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Eric Sykes

2022-07-03T10:19:07Z

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{{Short description|English writer and actor}}
{{Other people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox comedian
| name = Eric Sykes
| honorific_suffix = {{postnom|country=GBR|size=100|CBE}}
| image = Eric_Sykes_publicity_photo.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Sykes, c.1955
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1923|05|04|df=yes}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2012|07|04|df=yes|1923|05|04}}
| death_place = [[Esher]], [[Surrey]], England
| birth_place = [[Oldham]], [[Lancashire]], England
| medium = Television, radio
| nationality =
| active = 1947–2010
| spouse = {{marriage|Edith Milbrandt|1952}}
| children = 4
| notable_work = ''[[Sykes (TV series)|Sykes]]'', ''[[The Goon Show]]'', ''[[The Plank (1967 film)|The Plank]]'', ''[[Teletubbies]]''
}}
'''Eric Sykes''' {{postnom|country=GBR|size=100|CBE}} (4 May 1923 – 4 July 2012) was an English radio, stage, television and film writer, comedian, actor, and director whose performing career spanned more than 50 years. He frequently wrote for and performed with many other leading comedy performers and writers of the period, including [[Tony Hancock]], [[Spike Milligan]], [[Tommy Cooper]], [[Peter Sellers]], [[John Antrobus]], and [[Johnny Speight]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/1058088/ |title=Sykes, Eric (1923–2012) |publisher=BFI Screenonline}}</ref> Sykes first came to prominence through his many radio credits as a writer and actor in the 1950s, most notably through his collaboration on ''[[The Goon Show]]'' scripts. He became a TV star in his own right in the early 1960s when he appeared with [[Hattie Jacques]] in several popular [[BBC]] comedy television series.

==Early life==
Sykes was born on 4 May 1923<ref name=Birth>{{cite web|title=Birthday's today|url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/archive/2011-5-4.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110505184900/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/archive/2011-5-4.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 5 May 2011 |work=The Telegraph|access-date=26 April 2014|date=4 May 2011|quote=Mr Eric Sykes, comedian and writer, 88 }}</ref> in [[Oldham]], Lancashire; his mother died three weeks later, leaving him and his two-year-old brother Vernon motherless. Their father was a labourer in a [[cotton mill]] and a former [[British Army|army]] [[sergeant]]. When Sykes was two, his father remarried and he gained a [[half-brother]] named John.<ref>{{cite book|last=Sykes|first=Eric|title=If I Don't Write It, Nobody Else Will|year=2005|publisher=Fourth Estate|isbn=0-00-717784-4|pages=3–4}}</ref> Sykes was educated at Ward Street Central School in Oldham. He joined the [[Royal Air Force]] during the [[Second World War]], qualifying as a wireless operator with the rank of [[leading aircraftman]].

== Career ==
Sykes's entertainment career began during the Second World War while serving in a [[Ultra|Special Liaison Unit]], when he met and worked with then [[flight lieutenant]] [[Bill Fraser]]. Sykes also collaborated with fellow RAF servicemen [[Denis Norden]] and Ron Rich in the production of troop entertainment shows. Whilst preparing for one of these shows in 1945, Sykes, accompanied by Norden and Rich, went to a nearby prison camp in search of stage lighting; the camp turned out to be the [[Bergen-Belsen concentration camp]], which had recently been liberated by the Allies. Sykes, Norden, and Rich organised a food collection amongst their comrades to feed the starving camp inmates.<ref name=belsen>{{cite news|title=How Denis Norden stumbled upon concentration camp horror|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33230122|access-date=8 September 2015|work=BBC News|date=23 June 2015}}</ref>

When the war ended, Sykes decided to try his luck in London, arriving in the middle of the [[Winter of 1946–1947 in the United Kingdom|coldest winter in living memory (1946–47)]]. He rented lodgings, expecting to find work quickly, but by the end of the first week he was cold, hungry, and penniless. The turning point in his life and career came on the Friday night of his first week in London: he had a chance meeting in the street with Bill Fraser, who was by now featuring in a comedy at the [[Playhouse Theatre]]. Fraser took the impoverished Sykes to the theatre, offered him food and drink, then asked if Sykes would like to write for him. Sykes began providing scripts for both Fraser and [[Frankie Howerd]] and soon found himself in demand as a comedy writer. Forming a partnership with [[Sid Colin]], he worked on the [[BBC]] radio ventriloquism show ''[[Educating Archie]]'',<ref>{{cite news|title=Archie Andrews goes under the hammer|url=http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/10449/archie-andrews-goes-under-the-hammer|access-date=24 February 2011|newspaper=[[The Stage]]|date=15 November 2005}}</ref> which began in 1950, and also ''[[Variety Bandbox]]''. Working on ''Educating Archie'' led to him meeting [[Hattie Jacques]] for the first time.

=== 1950s ===
Sykes had begun to write for television as early as 1948,<ref name="televisionheaven1">{{cite web |url=http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/ericsykes.htm |publisher=Television Heaven |title=TV Greats: Eric Sykes |access-date=26 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090409151343/http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/ericsykes.htm |archive-date=9 April 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> but from the early 1950s Sykes began to make an ultimately successful transition from radio to TV, writing a number of series episodes and one-off shows for the BBC. His credits in this period include ''The Howerd Crowd'' (1952), ''Frankie Howerd's Korean Party'', ''Nuts in May'', and ''The Frankie Howerd Show'', as well as ''The Big Man'' (1954) starring [[Fred Emney]] and [[Edwin Styles]]. Sykes also made his first screen appearance at this time in the army film comedy ''[[Orders Are Orders]]'' (1954), which also featured [[Sid James]], Tony Hancock, Peter Sellers, Bill Fraser, and [[Donald Pleasence]].

Sykes's small office above a grocer's shop at 130 [[Uxbridge Road]], [[Shepherd's Bush]], was shared from around 1953 by Spike Milligan. (Sykes and Milligan later jointly formed [[Associated London Scripts]] (ALS) with [[Galton and Simpson|Ray Galton and Alan Simpson]], a writers' agency which lasted for well over a decade until being effectively dissolved in 1967). Late in 1954, Sykes began collaborating with Spike Milligan on scripts for ''The Goon Show'', easing Milligan's workload. Their first collaborative script was for a ''Goon Show'' special called ''Archie in Goonland'', a crossover between ''The Goon Show'' and ''Educating Archie''. The special was broadcast in June 1954 and featured the regular Goon Show cast ([[Harry Secombe]] was then appearing in both)<ref>{{cite book |author=Carpenter, Humphrey |title=Spike Milligan: The Biography |publisher=Hodder & Stoughton |year=2003 |page=[https://archive.org/details/spikemilliganbio0000carp/page/155 155] |isbn=0-340-82611-8 |url=https://archive.org/details/spikemilliganbio0000carp/page/155 }}</ref> plus [[Peter Brough]], his [[Ventriloquism#Ventriloquist Dummies|dummy]] [[Archie Andrews (puppet)|Archie Andrews]] and Hattie Jacques.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thegoonshow.co.uk/goonography/series4.html |title=Wilmut's Goonography: Goon Shows – 4th Series |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724085710/http://www.thegoonshow.co.uk/goonography/series4.html |archive-date=24 July 2008}}</ref> It was not a success, however, and neither recording nor the script has survived. Sykes and Milligan are credited as the co-writers of all but the first six of the 26 episodes in Series 5 (1954–55)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thegoonshow.co.uk/goonography/series5.html |title=Wilmut's Goonography: Goon Shows – 5th Series |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724085613/http://www.thegoonshow.co.uk/goonography/series5.html |archive-date=24 July 2008}}</ref> and three episodes of Series 6 (1955–56); Sykes also wrote a 15-minute Goon Show Christmas special, ''The Missing Christmas Parcel'', broadcast during the [[Children's Hour]] on 8 December 1955.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thegoonshow.co.uk/goonography/series6.html |title=Wilmut's Goonography: Goon Shows – 6th Series |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090103152524/http://www.thegoonshow.co.uk/goonography/series6.html |archive-date=3 January 2009}}</ref>

In 1955, Sykes wrote and performed in a BBC Christmas spectacular, a spoof pantomime called ''Pantomania'', which featured many well-known BBC personalities of the era; it was directed by [[Ernest Maxin]], who went on to produce some of the most famous comedy routines for [[Morecambe & Wise]]. That same year Sykes signed a contract as scriptwriter and variety show presenter for the newly formed independent television company [[Associated Television|ATV]], while continuing to write and perform for the BBC.<ref name="televisionheaven1"/>

In 1956, Sykes performed, wrote scripts, and acted as script editor for the pioneering [[Associated-Rediffusion|Rediffusion]] TV comedy ''[[The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d]]'', the first attempt to translate the humour of the Goons to television. It starred Peter Sellers, with Sykes, [[Kenneth Connor]], and [[Valentine Dyall]]. During this year he also made his second film appearance, playing a minor role in the [[Max Bygraves]] film ''[[Charley Moon]]'', which also featured Bill Fraser, [[Peter Jones (actor)|Peter Jones]], [[Dennis Price]], and (as a child) [[Jane Asher]]. During 1956–57, Sykes also wrote for and performed in ''[[The Tony Hancock Show]]'', where he again worked with Hattie Jacques.

His next venture for the BBC was a one-hour special, ''Sykes Directs a Dress Rehearsal'', playing a harassed director in a fictional TV studio rehearsal room, just before going live to air. Later that year he wrote and appeared in another all-star spectacular called ''Opening Night'' which celebrated the opening of the 1956 National Radio Show at [[Earl's Court]]. In 1957, he created ''Closing Night'', which closed the 1957 show.

By this time Sykes had developed hearing problems; he subsequently lost most of his hearing, but learned to lip-read and watch other performers say their lines to get his cues. In 1957, he wrote and appeared in an edition of ''Val Parnell's Saturday Spectacular'', the first of two shows in this series that he wrote for Peter Sellers. The first went out under the title of ''Eric Sykes Presents Peter Sellers'', and the second, in 1958, was called ''The Peter Sellers Show''.

In 1959, Sykes wrote and directed the one-off BBC special ''Gala Opening'', with a cast that included [[Stanley Unwin (comedian)|'Professor' Stanley Unwin]] and Hattie Jacques,<ref name="televisionheaven1"/> and played a small supporting role in the [[Tommy Steele]] film ''[[Tommy the Toreador]]''.

=== 1960s ===
At the turn of the decade Eric Sykes and his old friend and colleague [[Hattie Jacques]] co-starred in a new 30-minute BBC TV sitcom, ''[[Sykes and a...]]'', which Sykes created in collaboration with writer [[Johnny Speight]], who had worked with him earlier in the 1950s on the two Tony Hancock series for ITV. The original concept for the new series had Eric living in suburbia with his wife, with simple plots centring on everyday problems, but Sykes soon realised that by changing the house-mate from wife to sister it offered more scope for storylines and allowed either or both to become romantically entangled with other people.<ref name="memorabletv1">{{cite web |url=http://www.memorabletv.com/halloffame/ericsykes.htm |title=Memorable TV: Eric Sykes |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925161226/http://www.memorabletv.com/halloffame/ericsykes.htm |archive-date=25 September 2009}}</ref>

In the revised concept, Sykes played a version of his established stage persona, a bumbling, work-shy, accident-prone bachelor called Eric Sykes, who lives at 24 Sebastopol Terrace, [[East Acton]], with his unmarried twin sister Harriet, played by Jacques. The other regular cast members were [[Deryck Guyler]] as local constable Wilfred "Corky" Turnbull and [[Richard Wattis]] as their snobbish, busybody neighbour Charles Brown. Wattis left the show after series 3 and his departure was explained by having Mr Brown migrating to Australia. Other guests included [[Hugh Lloyd]], [[John Bluthal]], [[Leo McKern]], and [[Arthur Mullard]].

The first series (five episodes, all written by Johnny Speight) premiered on 29 January 1960 and were an immediate hit, establishing 'Eric and Hat' as one of Britain's most popular and enduring comedy partnerships. The second series of six episodes (written from storylines suggested by Speight) were mostly written by Sykes, although he co-wrote one episode each with [[John Antrobus]] and Spike Milligan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/sykes.htm |title=Television Heaven:Sykes and a... |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104192343/http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/sykes.htm |archive-date=4 January 2010}}</ref> All subsequent episodes were written solely by Sykes.<ref name="memorabletv1"/>

Nine short seasons of ''Sykes and a...'' were produced between 1960 and 1965, ranging between six and nine episodes each, plus a short 1962 special in the BBC's annual ''[[Christmas Night with the Stars]]'' programme, are [[Lost television broadcast|lost]]. Twenty-five of the original fifty-nine episodes have survived in the BBC archives. It was during this series that Sykes introduced one of his best known creations, the wordless slapstick routine ''The Plank'', which originally appeared in Episode 2, Series 7 of ''Sykes and a...'', first broadcast on 3 March 1964 under that title.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGDUBSMfVMI | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110121223646/http://www.youtube.com//watch?v=oGDUBSMfVMI| archive-date=2011-01-21 | url-status=dead|title=Sykes and a Plank|via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>

In December 1961, Sykes co-starred with [[Warren Mitchell]] in ''Clicquot et Fils'', a one-off, 30-minute comedy written by Associated London Scripts colleagues Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. This was the premiere episode of a new BBC series ''[[Comedy Playhouse]]'', which became an important proving ground for many successful TV comedy series.

In 1962, Sykes played his first starring film role, being a travelling salesman in the comedy ''[[Village of Daughters]]'', set in an Italian village, but featuring a mostly British cast including [[John Le Mesurier]] (who was at that time married to Hattie Jacques), and [[Roger Delgado]]. This was followed by a supporting role in the [[MGM-British Studios|MGM British]] comedy, ''[[Kill or Cure (1962 film)|Kill or Cure]]'', starring [[Terry-Thomas]] with a cast of British comedy stalwarts including one of the first film appearances by [[Ronnie Barker]]. Both films were made by the same writer-director team behind the popular [[Margaret Rutherford]] ''[[Miss Marple]]'' film, ''[[Murder She Said]]''.

During 1965, Sykes made what proved to be the final series of ''Sykes and a...'' and appearing in three major films. He had a small role in ''[[Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines]]'', joining an all-star cast of British and American TV and film luminaries. The spy spoof ''[[The Liquidator (1965 film)|The Liquidator]]'' was directed by [[Jack Cardiff]] and starred [[Rod Taylor]] with Sykes in a secondary role. His third film of that year was the [[Boulting brothers]]' ''[[Rotten to the Core (film)|Rotten to the Core]]'' starring [[Anton Rodgers]] (who replaced Peter Sellers) with Sykes. Sykes had a minor film role in another spy comedy ''[[The Spy with a Cold Nose]]'' (1966), written by Galton and Simpson.

In 1967, Sykes expanded one of his routines into a 45-minute wordless colour short, ''[[The Plank (1967 film)|The Plank]]'' which features, among others, Sykes, [[Tommy Cooper]], [[Jimmy Edwards]], [[Graham Stark]], Hattie Jacques, and future ''[[The Goodies|Goodies]]'' star [[Bill Oddie]]. (The film was [[The Plank (1979 film)|later remade]] for [[Thames Television]] in 1978.) Also in 1967, Sykes and his old friend Jimmy Edwards started touring with the theatrical farce ''[[Big Bad Mouse]]'' which, while keeping more or less to a script, gave them rein to [[ad lib]] and address the audience. They would return to the production on and off until 1975, touring the UK twice and also taking the show abroad, including to Australia.

Returning to television, Sykes and Jacques appeared in the 1967 special ''Sykes Versus ITV'' with Tommy Cooper and [[Ronnie Brody]]. In 1968, he had a supporting role in an Anglo-American film co-production, the [[Edward Dmytryk]] western ''[[Shalako (film)|Shalako]]'', starring [[Sean Connery]] and [[Brigitte Bardot]].

In 1969, Sykes co-starred with Spike Milligan in the ill-fated television sitcom ''[[Curry and Chips]]'', a satire on racial prejudice created and written by Johnny Speight and made for [[London Weekend Television]]. Milligan, who had grown up in [[British India]], played Kevin O'Grady, a half-Pakistani half-Irish man who comes to work in a British factory and ends up boarding with his ineffectual foreman Arthur Blenkinsop (Sykes), who has to regularly defend Kevin against his racist workmates. The supporting cast included pop singer turned actor [[Kenny Lynch]], [[Geoffrey Hughes (actor)|Geoffrey Hughes]], [[Norman Rossington]], [[Sam Kydd]], Jerrold Wells, and Fanny Carby as Arthur and Kevin's landlady. The series provoked a storm of complaints about its liberal use of racist epithets and bad language (although Sykes refused to swear, as he did throughout his career). It was cancelled on the instruction of the [[Independent Broadcasting Authority]] after a series of six episodes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/curry.htm |title=Television Heaven: Curry & Chips |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210042518/http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/curry.htm |archive-date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

Sykes also made another minor film appearance in 1969 in the comedy ''[[Monte Carlo or Bust!]]'', which was also titled as ''Those Daring Young Men in Their Jaunty Jalopies''.

=== 1970s ===
In 1970, Sykes returned to BBC television with a guest appearance in an episode of ''[[Till Death Us Do Part]]''. This was followed in 1971 by a six-episode series, ''[[Sykes and a Big, Big Show]]'', for the BBC and a special, ''Sykes: With the Lid Off'', for [[Thames Television]].

In 1972, seven years after the cancellation of ''Sykes and a...'', the BBC revived the series under the title ''[[Sykes (TV series)|Sykes]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/sykes.htm |title=Television Heaven: Sykes and a.../Sykes |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104192343/http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/sykes.htm |archive-date=4 January 2010}}</ref> 68 colour episodes of ''Sykes'' were made between 1972 and 1979;<ref name="televisionheaven1"/> forty-three of the shows were re-workings of scripts from the 1960s series, which had been recorded in [[monochrome]]. These included a remake of the 1960s episode ''Sykes and a Stranger'', guest-starring Peter Sellers as the stranger, Tommy Grando, in what was to be Sellers's final TV part. During the 1970s, Sykes and [[Jimmy Edwards]] took part in a performance of ''[[Big Bad Mouse]]'' entertaining Rhodesian troops for [[Ian Smith]], the Prime Minister of [[Rhodesia]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Margolis|first=Jonathan|url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/eric-sykes-actor-and-writer-who-overcame-adversity-to-become-a-leading-figure-of-british-comedy-7912538.html|title= Eric Sykes: Actor and writer who overcame adversity to become a leading figure of British comedy |date= 5 July 2012 |work= The Independent |access-date=21 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Slide|first=Anthony|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j8xgDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT213|title=Wake Up at the Back There: It's Jimmy Edwards|location=Albany, Georgia, USA|publisher=BearManor Media|year=2018|page=213}}</ref>

In 1973, Sykes had a small role as a police sergeant in the [[Douglas Hickox]] thriller ''[[Theatre of Blood]]''.

In 1977, Sykes wrote and starred in another television special, ''Eric Sykes Shows a Few of Our Favourite Things''. He also wrote the script for the 1977 [[Yorkshire Television]] adaptation of ''[[Charley's Aunt]]'' and appeared in the role of Brassett.

The third version of ''[[The Plank (1979 film)|The Plank]]'' was made in 1979 for [[Thames Television|Thames TV]] as a half-hour TV special.

Sykes was the subject of [[Thames Television]]'s ''[[This Is Your Life (UK TV series)|This Is Your Life]]'', broadcast on 25 December 1979.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}}

=== 1980s ===
Sykes wrote and appeared in two [[Thames Television]] specials broadcast during 1980 – ''The Likes of Sykes'' and ''[[Rhubarb Rhubarb]]''. The latter special, a remake of his 1969 short film ''Rhubarb'' which Sykes also directed, featured many of his old friends including Jimmy Edwards, Bob Todd, Charlie Drake, Bill Fraser, [[Roy Kinnear]], [[Beryl Reid]], and [[Norman Rossington]]. It was his last screen appearance with Hattie Jacques. The film employed an idea drawn from the British showbiz tradition in which extras used the word "rhubarb" to simulate low-level background dialogue, which had also been a running joke in ''The Goon Show''. In 1981, Sykes wrote, directed, and starred in the offbeat comedy ''[[If You Go Down in the Woods Today]]'' for Thames, with a cast including Roy Kinnear, [[Fulton Mackay]], and [[George Sewell]].

During 1982, Sykes played the Chief Constable in the slapstick police comedy film ''[[The Boys in Blue]]'', which starred the comedy duo [[Cannon and Ball]], with [[Jon Pertwee]]. For Thames TV that year, he also appeared in and wrote ''The Eric Sykes 1990 Show'' with Tommy Cooper and [[Dandy Nichols]] and ''[[It's Your Move (1982 film)|It's Your Move]]'', a wordless slapstick comedy depicting the travails of a couple ([[Richard Briers]] and [[Sylvia Syms]]) moving into a new home, who hire an accident-prone firm of house removers, headed by Sykes. It featured an all-star cast including Tommy Cooper, [[Bernard Cribbins]], Jimmy Edwards, [[Irene Handl]], [[Bob Todd]], and [[Andrew Sachs]]. Sykes produced one further silent movie for Thames in 1988, ''Mr. H. Is Late'', set at a funeral. In 1984, Sykes played the Genie in the children's film ''[[Gabrielle and the Doodleman]]'', which also featured [[Windsor Davies]] (who would also appear with Sykes in the BBC's ''Gormenghast'' in 2000), Bob Todd, [[Lynsey de Paul]], and [[Gareth Hunt]].

In 1985, he played the [[Mad Hatter]] in the [[ITV Anglia|Anglia Television]] serial adaptation of ''[[Alice in Wonderland]]'', joining an all-star cast that included [[Michael Bentine]], [[Leslie Crowther]], and [[Leonard Rossiter]], and he also had an uncredited role (as an arcade attendant) in the [[Julien Temple]] film musical ''[[Absolute Beginners (film)|Absolute Beginners]]'' (1986) which stars [[Patsy Kensit]]. In 1986, Sykes played Horace Harker in "The Six Napoleons", an episode of the [[Granada TV]] adaptation of the [[Sherlock Holmes]] stories starring [[Jeremy Brett]].

Sykes toured Australia with the play ''[[Run for Your Wife (play)|Run for Your Wife]]'' (1987–88) with a cast that included [[Jack Smethurst]], [[David McCallum]], and [[Katy Manning]]. In 1989, in his first series since the ''Sykes'' series ended in 1979, Sykes starred as the golf club secretary in the ITV situation comedy ''The Nineteenth Hole'', written by [[Johnny Speight]]. It was not a success and ran for only one season, being dropped by ITV for being unfunny, racist, and sexist.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/tv-radio-obituaries/9375396/Eric-Sykes.html |title=Eric Sykes |work=The Telegraph |date=4 July 2012 |access-date=15 July 2013 |location=London}}</ref>

=== 1990s ===
In 1994, Sykes appeared in both episodes of ''[[Paul Merton's Palladium Story]]'', a documentary series celebrating the history of the [[London Palladium]]. From March 1997, Sykes, together with [[Tim Whitnall]], [[Toyah Willcox]] and Mark Heenehan, provided narration for the BBC pre-school TV series ''[[Teletubbies]]''. It is his voice that announces "Teletubbies!" during the title sequence<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.prideofmanchester.com/comedy/ericsykes.htm |title=The Stone-Deaf Goon from Oldham who Became a National Treasure |access-date =11 January 2010 |publisher = Pride of Manchester}}</ref> and on the show's theme song, "[[Teletubbies say "Eh-oh!"]]", which became a number one single in December 1997. he also voiced The Scary Lion in The Lion and Bear Magical Event.<ref>{{citation |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/37712.stm|title=Teletubbies top the charts |work=BBC News|date=7 December 1997 |access-date=29 December 2008}}</ref> In 1998, Sykes appeared in one episode of ''[[Dinnerladies (TV series)|Dinnerladies]]'' as the father of Stan ([[Duncan Preston]]).<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09yhs79
|title=dinnerladies
|year=2021
|work=BBC One
|publisher=BBC
|access-date=28 December 2021}}</ref>

=== 2000s ===
In 2000, Sykes appeared as Mollocks, the servant of Dr Prunesquallor, in the BBC's [[Gormenghast (TV serial)|mini-series adaptation]] of [[Mervyn Peake]]'s ''[[Gormenghast series|Gormenghast]]'', which was the last production to feature both Milligan and Sykes (although they did not appear together on screen). In 2001, he had one of his few serious screen roles, playing a servant in the blockbuster supernatural thriller film ''[[The Others (2001 film)|The Others]]'', starring [[Nicole Kidman]]. In 2005, he played [[Frank Bryce]] in ''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)|Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire]]''.

In 2007, he appeared in ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]'' and in ''[[New Tricks]]'', as well as taking a small role in an episode of the sitcom ''[[My Family]]''. That year he also had a small part in the film ''[[Son of Rambow]]''. In October 2010 Sykes appeared in ''[[Hallowe'en Party]]'', an episode in the twelfth series of ''[[Agatha Christie's Poirot]]''.

His autobiography, ''If I Don't Write It, Nobody Else Will'', was published in 2005, by [[Harper Perennial]]. He also wrote novels, including ''UFOs are Coming Wednesday'' (1995, Virgin Publishing), ''Smelling of Roses'' (1997, Virgin Publishing), ''The Great Crime of Grapplewick'' (1984, MacMillan London Ltd). These three have been published as ''The Eric Sykes Compendium'' by Virgin Publications in 1997: {{ISBN|978 0 7535 1193 0}}.

== Personal life ==
Sykes became partially [[Deafness|deaf]] as an adult. His hearing started to deteriorate in the Second World War, and he had an operation in 1952 followed by another two years later. Recovering from the second procedure he discovered he was [[profoundly deaf]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Traynor |first1=Robert |title=The Genius of Eric Sykes – An International Comedian |url=https://hearinghealthmatters.org/hearinginternational/2012/the-genius-of-eric-sykes/ |website=Hearing Health Matters |access-date=6 March 2022 |date=28 August 2012}}</ref> His spectacles contained no lenses but were a [[bone conduction|bone-conducting]] [[hearing aid]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?language=eng&pageID=5104 |title=Eric Sykes Biography |access-date=6 December 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130414125850/http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?language=eng&pageID=5104 |archive-date=14 April 2013 |work=Cotton Town}} - {{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18703602|title = Obituary:Eric Sykes | work=BBC News | date=4 July 2012}} - {{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/nice-one-eric-1277920.html|title = Nice One Eric! |work=The Independent | location=London | first=Jasper|last=Rees|date=10 February 1997}}</ref> Disciform [[macular degeneration]], brought about by age and possibly smoking, left Sykes partially sighted, and he was registered as [[Blindness|blind]]. He was a patron of the [[Macular Disease Society]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.maculardisease.org/page.asp?section=78&sectionTitle=Finance|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110119000317/http://www.maculardisease.org/page.asp?section=78&sectionTitle=Finance|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 January 2011|title=Macular Disease Society}}</ref> He stopped smoking cigarettes in November 1966, but continued to smoke cigars until 1998. He underwent quadruple [[heart bypass]] surgery in 1997, and experienced a stroke in 2002.{{cn|date=April 2022}}

He married Edith Eleanore Milbrandt on 14 February 1952, and they had three daughters and a son.<ref>{{cite news|author=TV and Radio |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9375340/Eric-Sykes-gentleman-of-comedy-dies.html |title=Eric Sykes dies |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date= 4 July 2012|access-date=15 July 2013 |location=London}} - {{cite book |url=http://www.debretts.co.uk/people/biographies/search/results/7186/Eric+SYKES.aspx |publisher=Debretts |title=People of Today |access-date=20 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718183002/http://www.debretts.co.uk/people/biographies/search/results/7186/Eric+SYKES.aspx |archive-date=18 July 2011}}</ref> In the year Sykes died they marked their 60th wedding anniversary.

In the 1970s, Sykes and his friend [[Jimmy Edwards]] took part in a show for [[Ian Smith]] in [[Rhodesia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/eric-sykes-actor-and-writer-who-overcame-adversity-to-become-a-leading-figure-of-british-comedy-7912538.html|title=Eric Sykes: Actor and writer who overcame adversity to become a|website=Independent.co.uk|date=5 July 2012|access-date=4 November 2018}}</ref>

Sykes was appointed Officer of the [[Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in 1986 and promoted to Commander (CBE) in the [[2005 New Year Honours]]<ref>{{citation |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4135443.stm|title=Eric Sykes gets New Year's honour |work=BBC News|date=31 December 2004|access-date=4 July 2012}}</ref> for services to drama, following a petition by [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Members of Parliament]] (MPs). Sykes was an honorary president of the [[Goon Show Preservation Society]].

Sykes was a follower of [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]] and was an honorary director of the club in the 1970s.

==Death==
[[File:Eric Sykes Plaque Covent Garden.jpg|thumb|160px|right|Memorial plaque to Eric Sykes in [[St Paul's, Covent Garden|St Paul's Church]] in [[Covent Garden]]]]
Sykes died on the morning of 4 July 2012, aged 89, at his home in [[Esher]], [[Surrey]], after a short illness. His family was with him when he died.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18704263|title=Comedian Eric Sykes dies aged 89 |work=BBC News|date=4 July 2012|access-date=4 July 2012}} - {{cite news|author=Mark Brown |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/jul/04/eric-sykes-dies-aged-89?INTCMP=SRCH |title=Eric Sykes dies aged 89 |work=The Guardian |date= 4 July 2012|access-date=15 July 2013 |location=London}} - {{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/tv-radio-obituaries/9375396/Eric-Sykes.html |title=Telegraph obituary |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=4 July 2012 |access-date=15 July 2013 |location=London}}</ref> He has a memorial plaque in [[St Paul's, Covent Garden|St Paul's Church]] in [[Covent Garden]].

== Honours and Awards ==
* 1961 Guild of TV Producers and Directors' Lifetime Achievement Award
* 1964 [[BBC Television]] Personality of the Year
* 1980 [[Pye Ltd.|Pye]] Colour TV Award
* 1980 The [[Golden Rose of Montreux]] (for ''The Plank'')
* 1985 The 25th [[Rose d'Or|Golden Rose of Montreux]]
* 1986 [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]]
* 1988 Freedom of the [[City of London]]
* 1992 Lifetime Achievement Award from [[Writers' Guild of Great Britain]]
* 1992 Lifetime Achievement Award from the [[British Comedy Awards]]
* 1998 Honorary Fellowship of the [[Lancaster University|University of Lancaster]]
* 1998 [[Eric Morecambe]] Award from Comic Heritage
* 2001 Lifetime Achievement Award from the [[Grand Order of Water Rats]]
* 2001 Bernard Delfont Award for outstanding contribution to show business from the [[Variety Club of Great Britain]]
* 2002 [[The Oldie|Oldie]] of the Year
* 2004 [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]]
* 2009 [[Aardman Animations|Aardman]] [[Slapstick Festival|Slapstick]] Visual Comedy Award<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.slapstick.org.uk/awards/visual-comedy-award/|title=Visual Comedy Award |newspaper=Slapstick |access-date=21 February 2017}}</ref> for the outstanding contribution to the field of visual comedy he had made over his career

== Film and television ==
=== Films he created and appeared in ===
* ''Pantomania, or Dick Whittington'' (1956 TV film)
* ''Dress Rehearsal'' (1956 TV film) as Director
* ''Opening Night'' (1956 TV film) as Himself
* ''Closing Night'' (1957) as Himself
* ''Gala Opening'' (1959) as Himself
* ''[[The Plank (1967 film)|The Plank]]'' (1967) as Smaller Workman
* ''[[Shalako (film)|Shalako]]'' (1968 film)
* ''It's Your Move'' (1969)
* ''[[Rhubarb (1969 film)|Rhubarb]]'' (1969 short) as Insp. Rhubarb
* ''Mr. H is Late'' (1969)
* ''Sykes: With the Lid Off'' (1971 TV film)
* ''Eric Sykes Shows a Few of our Favourite Things'' (1977) as Eric / Jack
* ''[[The Plank (1979 film)|The Plank]]'' (1979 TV short), a remake of ''[[The Plank (1967 film)|The Plank]]'' (1967)
* ''The Likes of Sykes'' (1980 TV film)
* ''[[Rhubarb Rhubarb]]'' (1980), a remake of ''[[Rhubarb (1969 film)|Rhubarb]]'' (1969), as Police Inspector / Groom
* ''[[If You Go Down in the Woods Today]]'' (1981) as Mr. Pangbourne
* ''The Eric Sykes 1990 Show'' (1982 TV film) as Producer
* ''[[It's Your Move (1982 film)|It's Your Move]]'' (1982 TV short), a remake of ''It's Your Move'' (1969), as Head Removal Man
* ''Mr. H Is Late'' (1988 TV short) as Senior undertaker
* ''[[The Big Freeze (1993 film)|The Big Freeze]]'' (1993 TV film) as Mr. Blick

=== Television series he created and appeared in ===
* ''[[Sykes and a...]]'' (1960–1965) as Himself
* ''[[Sykes and a Big Big Show]]'' (1971)
* ''[[Sykes (TV series)|Sykes]]'' (1972–1979) as Himself

=== Other acting roles ===
The following entries are films unless otherwise stated.
{{Div col}}
* ''[[Orders Are Orders]]'' (1954) as Pte. Waterhouse
* ''[[Charley Moon]]'' (1956) as Brother-in-Law
* ''[[Tommy the Toreador]]'' (1959) as Martin
* ''[[Watch Your Stern]]'' (1960) as Civilian Electrician No. 2
* ''[[Very Important Person (film)|Very Important Person]]'' (1961) as Willoughby, Sports Officer
* ''[[Invasion Quartet]]'' (1961) as Band Conductor
* ''[[Village of Daughters]]'' (1962) as Herbert Harris
* ''[[Kill or Cure (1962 film)|Kill or Cure]]'' (1962) as Rumbelow
* ''[[Heavens Above!]]'' (1963) as Harry Smith
* ''[[The Bargee]]'' (1964) as The Mariner
* ''[[One Way Pendulum (film)|One Way Pendulum]]'' (1964) as Mr. Groomkirby
* ''[[Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines]]'' (1965) as Courtney
* ''[[Rotten to the Core (film)|Rotten to the Core]]'' (1965) as William Hunt
* ''[[The Liquidator (1965 film)|The Liquidator]]'' (1965) as Griffen
* ''Big Bad Mouse'' (1966, TV movie) as Mr. Bloome
* ''[[The Spy with a Cold Nose]]'' (1966) as Wrigley
* ''Sykes Versus ITV'' (1967, TV movie)
* ''[[Shalako (film)|Shalako]]'' (1968) as Mako
* ''[[Monte Carlo or Bust]]'' (1969) as Perkins
* ''Big Bad Mouse'' (1972, TV movie) as Mr. Bloome
* ''[[Theatre of Blood]]'' (1973) as Sergeant Dogge
* ''Charlie's Aunt'' (1977, TV movie) as Brassett
* ''[[The Boys in Blue]]'' (1982) as Chief Constable Cranshaw
* ''[[Gabrielle and the Doodleman]]'' (1984) as Genie
* ''[[The Six Napoleons]]'' (1986) as the journalist Horace Harker
* ''[[Splitting Heirs]]'' (1993) as Jobson the Doorman
* ''[[Dinnerladies (TV series)|Dinnerladies]]'' (1998, TV series) as Jim
* ''Mavis and the Mermaid'' (2000, short) as Skip
* ''[[Gormenghast (TV serial)|Gormenghast]]'' (2000, miniseries) as Mollocks
* ''[[The Others (2001 film)|The Others]]'' (2001) as Mr. Edmund Tuttle
* ''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)|Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]'' (2005) as Frank Bryce
* ''[[My Family]]'' (2007) as Henry
* ''[[Son of Rambow]]'' (2007) as Frank
* ''[[Agatha Christie's Poirot]]'': ''[[List of Agatha Christie's Poirot episodes#Series Twelve (2010)|Hallowe'en Party]]'' (2010 TV episode) as Mr. Fullerton (final appearance)
{{div col end}}

==Records==
* "Dr Kildare"/"Bedtime Story" (Y7092, 7-inch single, Decca Records 1962) with Hattie Jacques
* ''Eric and Hattie and Things'' (LK 4507, LP, Decca Records 1962) with Hattie Jacques

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb name|843059}}
* {{screenonline name|id=1058088}}
* {{British Comedy Guide|people|eric_sykes}}
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18703602 Obituary: Eric Sykes from BBC News]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sykes, Eric}}
[[Category:1923 births]]
[[Category:2012 deaths]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:British male comedy actors]]
[[Category:Comedians from Lancashire]]
[[Category:English male comedians]]
[[Category:English comedy writers]]
[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English radio writers]]
[[Category:English male soap opera actors]]
[[Category:English male stage actors]]
[[Category:English television writers]]
[[Category:English autobiographers]]
[[Category:Male deaf actors]]
[[Category:Male actors from Oldham]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Male actors from Lancashire]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century English male actors]]
[[Category:Deaf writers]]
[[Category:Deaf television personalities]]
[[Category:20th-century English comedians]]
[[Category:21st-century English comedians]]
[[Category:Deaf people from England]]
[[Category:The Goon Show]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force airmen]]
[[Category:British male television writers]]

Dick Emery

2022-05-26T10:16:25Z

218.214.255.72: /* Life and career */ Further detail advising arrest and imprisonment

{{Short description|English comedian and actor}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Dick Emery
| image =File:Dick Emery and Susie Silvey.jpg
| caption = Emery with actress and dancer [[Susie Silvey]], filming in the 1980s
| birth_date = {{birth date|1915|2|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Bloomsbury]], [[London]], [[England]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1983|1|2|1915|2|19|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Denmark Hill]], London, England
| resting_place = [[Mortlake Crematorium]], [[Mortlake]], London, England
| birth_name = Richard Gilbert Emery
| spouse = {{plainlist|
*{{marriage|Joan Salisbury|1940|1943|
end=divorced}}
*{{marriage|Irene Ansell|1946|1947|end=divorced}}
*{{marriage|Iris Tully|1955|1964|end=divorced}}
*{{marriage|Victoria Chambers|1964|1968|end=divorced}}
*{{marriage|Josephine Blake|1969}}
}}
| children = 4
| years_active = 1946{{ndash}}1983
}}
'''Richard Gilbert Emery''' (19 February 1915{{spaced ndash}}2 January 1983) was an English [[comedian]] and actor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b9f42bd11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722235512/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b9f42bd11|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-07-22|title=Dick Emery|work=BFI}}</ref> His broadcasting career began on radio in the 1950s, and his self-titled television series ran from 1963 to 1981.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8647567/Archie-Andrews-the-dummy-loved-by-millions-is-back-on-stage.html|title=Archie Andrews, the dummy loved by millions, is back on stage|date=19 July 2011|work=Telegraph.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10590018/Dick-Emery-the-neglected-superstar-of-TV-comedy.html|title=Dick Emery: the neglected superstar of TV comedy|date=25 January 2014|work=Telegraph.co.uk}}</ref>

==Life and career==
Richard Gilbert Emery was born in [[University College Hospital]], Bloomsbury, London.<ref>GRO Register of Births: MAR 1915 1b 88 PANCRAS – Richard G Emery, mmn = Callan</ref> His parents were the comedy double act Callan and Emery. They took him on tour when he was only three weeks old and gave him the occasional turn on the stage during his childhood, which was always on the move and disrupted, creating problems for the future but setting the scene for eventually going into showbusiness himself. His parents split up when he was 8 and he chose to stay with his mother, who gave up showbusiness.<ref>''Dick Emery: the Comedy of Errors?'' BBC Radio 2 29 September 2009</ref> He tried a variety of jobs before the stage: mechanic, office boy, farm hand and driving instructor.

During the [[Second World War]] he was called up to the [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] and rose to the rank of corporal. However, because of family problems, he returned to London, joining the chorus line of ''The Merry Widow'' at the Majestic Theatre, although he was subsequently recognised, arrested and imprisoned. He was recruited by [[Ralph Reader]] into the [[Stars in Battledress|RAF Gang Show]] to entertain air and ground crew at bases in [[Great Britain]].

At this time he created Vera Thin (the Forces' Sweetheart), loosely based on [[Vera Lynn]], later saying, "I was better in drag than combat gear".<ref>{{cite web |author=Graham Rinaldi|access-date=27 April 2014|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/588635/|title=Emery, Dick (1917–83)|publisher=BFI Screenonline}}</ref> After D-Day, his unit toured forward airbases.

On leaving the RAF, he returned to the theatre as a comedian. He worked at the [[Windmill Theatre]], though his name does not appear on the plaque commemorating the acts that played there. He toured his fledgling act around the United Kingdom.

He also auditioned for various parts and in 1952 he starred in a role in a 15-minute [[Radio Luxembourg (English)|Radio Luxembourg]] series on Saturdays at 7.00pm called ''Chance of a Lifetime''. This was a quiz sponsored by Marshall Ward in which merchandise to the value of £30 was awarded to contestants. Other radio work around this time included several appearances on ''[[Workers' Playtime (radio programme)|Workers' Playtime]]'' on the BBC, a morale-boosting show that had started during the war to entertain factory workers in their canteens. Emery also made a guest appearance on the popular BBC radio programme ''[[The Goon Show]]'', replacing regular cast member [[Harry Secombe]] for one episode in 1957.

During 1953 he briefly formed a double act with [[Charlie Drake]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1537814/Charlie-Drake.html |title=Charlie Drake |publisher=Telegraph |date=26 December 2006 |access-date=11 May 2012}}</ref> His television debut came in 1950 on ''The Centre Show'' on the [[BBC]]. He appeared on TV programmes including ''Round the Bend'' (BBC, 1955–56) and ''[[Educating Archie]]'' (ITV, 1958–59) and appeared with his friend [[Tony Hancock]] in several episodes of ''[[The Tony Hancock Show]]'' (ITV, 1956) and ''[[Hancock's Half Hour]]'' (BBC, 1957).

He enhanced his reputation on two series with former [[The Goon Show|Goon]] [[Michael Bentine]]: ''[[After Hours (1958 British TV series)|After Hours]]'' (ITV, 1958–59) and ''[[It's a Square World]]'' (BBC, 1960–64). His role as Private Chubby Catchpole in the final series of ''[[The Army Game]]'' (ITV 1960) led to an exclusive BBC contract, and the long-running ''[[The Dick Emery Show]]'' (BBC, 1963–81) began. The show involved Emery dressing up as various characters.

In a sporadic film career he made his debut in the [[The Goons|Goons]]' ''[[The Case of the Mukkinese Battle Horn]]'' (directed by Joseph Sterling, 1954). He also played bungling bank robber Booky Binns in ''[[The Big Job (film)|The Big Job]]'' (directed by [[Gerald Thomas]], 1965) and was known for vocal talents as an array of characters including "The Nowhere Man" [[Jeremy Hillary Boob]], the Mayor of Pepperland and Max, one of the [[Blue Meanies (Yellow Submarine)|Blue Meanies]] in the [[Beatles]]' ''[[Yellow Submarine (film)|Yellow Submarine]]'' (directed by [[George Dunning]], 1968)

Emery appeared in films as Shingler in ''[[The Fast Lady]]'' (1962), as [[Peter Sellers]]'s neighbour in ''[[The Wrong Arm Of The Law]]'', as Harry in ''[[Baby Love (1968 film)|Baby Love]]'' (1968), as Mr Bateman in ''[[Loot (1970 film)|Loot]]'' (1970) and ''[[Ooh… You Are Awful]]'' (1972), in which he played many of the characters he had portrayed in his TV series. The plot of this comedy centred on Emery hunting down a bank account number. The digits of the number are tattooed on the bottoms of four young women. Emery has to see the girls naked, which requires disguises. One of the women is played by [[Liza Goddard]].

Emery also recorded several novelty records, most notably "If You Love Her", which reached number 32 in 1969, and "You Are Awful", which just missed the top 40 in 1973.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artists/ |title=Official Charts Company – Dick Emery |publisher=[[Official Charts Company]] |date=7 May 2012 |access-date=11 May 2012}}</ref> Other singles included "A Cockney Christmas" (1962), "You're The Only One" (1974) and "Rocking Horse Cowboy" (1979). In 1979, Emery moved to [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] for three specials before returning to the BBC in 1980 and resuming ''The Dick Emery Show''.

By 1982, Emery was tiring of the format for his BBC series and wanted to do something different. Using a new format and character, Jewish private detective Bernie Weinstock, Emery had a new outlet – two series of comedy thrillers under the banner ''Emery Presents'' (BBC, 1982–83), ''Legacy of Murder''<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286367/ ''Legacy of Murder''], IMDb page</ref> and ''Jack of Diamonds''.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286363/ ''Jack of Diamonds''], IMDb page</ref>

==Personal life==
{{more citations needed section|date=October 2021}}
Emery had a very difficult childhood initially, but things settled down following the departure of his father, Laurie Howe. He was devoted to his mother for most of his life and helped support her once he was able to work. This devotion caused problems in his marriages.

He was in six long-term relationships, marrying five times, and also had numerous affairs. He often appeared in tabloid newspapers with beautiful women.

At the beginning of the [[Second World War]] he married Joan (sometimes known as Zelda) Sainsbury and had one son, Gilbert Richard. After the failure of that marriage, he married Irene (Pip) Ansell but the marriage barely lasted six months. While working in summer season in 1950, at the Winter Gardens in [[Ventnor]] on the [[Isle of Wight]], he met Iris Margaret Tully, who was also in the show. At the end of the season, they returned to London and set up home together in Iris' flat in [[Shaftesbury Avenue]]. Iris changed her name to Emery by [[deed poll]] until 1955, a year after she had given birth to his second son, Nicholas William. She and Emery married in 1955.

The marriage was a rocky one because Emery had several affairs while away on tour. He met the woman who became his fourth wife, Victoria Chambers, in the mid-1950s. He was torn between the two women, but in late 1958 he left Iris and moved to [[Thames Ditton]] in [[Surrey]] to set up home.

In 1960, however, he returned to Iris and his son and moved them to Thames Ditton, but he could never settle, and in 1962 he left Iris for Victoria. Iris divorced him in 1964. By this time, he had set up home in [[Esher]]. Vickie bore him a son Michael and a daughter Eliza. His last wife was Josephine Blake<ref>''Dick Emery: the Comedy of Errors?'', BBC Radio 2, 29 September 2009</ref> to whom he was still married at the time of his death, although he had left her to live with Fay Hillier, an actress 30 years his junior.

Outside showbusiness, he enjoyed flying, and held a [[pilot licensing in the United Kingdom|pilot's licence]] from 1961 onwards. He also liked fast cars and motorcycles. He was a keen maker of scale models, and was president of the [[Airfix]] Modellers' Club. He also wrote a review feature for ''[[Meccano Magazine]]'' during 1971.

While the public took him to heart, voting him BBC TV Personality of the Year in 1972, Emery suffered from severe [[stage fright]] and [[low self-esteem]]. He underwent psychoanalysis and [[hypnosis]], and took sedatives to try to cure the problems.<ref name=imdb>{{cite web|title=Dick Emery Biography|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0256289/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm|website=IMDb|access-date=2017-04-14}}</ref>

He had four children, Gilbert, Nicholas, Michael and Eliza,<ref name=imdb/> and was the half-brother of actress [[Ann Emery]].

==Death==
In December 1982, Emery was taken to a London hospital with severe chest pains. He died at the hospital from [[cardiorespiratory failure]] on 2 January 1983 at the age of 67.<ref>GRO Register of Deaths: MAR 1983 14 0006 LAMBETH – Richard Gilbert Emery, DoB = 19 February 1915</ref>

==Selected filmography==
'''Film'''
* ''[[The Case of the Mukkinese Battle Horn]]'' (short) (1956) – Mr. Nodule / Mr.Crimp / Maurice Ponke
* ''[[Follow a Star]]'' (1959) – Inebriated Party Guest (uncredited)
* ''[[Light Up the Sky! (film)|Light Up the Sky!]]'' (1960) – Harry
* ''[[A Taste of Money]]'' (1960) – Morrissey
* ''[[Mrs. Gibbons' Boys]]'' (1962) – Woodrow
* ''[[Crooks Anonymous]]'' (1962) – Reginald Cundell
* ''[[The Fast Lady]]'' (1962) – Shingler
* ''[[Just for Fun (film)|Just for Fun]]'' (1963) – Juke Box Jury Members
* ''[[The Wrong Arm of the Law]]'' (1963) – Man in Flat 307 (uncredited)
* ''[[The Big Job (film)|The Big Job]]'' (1965) – Frederick 'Booky' Binns
* ''[[Yellow Submarine (film)|Yellow Submarine]]'' (1968) – Jeremy Hilary Boob, Ph.D. – Nowhere Man / Lord Mayor / Max (voice)
* ''[[Baby Love (1968 film)|Baby Love]]'' (1969) – Harry Pearson
* ''[[Loot (1970 film)|Loot]]'' (1970) – Mr. Bateman
* ''[[Ooh… You Are Awful]]'' (1972) – Charlie Tully
* ''[[Find the Lady (1976 film)|Find the Lady]]'' (1976) – Leo

'''Television'''
* ''[[The Dick Emery Show]]'' (1963–1981) 19 series – 162 episodes <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056749/|title=The Dick Emery Show (TV Series 1963–1981)|author=hotspur95|work=IMDb}}</ref> – Various Characters
* ''The Dick Emery Hour'' (1979) 3 episodes <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0345133/ |title=Dick Emery's Comedy Hour (TV Movie 1979) |author=ShadeGrenade |date=6 June 1979 |work=IMDb}}</ref> – Himself / Various Characters
* ''[[Legacy of Murder]]'' (1982) – Bernie Weinstock / Lord Algrave / Joe Galleano / Monica Danvers-Crichton
* ''Jack of Diamonds'' (1983) – Bernie Weinstock / Cyril Blackman / Det. Insp. Dearlove / Lady Holtye / Gen. von Klaus (Last appearance)

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
* {{IMDb name|0256289}}
* {{screenonline name|id=588635}}
* [http://www.classictelly.com/programme.php?Programme=Dick_Emery ClassicTelly.com Tributes to Dick Emery]
* [http://www.comedy.org.uk/guide/tv/emery_presents/ British Comedy Guide entry for ''Emery Presents''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125033920/http://comedy.org.uk/guide/tv/emery_presents/ |date=25 January 2009 }}
* {{British Comedy Guide|people|dick_emery}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Emery, Dick}}
[[Category:1915 births]]
[[Category:1983 deaths]]
[[Category:Deaths from respiratory failure]]
[[Category:English male comedians]]
[[Category:English male film actors]]
[[Category:English male radio actors]]
[[Category:English male television actors]]
[[Category:English male voice actors]]
[[Category:20th-century English male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century English comedians]]
[[Category:Male actors from London]]
[[Category:British male comedy actors]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force airmen]]