it is instead of taking the details of the conflagration: "Grimshaw Street... no, don't tell me... oh, I could walk straight to it..." The sketch would finish with the classic line to the long-suffering householder: "Can you keep it going 'til we get there?" Possibly his best-known character, Mr Muddlecombe, an incompetent J.P. from the fictional village of Nether Backwash, appeared in a number of radio series during the 1930s and 1940s and was known for the phrase "You shouldn't have done that!" He would also frequently make the comment: "Ee, what a to-do!" The BBC radio programme Mr Muddlecombe JP was first broadcast in January 1937, and went through several series, culminating as Councillor Muddlecombe JP in 1948. The scripts were mostly written by Wilton with producer Max Kester. He was also a stand-up comedian and one of his jokes was: "A bloke went into a pub and asked, "What soft drinks have you got, barman?". Barman says, "I've got some without vanilla, some without lime, some without lemon. Ah, and one with peppermint!" "Oh, damn", says the customer, "That's the very one I wanted without!" In October 1928, he appeared in a short film, The Fire Brigade, made in the Phonofilm sound-on-film process. He then appeared in several films from 1934, generally in supporting comic roles. His last film appearance was in the Arthur Askey vehicle The Love Match in 1955. Wilton was inducted into the exclusive entertainers' fraternity, the Grand Order of Water Rats and served as its "King Rat" in 1947. Death On 1 May 1957, Wilton died in London at the age of 75. Selected filmography The Fire Brigade (short) (1928) Love, Life and Laughter (1934) The Secret of the Loch (1934) Look Up and Laugh (1935) It's Love Again (1936) Calling the Tune (1936) Two's Company (1936) Stars on Parade (1936) Mother, Don't Rush Me (1936) The Interrupted Honeymoon (1936) Fine Feathers (1937) Take My Tip (1937) The Gang's All Here (1939) The Love Match (1955) External links Robb Wilton.The Policeman Video at TV-Click References 1881 births 1957 deaths Comedians from Lancashire Comedians from Liverpool Male actors from Liverpool 20th-century English male actors 20th-century English comedians British male comedy actors