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Flanagan and Allen were a British singing and comedy double act popular during World War II. Its members were Bud Flanagan (1896 - 1968) and Chesney Allen (1893 - 1982).

As music hall comedians, they would often feature a mixture of comedy and music in their act; this led to a successful recording career as a duo and roles in film and television. Flanagan and Allen were both also members of The Crazy Gang and worked with that team for many years concurrently with their double-act career.

Flanagan and Allen's songs featured the same, usually gentle, humour for which the duo were known in their live performances, and during the Second World War they reflected the experiences of ordinary people during wartime. Songs like 'We're Gonna Hang out the Washing on the Siegfried Line' mocked the German defences (Siegfried Line), while others like 'Miss You' sang of missing one's sweetheart during enforced absences. Other songs, such as their most famous, 'Underneath the Arches' (which Flanagan co-wrote with Reg Connelly), had universal themes such as friendship. The music was usually melodic, following a binary verse, verse chorus structure, with a small dance band or orchestra providing the accompaniment. The vocals were distinctive because while Flanagan was at least a competent singer and sang the melody lines, Allen used an almost spoken delivery to provide the harmonies.

The recordings of Flanagan and Allen remain popular, and the duo are frequently impersonated by professionals and amateurs. Royal Variety Performances often feature people 'doing a Flanagan and Allen', notably Roy Hudd and Christopher Timothy, Bernie Winters and Leslie Crowther.

• 'Run Rabbit, Run'
• 'Underneath the Arches'
• 'We're Gonna Hang Out the Washing on the Siegfried Line'
• 'Any Umbrellas'
• 'Shine on Harvest Moon'
• 'Franklin D. Roosevelt Jones'
• 'Round the Back of the Arches'
• 'We'll Smile Again'
• 'Miss You'
• 'Don't Ever Walk in the Shadows'
• 'Sierra Sue'
• 'Let's Be Buddies'
• 'Down Ev'ry Street'
• 'Are You Havin' Fun'
• 'Yesterday's Dreams'
• 'I Don't Want to Walk Without You'
• 'Rose O'Day'
• 'Smiths and the Jones'
• 'What More Can I Say'
• 'Why Don't You Fall in Love With Me'
• 'I'm Nobody's Baby'
• 'Down Forget Me Not Lane'
• 'Two Very Ordinary People'
• 'On the Outside Looking In'
• 'Home Town'
• 'Free (Isn't it the way it ought to be?)'

Bud Flanagan

The Crazy Gang

• Bud Flanagan's Internet Movie Database entry
• Chesney Allen's Internet Movie Database entry
• TVCream's Crazy Gang Page