HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Ted Ray (born Charles Olden; 21 November 1905 – 8 November 1977) was an English
comedian A comedian (feminine comedienne) or comic is a person who seeks to entertainment, entertain an audience by making them laughter, laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting foolishly (as in slapstick), or employing prop c ...
of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, on radio and television. His BBC radio show ''
Ray's a Laugh ''Ray's a Laugh'' was a British BBC Radio comedy series starring Ted Ray (comedian), Ted Ray which ran from 1949 to 1961. According to latter-day historians of the era, the show was "hugely popular with the British public" and "one of the major ...
'' ran for 12 years.


Biography

Ray was born Charles Olden in
Wigan Wigan ( ) is a town in Greater Manchester, England. The town is midway between the two cities of Manchester, to the south-east, and Liverpool, to the south-west. It is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its ad ...
,
Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...
, England, to comic singer and mimic Charles Olden (who used the stage-name Charlie Alden) and his wife Margaret Ellen (née Kenyon). His parents moved to
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
within days of his birth, and Liverpudlians regard him as a local. He was educated at Anfield council school and
Liverpool Collegiate School Liverpool Collegiate School was an all-boys grammar school, later a comprehensive school, in the Everton, Liverpool, Everton area of Liverpool. Foundations The Collegiate is a striking, Grade II listed building, with a facade of pink Woolton s ...
, and as a youth wished to become a footballer. As a comedian of the 1940s and 1950s, he demonstrated his ad-libbing skills in his weekly radio show ''
Ray's A Laugh ''Ray's a Laugh'' was a British BBC Radio comedy series starring Ted Ray (comedian), Ted Ray which ran from 1949 to 1961. According to latter-day historians of the era, the show was "hugely popular with the British public" and "one of the major ...
'' from 1949 until 1961. A
music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Varie ...
comedian, Ray usually played
violin The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...
badly as part of his act, first as Hugh Neek, then "Nedlo the Gypsy Violinist". He also played comedy roles in several British films—notably as the headmaster in '' Carry On Teacher''. He is best remembered for the
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 ...
show ''
Ray's a Laugh ''Ray's a Laugh'' was a British BBC Radio comedy series starring Ted Ray (comedian), Ted Ray which ran from 1949 to 1961. According to latter-day historians of the era, the show was "hugely popular with the British public" and "one of the major ...
'', a domestic comedy in which Kitty Bluett played his wife. Other actors and actresses who featured on the show included
Peter Sellers Peter Sellers (born Richard Henry Sellers; 8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English actor and comedian. He first came to prominence performing in the BBC Radio comedy series ''The Goon Show''. Sellers featured on a number of hit comi ...
, Fred Yule, Patricia Hayes, Kenneth Connor,
Pat Coombs Patricia Doreen Coombs (27 August 1926 – 25 May 2002) was an English actress. She specialised in the portrayal of the eternal downtrodden female, comically under the thumb of stronger personalities. She was known for many roles on radio, ...
and Graham Stark; Sellers' earliest appearances predated ''
The Goon Show ''The Goon Show'' is a British radio comedy programme, originally produced and broadcast by the BBC Home Service from 1951 to 1960, with occasional repeats on the BBC Light Programme. The first series, broadcast from 28 May to 20 September ...
'' by a couple of years. In 1949 and 1950, Ray was King Rat of the
Grand Order of Water Rats The Grand Order of Water Rats is a British entertainment industry fraternity and charitable organisation based in London. Founded in 1889 by the music hall comedians Joe Elvin and Jack Lotto, the order is known for its high-profile membership an ...
. Ray was an accomplished
golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various Golf club, clubs to hit a Golf ball, ball into a series of holes on a golf course, course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standa ...
er, frequently playing with professional sportsmen. Later in his career, he appeared with Jimmy Edwards,
Arthur Askey Arthur Bowden Askey (6 June 1900 – 16 November 1982) was an English comedian and actor. Askey was known for his short stature (5' 2", 1.58 m) and distinctive horn-rimmed glasses, and his playful humour incorporating improvisation an ...
and Cyril Fletcher in the comedy radio panel game '' Does the Team Think?'' Ray appeared on television, reading on ''
Jackanory ''Jackanory'' was a BBC children's television series which was originally broadcast between 1965 and 1996. It was designed to stimulate an interest in Reading (activity), reading. The programme was first transmitted on 13 December 1965, and the ...
'', a children's programme, in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1974, he presented a radio show on
BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the List of most-listened-to radio programs, most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 14 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the sta ...
, ''The Betty Witherspoon Show'', with
Kenneth Williams Kenneth Charles Williams (22 February 1926 – 15 April 1988) was a British actor and comedian. He was best known for his comedy roles and in later life as a raconteur and diarist. He was one of the main ensemble in 26 of the 31 ''Carry ...
,
Miriam Margolyes Miriam Margolyes ( ; born 18 May 1941) is a British and Australian actress. Known for her work as a character actor across film, television, and stage, she received the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mrs. Mingott in Marti ...
and Nigel Rees. He was also involved in '' Jokers Wild'', an ITV celebrity comedy game show (1969–74) which was chaired by
Barry Cryer Barry Charles Cryer (23 March 1935 – 25 January 2022) was an English writer, comedian, and actor. As well as performing on stage, radio and television, Cryer wrote for many performers including Dave Allen, Stanley Baxter, Jack Benny, Rory B ...
.
Arthur Askey Arthur Bowden Askey (6 June 1900 – 16 November 1982) was an English comedian and actor. Askey was known for his short stature (5' 2", 1.58 m) and distinctive horn-rimmed glasses, and his playful humour incorporating improvisation an ...
was another regular on the show. He married showgirl Dorothy Sybil (b. 1909), daughter of mechanical engineer George Henry Stevens; the couple had two sons: Robin Ray, a well-known television personality in the 1960s and 1970s, who initiated '' Call My Bluff'' and specialist classical music shows, and Andrew Ray, a child star of the 1950s who had a long career on stage, film and television. He was the subject of '' This Is Your Life'' on two occasions: firstly, in October 1955 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the BBC Television Theatre, and secondly in February 1975, when Andrews surprised him on the doorstep of his Southgate home. In 1975, returning home from a day of golfing and alcohol, two of his passions, Ray was involved in a serious motor vehicle accident. The injuries sustained were physically debilitating and left him dependent on crutches; he was convicted of dangerous driving under the influence of alcohol. On 16 June 1977, he recorded a half-hour interview talking about his life, which was broadcast on 25 July 1977. This was repeated on
Radio 4 Extra BBC Radio 4 Extra (formerly BBC Radio 7) is a British Digital radio in the United Kingdom, digital Radio broadcasting, radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It mostly broadcasts archived repeats of comedy, drama and documentary program ...
's ''It's a Funny Business'' series on 3 November 2013. On 8 November 1977, he suffered a fatal
heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...
.


''The Ted Ray Show'' (1955–59)

''The Ted Ray Show'' was a BBC TV production. The first series accented variety, with international guests; the second and third series had greater emphasis on stand-up comedy; the fourth featured domestic routines (with Kitty Bluett as Ted Ray's wife and Kenneth Connor as "that interfering brother-in-law"); the fifth and six—with new writers—concentrated on sketch comedy and were branded 'New Edition' and '1959 Edition' to underline the difference.


Cast

* Ted Ray * Kenneth Connor – (series 4) * Kitty Bluett – (series 4)


Crew

* Sid Colin – Writer (series 1–4) * Talbot Rothwell – Writer (series 1–4) * George Wadmore – Writer (series 1–4) *
John Junkin John Francis Junkin (29 January 1930 – 7 March 2006) was an English actor and scriptwriter who had a long career in radio, television and film, specialising in comedy. Early life Born in Ealing, Middlesex, the son of a policeman, Junkin a ...
– Writer (series 5 & 6 and special) *
Terry Nation Terence Joseph Nation (8 August 19309 March 1997) was a Welsh screenwriter and novelist. Especially known for his work in British television science fiction, he created the Daleks and Davros for ''Doctor Who'', as well as the series '' Surviv ...
– Writer (series 5 & 6 and special) * Dave Freeman – Additional Material (3 shows) * George Inns – Producer (series 1–5) * Bill Ward – Producer (2 shows) * Ernest Maxin – Producer (1 show) * Barry Lupino – Producer (1 show)


Transmission details

* Number of episodes: 29 • Length: 28 × 60 mins • 1 × short special * Series One (4) 21 May – 13 Aug 1955 • monthly Saturday mostly 9.15 pm * Series Two (4) 28 Apr – 21 July 1956 • monthly Saturday mostly 9.15 pm * Series Three (8) 19 Jan – 3 Aug 1957 • monthly Saturday mostly 8 pm * Series Four (5) 25 Jan – 10 May 1958 • monthly Saturday 8 pm * Series Five (3) 27 Sep – 22 Nov 1958 • monthly Saturday 8 pm * Short special • part of '' Christmas Night with the Stars'' 25 Dec 1958 • Thu 6.25 pm * Series Six (4) 31 Jan – 2 May 1959 • monthly Saturday mostly 7.30 pm


Filmography

* '' Radio Parade of 1935'' (1934) * '' Meet Me Tonight'' (1952) * '' Escape by Night'' (1953) * '' My Wife's Family'' (1956) * '' Please Turn Over'' (1959) * '' The Crowning Touch'' (1959) * '' Carry On Teacher'' (1959)


References


External links


Whirligig
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ray, Ted 1905 births 1977 deaths English male film actors Comedians from Liverpool People educated at Liverpool Collegiate Institution Male actors from Wigan English male comedians 20th-century English male actors 20th-century English comedians Male actors from Liverpool