Claude Dampier (born Claud Conolly Cowan; 23 November 1878 – 1 January 1955) was an English

film actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), ...

and popular character comedian in the early 20th century.

Life

He was born in

Clapham Clapham () is a suburb in south west London, England, lying mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, but with some areas (most notably Clapham Common) extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth. History Early history ...

South London South London is the southern part of London, England, south of the River Thames. The region consists of the boroughs, in whole or in part, of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Richmond, Southwark, Sut ...

as Claud Conolly Cowan.Richard Anthony Baker, ''Old Time Variety: an illustrated history'', Pen & Sword, 2011, , pp.66-67 After gaining some theatrical experience in Britain, from the mid-1890s, he toured Australia with Edward Branscombe's Dandies troupes between 1910 and 1917. He revisited the country in 1921, touring in revue shows with Hilda Attenboro, and starred in two Australian films. Claude Dampier, Australian Variety Theatre Archive, 2018
Retrieved 17 April 2022 He also worked in South Africa. Following an early marriage to Irene Vere, with whom he had a daughter, he married Australian actress Billie Carlyle (c1901-1991). They met whilst acting in the silent film '' The Adventures of Algy'' in 1925, and formed a

double act A double act (also known as a comedy duo) is a form of comedy originating in the British music hall tradition, and American vaudeville, in which two comedians perform together as a single act. Pairings are typically long-term, in some cases fo ...

in 1926, with Dampier billed as "The Professional Idiot". He played mostly comic roles as a dim-witted and literal-minded character.Roger Wilmut, ''Kindly Leave the Stage: The Story of Variety 1919-1960'', Methuen, 1985, , pp.100-101 According to historian

Richard Anthony Baker Richard Anthony Baker (9 February 1946 – 12 November 2016) was a British radio producer, presenter and author. He was born in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. His father was a London-born music hall performer who used the stage name Will Keogh; and hi ...

: "Dampier specialised in 'silly arse' characters. His face was his fortune. Chinless and with protruding teeth, it was easy to believe he was daft." Carlyle appeared as a ' straight-woman' in his act. On one occasion while performing in New Zealand, Dampier forgot his lines and improvised by pretending to recognise an old friend, Mrs Gibson, in the audience, who then turned out not to be Mrs Gibson at all. References to the imaginary Mrs Gibson became a regular part of his performances thereafter. After Dampier returned to Britain in 1927, he featured on

BBC radio BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927). The service provides national radio stations covering ...

, until he was temporarily banned from broadcasts after mentioning that he had "promised to squeeze Mrs Gibson's oranges." He also appeared in more than twenty films, including ''

Radio Parade of 1935 ''Radio Parade of 1935'' (1934), released in the US as ''Radio Follies'', is a British comedy film directed by Arthur B. Woods and starring Will Hay, Clifford Mollison and Helen Chandler. It followed on from the 1933 film ''Radio Parade''. Pl ...

''. After the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

he appeared on Jewel and Warriss radio shows, where he adopted the catch-phrase "it's me-ee". He died in 1955 and was cremated at

Golders Green Crematorium Golders Green Crematorium and Mausoleum was the first crematorium to be opened in London, and one of the oldest crematoria in Britain. The land for the crematorium was purchased in 1900, costing £6,000 (the equivalent of £135,987 in 2021), ...

in north

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

on 4 January 1955. His ashes lie in section 1-L of the Garden of Remembrance. Carlyle later wrote a book, ''Claude Dampier, Mrs. Gibson & Me'' (1978). Dampier's daughter from his first marriage, Dorothy Dampier, became an actress.

Filmography

* '' Hullo Marmaduke'' (1924) * '' The Adventures of Algy'' (1925) * '' Mr. Stringfellow Says No'' (1934) * ''

'' (1934) * '' So You Won't Talk'' (1935) * ''

The White Lilac ''The White Lilac'' is a 1935 British mystery film directed by Albert Parker and starring Basil Sydney, Judy Gunn, Claude Dampier and Percy Marmont. It is based upon the play of the same name by Ladislas Fodor. It was made at Wembley Studios as ...

'' (1935) * ''

No Monkey Business ''No Monkey Business'' is a 1935 British comedy film directed by Marcel Varnel and starring Gene Gerrard, June Clyde and Renée Houston. Synopsis After a music hall performer has his performing partner, an ape, confiscated by his financial cre ...

'' (1935) * '' Boys Will Be Boys'' (1935) * '' Such Is Life'' (1936) * '' All In'' (1936) * ''

Public Nuisance No. 1 ''Public Nuisance No. 1'' is a 1936 British musical comedy film directed by Marcel Varnel and starring Frances Day, Arthur Riscoe and Muriel Aked. It was made at Beaconsfield Studios. The screenplay concerns a young man who goes to work as a wa ...

'' (1936) * '' King of the Castle'' (1936) * '' She Knew What She Wanted'' (1936) * ''

Sing as You Swing ''Sing as You Swing'' is a 1937 British musical film directed by Redd Davis and starring Charles Clapham, Bill Dwyer and Claude Dampier. It was made as a quota quickie and features turns from a variety of radio and revue stars with little ...

'' (1937) * '' Wanted!'' (1937) * '' She Shall Have Music'' (1937) * '' Riding High'' (1937) * '' Don't Take It to Heart'' (1944) * '' Let's Have a Murder'' (1950) * ''

Meet Mr. Malcolm ''Meet Mr. Malcolm'' is a 1954 British crime film directed by Daniel Birt and starring Adrianne Allen, Sarah Lawson (actress), Sarah Lawson and Meredith Edwards (actor), Meredith Edwards. It was made at Kensington Studios as a second feature. Sy ...

'' (1954)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dampier, Claude 1878 births 1955 deaths English male film actors Music hall performers English male comedians 20th-century British male actors English male silent film actors 20th-century English male actors