Half-brothers Tommy and Jack are both comedians. Tommy is an American and Jack is English. Neither of them are aware of the other's existence. Tommy is a joker. He employs writers, is enigmatic and yet, completely overshadowed by his famous father, the legendary comic George Fawkes. Jack, George's illegitimate son, is the complete opposite: poor, uneducated, a natural comic, but volatile and even dangerous. For this reason he has been banned from performing.
After a terrible flop during an appearance in Las Vegas, Tommy comes to England and hides in Blackpool, where he intends to purchase new material for his show. Tommy still sees Blackpool as the mecca for comedians it was in the 50s and he still remembers the hilarious guys his father used to work with. This is why he's prepared to fork out for a funny act. Post haste all sorts of eccentrics present themselves to him who have caught wind of the fact that a wealthy idiot has turned up in Blackpool.
Tommy's search inevitably leads him to Jack and the Parker brothers, the wittiest comedy team you ever imagined. Their problem is that they haven't performed for over 15 years ever since the Young Jack played a trick which cost somebody his life. Since then, Jack has been a regular offender. Tommy recognises the Parkers as the family with whom he grew up. He realises that Jack is his half-brother and that his father must have had an affair with Katie Parker, his best friend's wife. When she feil pregnant, George paCked up his things and disappeared with Tommy to America - not without having pocketed the Parkers' material and later calling it bis own. When Tommy tells George about the situation, the latter decides to make up for things. He flies to Blackpool to make sure that the Parkers can work again.
Jack is the only one who doesnt make his comeback. He staggers about in the crowd like a drunk during the Parkers' finale to their act, climbs up a 50ft mast and continues his bold antics. A policeman climbs up after him, Jack takes a swipe at him and the pöliceman is about to fall into the abyss when Jack realises who this man really is ...