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

film actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

and character comedian in the early 20th century.

Life

He was born in

Clapham Clapham () is a district in south London, south west London, England, lying mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, but with some areas (including Clapham Common) extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth. History Ea ...

South London South London is the southern part of Greater London, England, south of the River Thames. The region consists of the Districts of England, boroughs, in whole or in part, of London Borough of Bexley, Bexley, London Borough of Bromley, Bromley, Lon ...

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 during the mid-1890s, he after 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, often highlighting differences in their characters' ...

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: "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 (BBC) which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927. The service provides national radio stations cove ...

, 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''. P ...

''. After the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

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 is one of the oldest crematoria in Britain. The land for the crematorium was purchased in 1900, costing £6,000 (the equivalent of £136,000 in 2021), ...

in north

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

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'' (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. Plot After a music hall performer has his performing partner, an ape, confiscated by his financial credi ...

'' (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'' (1937) * ''

Wanted! ''Wanted!'' is a 1937 British comedy film directed by George King and starring Zasu Pitts, Claude Dampier and Mark Daly. It was made at Shepperton Studios as a quota quickie.Chibnall p.298 Premise The Oatfields, a married couple, are mistaken ...

'' (1937) * ''

She Shall Have Music ''She Shall Have Music'' is a 1935 British musical comedy film directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and starring Jack Hylton, June Clyde and Claude Dampier. Hylton played himself in a story built around a millionaire shipowner who hires a band (led b ...

'' (1937) * '' Riding High'' (1937) * '' The Backyard Front'' (1940 Dig for Victory film) * ''

Don't Take It to Heart ''Don't Take It to Heart'' is a 1944 British comedy film directed by Jeffrey Dell and starring Richard Greene, Alfred Drayton, Patricia Medina, Moore Marriott and Richard Bird. It was shot at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith with set ...

'' (1944) * '' Let's Have a Murder'' (1950) * ''

Meet Mr. Malcolm ''Meet Mr. Malcolm'' is a 1954 British B movie, 'B' crime film directed by Daniel Birt and starring Adrianne Allen, Sarah Lawson (actress), Sarah Lawson and Meredith Edwards (actor), Meredith Edwards. It was written by Brock Williams (screenwrite ...

'' (1954)

References

External links

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