DeWayne Jessie facts for kids

DeWayne Jessie is an American actor. He is famous for playing the character Otis Day in the movie National Lampoon's Animal House. In the movie, Otis Day was the leader of a band called Otis Day and the Knights. Even though DeWayne Jessie played Otis Day, another singer named Lloyd G. Williams actually sang the songs "Shama Lama Ding Dong" and "Shout" in the film. DeWayne Jessie just moved his lips to the music.

In the 1980s, DeWayne Jessie bought the rights to the band name "Otis Day and The Knights." He then started a real band with some of his family members. They traveled around the country for many years, and DeWayne Jessie continued to be "Otis Day." The group released a concert video called Otis My Man in 1987. They also recorded an album in 1989. This album was called Shout and was produced by George Clinton. It included new versions of "Shout" and "Shama Lama Ding Dong" sung by DeWayne Jessie himself. However, the album was not very successful.

In 1985, DeWayne Jessie and his band members became honorary members of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity at the University of Central Oklahoma. Today, he lives with three of his grandchildren.

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• [ Allmusic - Otis Day And The Knights]