Jackie Mason's goodbye tour

Comedian Jackie Mason is to make his last ever live tour of the UK in 2012.

Jackie Mason first appeared in the JC in 1963 when he did a charity gig for the Manchester Jewish Benevolent Society with Helen Shapiro.

(Ironically so, since Shapiro became a Messianic Jew, while Mason once sued Jews for Jesus for using his image in an ad campaign, having protested that he was "as Jewish as a matzah ball".)

Since then the New York stand-up has gone on to greater things, notching up eight Royal Command performances here, more than any other American entertainer.