A LEADING York entertainer has celebrated his 90th birthday.

Ted Atikinson, vice-president of the Rowntree Players, moved to York after the Second World War and was promptly snapped up by the Players.

He started his career at the age of ten when he appeared with a concert party.

As a teenager, he played in a dance band and also second trumpet in an orchestra. He later turned to the banjo and ukulele.

He developed as a comedian and worked professionally under the name of Ted Bishop, regularly ending his act with a song and tap dance - Song, Step And Story.

Ted served in the Army, continuing his entertainment interests with the 17th Area Varieties in Cairo and as unit entertainments officer, where he presented three shows a day to the troops as they waited for D-Day.

He became chairman of the Players, secretary, committee member, producer, player and backstage worker. For many years he devised and directed the Players end-of-season production Maytime Follies.

In 1980 he produced the Players' first pantomime Babes In the Wood, which set a box office record for the society.

In 1996 he teamed up with fellow Player Brian Coates to revive their popular Boys Of The Old Brigade routine for York Festival of Remembrance. In 1997, he decided to step out of the spotlight after 70 years of entertaining.

Updated: 09:21 Saturday, May 03, 2003