James had limited use for jokes as such, preferring to say things in a humorous manner, sometimes in surreal situations and as such was seen by some as well ahead of his time.

[2][6] At the age of ten he won a boy soprano contest at the Stockton Hippodrome and shortly afterwards ran away, hitching a ride to Darlington to join a travelling show.

[1] Interviewed by Marty Feldman in the late 1960s, comedian Eric Morecambe spoke in glowing terms about James: He had that thing that broke all barriers with an audience.

[9]Jimmy James's son James Casey (1922–2011)[10] was a radio light entertainment producer at the BBC in Manchester, writing and producing shows including The Clitheroe Kid starring Jimmy Clitheroe, The Ken Dodd Show, Listen to Les starring Les Dawson, and The Enchanting World of Hinge and Bracket.

[1] In the First World War 1914 to 1918 James was a sergeant in the Northumberland Fusiliers but was invalided out after being gassed on the Western Front.

He appeared at the Royal Variety Performance in 1953 and stole the show with his routine The Chipster—a lecture on the occupational hazards of preparing chips.

[1] While at Barnsley Catholic Club James found Bernard Manning an agent, who was able to find him a job as a singer with a band.