|
|
|
|
Introducing our Patron - Freddie 'Parrotface' Davies
Freddie 'Parrotface' Davies amazing career has taken him from the tough
workingmen's clubs of the North East for thirty shillings a night (£1.50) to the
Royal Shakespeare Company. Seasons at the London Palladium, television shows
with the legendary Judy Garland, touring the world with his stand-up comedy act
and counting among his many fans the late film idol Cary Grant. In a career
spanning over forty years in show business he has seen the demise of the music
halls, variety circuits and night clubs during the 'sixties and
'seventies.
A Londoner born in Brixton, Freddie was evacuated in 1940 and
after several stops along the way his family settled in Salford, Lancashire in
1941, where he stayed until National Service call up resulted in him joining the
Royal Army Pay Corps. On demob' in 1958, Freddie became a famous Butlin’s
Redcoat alongside other budding comedians Dave Allen, Mike Newman & Jimmy
Tarbuck. He stayed with Butlin's until 1963 after which he went on to develop
the character that was to become a national favourite: Parrotface! With just one
appearance on Hughie Green's Opportunity Knocks on August 1st 1964, the rest is
show business history and Freddie went on to become one of Britain's best loved
comedians appearing on over 500 Television and Radio shows with his unique stand
up comedy routine.
His grandfather, music hall and variety comedian Jack
Herbert, toured from the `twenties until the late `fifties and much of Freddie's
knowledge and experience was gained by studying many of the great performers of
the day from the privileged position of the stage wings. This learning
experience was
invaluable in the development of his future performances. Many
years later this memory and first hand background knowledge became very useful
in forming the basic story line idea and premise for the critically acclaimed
Disney backed film Funnybones, in which Freddie co-starred with Jerry Lewis,
Leslie Caron, Oliver Reed and newcomer, Lee Evans.
In 2004 Freddie was a
magical talking portrait in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, a special
Christmas edition of My Family and the upcoming series of Born & Bred and a
new sitcom Sensitive Skin with Joanna Lumley
Freddie is also an
accomplished after dinner speaker with an hilarious account of his career from
'Parrotface to the RSC'.
|
|
|