Actor Frank Twomey who was best known as “the man from Bosco” excelled in the “deceptively simple role” because his gift for communication was such that children viewed him as being a friend to the red haired puppet rather than a television presenter, his funeral has heard.
Mr Twomey (68) died last Monday at Cork University Hospital following an illness.
His requiem mass at the North Cathedral in Cork heard that such was the gift for comedy of the late Frank that even in his finals days of life he was able to make the hospital chaplain laugh.
Long-time collaborator Pat (Packie) O’Callaghan paid tribute to Mr Twomey at the 10am mass.
He said that he needed to apologise to Frank as his late friend was far from “an early riser” and the mass was taking place at an “an unearthly hour of the morning.”
Mr O’Callaghan said that Frank, with whom he worked for 27 years on stage shows such as the “Santa Ponsa Trilogy” was a “comic genius.”
“He was the most versatile, inventive, creative person I ever met. And by a long chalk he was the funniest.
Frank is of course remembered by generations of Irish kids many of whom now have their own kids for being Bosco’s friend, and he was brilliant in that deceptively simple role.
Bosco went out on RTÉ for an incredible 400 episodes. Frank and his life-long friend Paula Lambert subsequently toured the live show throughout the country with great success.
While in Dublin, Frank also shared the stage with some of the giants of Irish theatre, among them Liam Neeson, the late Ray McNally, John Kavanagh and not forgetting Cork’s own Joe Lynch.”
Mr O’Callaghan wondered aloud where the ‘brilliance’ of Frank would have taken him if he hadn’t “succumbed to the magnetic pull of his beloved northside and returned to his native Cork.”
“He told me once that he was just happiest among his own.”
He said that Frank immersed himself in the local theatre in Cork.
“The late and legendary Billa (O’Connell) said of Frank that he was the ‘best panto dame I ever saw.’ And of course many of you will have seen Frank in that role which he reprised over many years at his beloved Everyman.
Frank was a gifted and hugely versatile performer across so many genres of show business. From song and dance man to serious actor to comedian to stand up artist. Outstanding as Frank was as performer I believe his greatest talent was as a writer.
Frank was a pro to his finger tips. I know he would have been really chuffed to have made the nine o clock news during the week.
Frank spread joy and happiness wherever he went. He was gifted with a wonderful child like innocence. Frank grew old but he refused to grow up.”
Denis Twomey, brother of the late Frank, said that their youngest sibling loved to play tricks on his family. As a youngster he used his mimicry skills to prank call his grandmother pretending to be one of her friends.
Denis said when Frank left school he got a good pensionable job with the post office. However, he left it to become an actor.
“He (Frank) was encouraged by our dad to follow his dreams and the rest they say is history. Little did Frank know that forever more he would be referred to as ‘the man from Bosco.’
As a family we shared so many happy times with Frank. We were immensely proud of Frank. He was grateful for the Bosco break but accomplished much more across all media.
He was a loving and loyal person who was great company. In recent years Frank battled with health issues and rallied twice in the last year. Sadly this time it was not to me.”
Mr Twomey thanked all those who had cared for Frank in hospital. He finished his tribute with the Magic door lines from Bosco:“Knock knock open wide see what’s on the other side.
"Knock knock any more come with me through the magic door.”
He said he was sure that his rendition would bring laughter to all those in heaven.
Meanwhile, former RTÉ broadcaster, Alf McCarthy, joked that he was drafted in to do the first reading as “Johnny Depp couldn’t make it.” He told mourners that Frank had many gifts.
“He had this wonderful ability to communicate with people. He was a tremendous actor. He did everything. He did pantomime. He did straight drama, musicals.
He was very much a Cork man and very proud to be a Cork person.
I was listening to (puppeteer) Paula Lambert during the week and she said when he went for the audition (for Bosco) she instantly saw what Frank had. And that was his ability to communicate. He was talking to a puppet but Frank was actually talking to a child. That was the key to him.”
Mr McCarthy said that one of the best characters Frank gave the world was his impersonation of Minister Mary O’Rourke which he stressed was so much more than mimicry.
“I remember the first day he revealed Mary O’Rourke to us in studio. I was cracking up. I could not stop laughing. He wasn’t doing an impersonation. He was Mary O’Rourke.
In the last series we did an interview with Mary O’Rourke. Frank was there with her. Over the years he had imbued her, the character with a kind of mumsiness.
I could see in her later interviews the stuff she got from him. She almost became a Mum to a lot of people in the country.
From what we did on Short Circuit Bull island the television series came along.
He did it all but he did it so well. When I think of him I have been smiling. Frank you will always make me smile. Thank you for your talent sir. We appreciate it.”
Meanwhile, chief celebrant, Fr John Denver, said that Mr Twomey had received tremendous support from his late parents Frank and Kitty.
“I loved reading of the support Frank got from his late father who was also called Frank. When the young Frank was contemplating leaving a Government job in order to take up acting the young Frank said ‘Only my father said I was doing the right thing.’ We pay tribute to his late father Frank and his late mother Kitty.”
Mr Twomey was best known for his work on Bosco, Bull Island, Nighthawks and on stage. He also had a long time role as the dame of The Everyman Palace Theatre’s pantomime in Cork.
Director of the Everyman pantomimes, Catherine Mahon Buckley of CADA, recited the second reading at the church. She said that it was “ironic that Frank passed during panto time” and thanked him for his enormous contribution over the years.
Frank, who lived in Skehard Road in Blackrock Road, but was originally from the northside of the city is survived by his siblings Maurice and Denis. He was predeceased by his parents and his sisters Mar and Christie. He was taken from the church to the sounds of the “The Banks of My Own Lovely Lee.” Burial followed at St Finbarr’s Cemetery in Glasheen.
Mr Twomey was best known for his work on Bosco, Bull Island, Nighthawks and on stage. He also had a long time role as the dame of The Everyman Palace Theatre’s pantomime in Cork.
