 Before his big break into television, Crompton was half of a duo musical comedy act with musician and singer Edward (Eddie) Forrest (piano, ukulele and banjo), doing the rounds of the Working Men's Clubs of Manchester.From 1974 to 1977 he was also the "club chairman" in another Granada programme, "The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club".An attempt by producer Johnnie Hamp to reproduce the atmosphere of the working men's clubs in a television studio, Crompton was famous for ringing a hand-operated fire alarm bell and telling the audience to "give over" when making announcements from "the committee" in between acts.