Jimmy Clitheroe was too small to work in the weaving sheds with his parents as he could not reach the looms so at first he worked in a bakery in Nelson on leaving school, but before long started out on the stage, touring the variety theatres in Yorkshire and Lancashire from 1937. He was a boy accordionist and also played the xylophone and saxophone. His parents bought a caravan so they could take him round the various towns in whose theatres he appeared. He made his first pantomime appearance in 1938, alongside the bumptious "Two Ton" Tessie O’Shea. In pantomime he was usually cast as Buttons, Tom Thumb or Wishee Washee. but moved into films from 1940 (thanks to a chance meeting with top of the bill stars Arther Lucan & Kitty McShane, into radio from 1954 (initially on the BBC's regional Home Service North, and subsequently on the nationwide Light Programme), and finally onto television (with ITV, produced by ABC Television in their Manchester studios) from 1963.
He also appeared in pantomime and summer season dates and bit-part film appearances with Old Mother Riley, George Formby, Vera Lynn, and Frank Randle.
In 1959 Jimmy Clitheroe took part in the royal command variety show and he also starred in the television series Holiday Hotel.
Mollie Sugden (who played Mrs Slocombe in the BBC TV series Are You Being Served), played Jimmy Clitheroe's mother on stage in the 1960s and in his ITV television series Just Jimmy from 1964 to 1968 (which also featured Jimmy Clitheroe's co-star from The Clitheroe Kid, Danny Ross).
Jimmy Clitheroe owned a bookmaker's shop on Springfield Road and the Fernhill Hotel at Preesall, and appeared on Blackpool stages for many decades. For many years he drove a Mercedes with blocks on the pedals so his feet could reach them. Appearing to be an underage driver, he could seldom complete a journey without coming to the attention of the police.