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From Wiki

Frank Sidebottom was instantly recognisable by his large spherical head, styled like an early Max Fleischer cartoon. This was initially made from papier-mâché, but later rebuilt out of fibreglass.

Frank, usually dressed in a 1950s-style sharp suit, was portrayed as an aspiring pop star from the small village of Timperley near Altrincham, Greater Manchester. His character was cheerfully optimistic, enthusiastic, and seemingly oblivious to his own failings. Although supposedly 35 years old (the age always attributed to Frank irrespective of the passage of time), he still lived at home with his mother, to whom he made frequent references. His mother was apparently unaware of her son’s popularity. Frank sometimes had a sidekick in the form of “Little Frank”, a hand puppet who was otherwise a perfect copy of Frank.

From menmedia.co.uk

Manchester has joined forces to raise thousands of pounds to give the man behind comedy legend Frank Sidebottom a fitting send-off.

Fans and friends of Chris Sievey, famous as his alter ego Frank, raised a staggering £8,000 within four hours of launching a massive internet fundraising campaign to pay for his funeral.

The appeal was set up after the M.E.N. revealed the 54-year-old, who died following a cancer battle, was virtually penniless and facing a pauper’s funeral.

Generous offers of support have flooded in from across the region, including from a number of funeral directors. The family are now considering which one to use, but hope to use a Timperley based one – because that is what ‘Frank would have wanted’.