Ray Alan facts for kids
Ray Alan (born September 18, 1930 – died May 24, 2010) was a famous English ventriloquist and television entertainer. He was well-known from the 1950s to the 1980s. Ray Alan was most famous for his puppet, Lord Charles. He also worked with other puppets like Tich and Quackers. Lord Charles was special because he was the first ventriloquist's dummy to have his own microphone! This made his performances even better.
Contents
Meet Ray Alan, the Ventriloquist
Early Life and First Steps in Entertainment
Ray Alan was born in Greenwich, London. He went to Morden Terrace School in Lewisham. He loved entertainment from a young age. When he was just five, he entered a talent contest. This happened at his local Gaumont cinema.
Starting a Career in Show Business
At 13, Ray became a "call-boy" at the Lewisham Hippodrome Theatre. This job helped actors get to the stage on time. He started doing magic tricks between acts. Later, he began performing at private events. He added ventriloquism and playing the ukulele to his act.
Ray Alan traveled the world performing in cabaret shows. In 1954, he even performed with the famous comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. Stan Laurel actually inspired the look of Ray's most famous puppet, Lord Charles. Lord Charles first appeared at a charity show in Wormwood Scrubs Prison in London.
Ray Alan's Television Success
Ray Alan and Lord Charles made their TV debut on the BBC show The Good Old Days in the 1960s. They became regular guests on the program. In the 1960s, Ray also starred in a children's show called Tich and Quackers. This show featured a small boy puppet named Tich and his pet duck, Quackers.
He also created another puppet character, Ali Cat. This character was for the HTV series Magic Circle in 1977. Ray Alan was also the presenter for two years of the BBC show Ice Show. In 1985, he was a special guest for Bob Hope's birthday show. This event took place at London's Lyric Theatre. In 1986, he presented a show about ventriloquism on Channel 4. It was called A Gottle of Geer.
Ray Alan also wrote for many famous comedians. These included Tony Hancock and Dave Allen. He also wrote for popular shows like Morecambe and Wise, The Two Ronnies, and Bootsie and Snudge. He often used the name Ray Whyberd for his writing.
Later Life and Final Performances
Ray Alan continued to perform into his seventies. He went on tours and performed at special events. In 1998 and 1999, he entertained guests on the famous ship QE2. He also wrote for many shows. This included a documentary for Channel 4 and the ITV show And There's More.
He wrote four novels as well. These were Death and Deception (2007), A Game of Murder (2008), A Fear of Vengeance (2010), and Retribution (2011).
Ray took a break from performing due to health issues. His last stage appearance was in November 2008. He performed at a charity concert in Bridlington. He received a standing ovation for his performance.
Passing Away
Ray Alan passed away on May 24, 2010, at the age of 79. He died suddenly at his home in Reigate, Surrey.
Ray Alan's Media Appearances
Television Shows
Ray Alan appeared on many television programs throughout his career:
- David Nixon's Comedy Bandbox (1966)
- The Tich and Quackers Show (1966)
- Ice Show (1969)
- Tell Me Another (1976–1978, as a guest)
- Magic Circle (1977)
- Three Little Words (around 1980)
- The Sooty Show – Soo's Party Problem (1983)
- Mike Reid's Mates and Music (1984)
- Bobby Davro's TV Weekly (1987)
He also hosted game shows like Where in the World and It's Your Word. Ray hosted Cartoon Carnival too. He made many guest appearances on popular game shows. These included Celebrity Squares, Give Us A Clue, Family Fortunes, 3-2-1, and Bullseye. He also appeared on The Des O'Connor Show and Blue Peter.
Radio Shows
Ray Alan was also heard on the radio:
- The Impressionists, BBC Radio 2 (guest from 1974–75; host from 1980–88)
- Just A Minute, BBC Radio 4 (four appearances in the late 1970s)
- News Huddlines, BBC Radio 4 (presenter for one show on October 29, 1975)
