If a definition of a straight man is ever required, the entry should simply read: 'See Jerry Desmonde'. Comedy Chronicles recounts the career of the man once dubbed 'the prince of feeds', who worked with comics such as Sid Field and Norman Wisdom.
Julian Dutton looks at the comic strips that have featured comedians. Tony Hancock, Terry-Thomas, Harry Secombe and Ken Dodd were amongst those featured in publications like Film Fun - it's a rich history of how comedians were perceived.
Sid Field is perhaps the single greatest and most influential comic the western world has ever produced - but there's a very good chance you've never heard of him until now.