The National Portrait Gallery's new exhibition 'Comedians: from the 1940s to now' traces 70 years of British comedy through photographic portraits of comics
Photograph: Karl J Kaul/National Portrait Gallery London
Many popular 50s comedians began their careers while serving in world war two. Benny Hill met his future agent in the combined services entertainment division
Photograph: estate of Bob Collins/National Portrait Gallery, London
In the 50s and 60s, radio shows such as Hancock's Half Hour, which starred Sid James and Tony Hancock, created a new audience for comedy
Photograph: estate of Bob Collins/National Portrait Gallery London
The Goon Show was another radio favourite of the era Photograph: Bryan Wharton/National Portrait Gallery London
Like Les Dawson, who presented comedy game show Blankety Blank and had his own radio and TV series, many of the exhibition's comedians had successful TV careers
Photograph: Eric Watson/National Portrait Gallery London
Rowan Atkinson found fame in the UK courtesy of the BBC programmes Not the Nine O'Clock News and Blackadder. His portrayal of Mr Bean later won him global renown
Photograph: Alistair Morrison/National Portrait Gallery London
These portraits of comedy duo French and Saunders were used in Trevor Leighton's photographic survey of British comedians, The Jokers (1999) Photograph: Trevor Leighton/National Portrait Gallery London
Victoria Wood was another of the alternative comedians to feature in Leighton's project Photograph: Trevor Leighton/National Portrait Gallery London
The exhibition includes Nadav Kandar's shot of Matt Lucas, on show for the first time Photograph: Nadav Kander/National Portrait Gallery London
