Mike Walling facts for kids

Mike Walling (born July 8, 1950 – died July 2, 2020) was a funny English actor and writer for TV shows. He was known for making people laugh with his comedy acts and for writing many popular TV series.

Mike Walling's Career

Mike Walling started his career as an English teacher. He taught at Holland Park School in London. In the mid-1970s, while still teaching, he tried something new. He entered a British TV talent show called New Faces.

Becoming a Comedian

Mike won the talent show with a comedy act. It was a duo called "Mr Carline & Mr Walling." After winning, he decided to leave teaching. He wanted to focus on his new career in comedy.

Later, the comedy duo stopped working together. Mike then moved into acting in situation comedy shows. He appeared in series like "Just Liz" and "Bootle Saddles." He also starred in the very popular show "Brush Strokes."

Writing for TV

Mike Walling also became a successful writer for TV. He started working with another writer named Tony Millan. Together, they wrote scripts for many different shows. They even created their own TV series.

In the early 1980s, Mike worked with a musician named Mo Foster. Mike wrote the lyrics (words) for comedy songs. Mo wrote the music and produced the songs.

The Papadum Song

One of their songs was called "The Papadum Song." It was a funny song about two men visiting an Indian restaurant. The song was played a lot on BBC Radio 1. Mike and Mo even performed it live on TV shows like Blue Peter.

The song was very popular. However, it didn't sell many copies. This was because of a three-week strike at the company that distributed the records. The records never made it to the shops!

The song was later re-released in 2006. It was part of a collection of comedy songs. Another song from the same album, "Chalk Dust," became a top ten hit across Europe.

Later Acting Roles

Mike Walling continued to act in many well-known TV shows. These included "The Smoking Room" and "Coronation Street." He also appeared in the popular family comedy My Family.

Mike Walling passed away on July 2, 2020.

TV Shows and Films Mike Walling Appeared In

Mike Walling acted in many television shows and films. Here are some of them:

• Just Liz, TV (1980)
• Bootle Saddles, TV (1983)
• Brush Strokes, TV (1986)
• Harry's Mad, TV (1993)
• Last of the Summer Wine, TV (2001)
• The Smoking Room, TV (2004)
• Coronation Street, TV (2006)
• My Family, TV (2007)
• Not Going Out, TV (2013)

Shows Mike Walling Wrote For

Mike Walling wrote or co-wrote scripts for many comedy shows. Some of these include:

• Me and My Girl, TV (1984)
• ChuckleVision, TV (1987)
• Birds of a Feather, TV (1989)
• The Brittas Empire, TV (1991)
• A Prince Among Men, TV (1997)