Day’ on 15th June 2008 and many fans are hoping it will become a permanent holiday in his memory.
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