The death of Ronnie Corbett six weeks ago reminded me of how many comedians have had close links with Sussex.

Corbett I recall seeing as a young comedian in a variety show at the Palace Pier theatre in Brighton. He was amusing, assured and obviously going places.

Also doing a summer season was Dick Emery, then at the height of his fame. But Emery died young and his saucy brand of humour is now out of fashion. Many people have forgotten him.

Elsie and Doris Waters, sisters from Steyning, who played a couple of chairwomen called Gert and Daisy, did another season on the pier.

By that time in the late 1960s they were a bit outdated. Their brother, Jack Warmer, became even more celebrated as Dixon of Dock Green.

Most famous comedians have appeared on the stage in Sussex - such as Frankie Howerd and Billy Connolly.

The most famous funny man of them all, Charlie Chaplin, paid a visit to Brighton once but this was long after he had retired from show business.

But I am thinking of those with more solid links with Sussex – comedians like Sir George Robey, the Prime Minister of Mirth.

Robey died at his home in Saltdean in 1964 shortly after becoming the first comedian to be knighted. His widow, Blanche, lived on in Hove for another 27 years.

His first venture into pantomime was in Brighton and Robey topped variety bills for more than half a century. He had many other talents including violin making and he had been an excellent sportsman in his youth.

Max Miller was even more of a Sussex man having been born in Brighton and lived there all his life. He carried the mantle of variety after Robey had gone.

Miller, who also died in Brighton, has a devoted army of fans who have formed their own appreciation society. Their efforts include the statue of Miller in New Road.

Jimmy Edwards, famous for playing the trombone and for acting as eccentric schoolmasters, was for many years a farmer at Fletching. He also spent a couple of years living in Rottingdean.

Spike Milligan lived in East Sussex and composed the inscription in his gravestone in Winchelsea which reads: “I told you I was ill.”

Sandy Powell, whose catchphrase was: “Can you hear me, mother?” will always be associated with Eastbourne.

Two fine old troupers lived in Kemp Town, Brighton - the camp Douglas Byng and the pantomime dame Jack Tripp.

Julian Clary came to fame in Brighton appearing in clubs like the Komedia. Eddie Izzard hails from Bexhill and was in the news earlier this year for the remarkable series of marathons he ran in South Africa to raise cash for charity.

Steve Coogan, who plays the radio personality Alan Partridge, lives in the mansion called Ovingdean Grange.

When Corbett died, headline writers made much of the line: “It’s Goodnight from him,” from the two Ronnies.

The Argus used a catchphrase starkly in a headline when the comedian Jimmy Wheeler died. It read: “That’s Your Lot.”