Will Hay

Will Hay FRAS
Hay in The Ghost of St. Michael's (1941)
Born	William Thomson Hay (1888-12-06)6 December 1888 Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England
Died	18 April 1949(1949-04-18) (aged 60) Chelsea, London, England
Occupation(s)	Comedian, actor, film director, amateur astronomer
Years active	1909–1945
Spouse	Gladys Perkins ​ ​ (m. 1907; sep. 1935)​
Partner	Randi Kopstadt
Children	3

William Thomson Hay FRAS (6 December 1888 – 18 April 1949) was an English comedian who wrote and acted in a schoolmaster sketch that later transferred to the screen, where he also played other authority figures with comic failings. His film Oh, Mr. Porter! (1937), made by Gainsborough Pictures, is often cited as the supreme British-produced film-comedy, and in 1938 he was the third highest-grossing star in the UK. Many comedians have acknowledged him as a major influence. Hay was also a keen amateur astronomer.