Joff Ellen facts for kids

Joff Ellen (born Raymond Charles Ellen; 20 May 1915 – 24 December 1999) was a famous Australian entertainer. He was a TV pioneer, actor, and comedian. Joff Ellen was known for making people laugh and for his roles on popular TV shows.

Joff Ellen's Career Highlights

Joff Ellen started his career performing for soldiers during World War II. He did funny acts called vaudeville shows. After the war, he continued to make people laugh on Melbourne radio station 3XY.

Becoming "Joffa Boy" on TV

When television first started in Victoria, Joff Ellen became a star on children's shows. He played a character called Joffa Boy. He wore a Carlton Football Club jumper and funny "Bombay Bloomers" with big suspenders. He would move his suspenders around to be even funnier.

His special entrance song was sung by the show's girls' choir. It went like this:

Choir: "Who is that peeping round the corner?
It's not Jack Spratt or Little Johnny Horner."
*(Joffa then peers around the corner of the set entrance and sings the next line)*
"I'm the chap who always has a grin"
Choir: "Joffa Boy! Joffa Boy! Please come in."

After his song, he would greet the audience with "Howdy Doody, boys and girls!" The audience would reply, "Howdy Doody, Joffa Boy!" He also had a longer, funny greeting: "Howdy-doody, boys and girls and mums and dads and bald-headed babies."

Other TV Roles

Joff Ellen also played a naughty schoolboy named "Conkers." This was in a funny, physical comedy series called Take That (1957-1959). This show might have been Australia's first TV sitcom, which is a comedy show about everyday life.

Working with Graham Kennedy

Joff Ellen became very famous for appearing with Graham Kennedy on two popular TV shows. These were In Melbourne Tonight (IMT) and later The Graham Kennedy Show. He was on these shows from 1958 to 1974. He used his many talents, like singing, dancing, and doing comedy sketches.

His Influence on Comedy

Joff Ellen taught Graham Kennedy a lot about comedy. In one of his last interviews, Graham Kennedy said that Joff Ellen helped create many of the early comedy acts on In Melbourne Tonight. Joff Ellen used old jokes and tricks from vaudeville shows. Kennedy said he learned a lot of his physical comedy from Joff Ellen. He really looked up to him.

Personal Life

Joff Ellen stopped working in 1976. He lived in Tarwin Lower, Victoria with his wife, Bernadette. They were married for 54 years.