Tommy Lorne

Tommy Lorne^[1] (December 7, 1890 – April 17, 1935) was a Scottish music hall comedian of the 1920s.

Born Hugh Gallagher Corcoran^[2] in Kirkintilloch, he grew up in Glasgow.

Lorne famously wore white make-up, boots that were too large, a jacket that was too short, a Glengarry and a very short kilt.^[3] He performed his act in a high-pitched voice. In 1927, Lorne made two short films, The Lard Song^[4] and Tommy Lorne and "Dumplings",^[5] both filmed in the DeForest Phonofilm sound-on-film process.

It is often said that Lorne sausage is named after him.^[6] This is exactly the sort of tall story that Lorne is likely to have started himself.

He died from pneumonia at age 45.

Catchphrases

• "In the name of the wee man!"
• "Ah'll get ye, and if Ah don't get you the coos'll get ye!"
• "Sausages is the boys!"

References

1. "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography entry: Tommy Lorne".
2. The Glasgow Story website
3. Special Collections of Glasgow Library
4. IMDb: The Lard Song (1927)
5. Silent Era: Tommy Lorne and Dumplings (1927)
6. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography entry