Kurt at 00:57, 28 September 2024

2024-09-28T00:57:47Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:57, 27 September 2024
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	~~{{short description\|English comedian and comic actor}}~~
	{{Infobox person		{{Infobox person
	\| name = Eli Woods		\| name = Eli Woods
	\| image =		\| image = Eli Woods.jpg
	\| alt =		\| alt =
	\| caption =		\| caption =
	\| birth_name = John Casey		\| birth_name = John Casey
	\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1923\|1\|11\|df=yes}}		\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1923\|01\|11\|df=yes}}
	\| birth_place = [[Stockton-on-Tees]], [[County Durham]], England		\| birth_place = [[Stockton-on-Tees]], [[County Durham]], England
	\| death_date = {{Death date and age\|2014\|5\|1\|1923\|1\|11\|df=yes}}		\| death_date = {{Death date and age\|2014\|05\|01\|1923\|01\|11\|df=yes}}
	\| death_place = Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England		\| death_place = Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England
	\| nationality =		\| nationality =
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	*[http://www.its-behind-you.com/variety.html] A fan's page including a recent photograph of Eli Woods		*[http://www.its-behind-you.com/variety.html] A fan's page including a recent photograph of Eli Woods
	* The 'shoebox' or 'elephant-in-the-box' routine - an early version appears on {{YouTube\|gprnJcN_m2A}}. Not currently (May '14) available because of copyright. A later Roy Castle version also appears on {{YouTube\|VGcRynUHOt0}}		* The 'shoebox' or 'elephant-in-the-box' routine - an early version appears on {{YouTube\|gprnJcN_m2A}}. Not currently (May '14) available because of copyright. A later Roy Castle version also appears on {{YouTube\|VGcRynUHOt0}}

	~~{{Authority control}}~~

	{{DEFAULTSORT:Woods, Eli}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Woods, Eli}}

Kurt: 1 revision imported

2024-09-28T00:22:17Z

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en>Jevansen: Moving from Category:Actors from County Durham to Category:Male actors from County Durham using Cat-a-lot

2023-08-19T02:34:24Z

Moving from Category:Actors from County Durham to Category:Male actors from County Durham using Cat-a-lot

New page

{{short description|English comedian and comic actor}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Eli Woods
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = John Casey
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1923|1|11|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Stockton-on-Tees]], [[County Durham]], England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2014|5|1|1923|1|11|df=yes}}
| death_place = Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England
| nationality =
| other_names = Jack Casey<br>Bretton Woods
| occupation = Comedian and comic actor
| years_active =
| known_for = Collaborations with [[Jimmy James (comedian)|Jimmy James]] and others
}}
'''Eli Woods''' (born '''John Casey'''; 11 January 1923 – 1 May 2014) was an English comedian and comic actor, born in [[Stockton-on-Tees]], [[County Durham]], possibly best known for his work with stage comedian [[Jimmy James (comedian)|Jimmy James]] (in reality his uncle), and particularly for his part in the famous 'elephant-in-the-box' routine.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Good Old Days II|url=http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/16510/the-good-old-days|date=16 April 2007|first=Kevin|last=Berry|work=The Stage|publisher=The Stage Newspaper|accessdate=7 May 2009}}</ref> He made his first professional appearance on the stage of the [[Hippodrome, Aldershot|Hippodrome Theatre]] in [[Aldershot]] in [[Hampshire]].

Jimmy James developed his famous act over many years, but from the first it required two 'stooges'. One was John "Jack" Casey—tall and stick-thin, with a bony face and a stammering delivery—who originally appeared as "Bretton Woods" (named after the [[Bretton Woods, New Hampshire|location]] of the famous [[Bretton Woods Agreement|1944 United Nations monetary and financial Conference]]), and only later redubbed as "Eli" Woods (often "Our Eli").<ref>{{cite book|title=The golden age of radio: an illustrated companion|first=Denis|last=Gifford|author-link=Denis Gifford|publisher=Batsford|year=1985|isbn=978-0-7134-4234-2|page=166|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G_hkAAAAMAAJ&q=Bretton-Woods+Our-Eli|accessdate=2009-05-07}}</ref> The other stooge, 'Hutton Conyers' would be played either by members of the Casey family - including, on occasion, [[James Casey (variety artist)|James Casey]] - or (from 1956 to 1959) by [[Roy Castle]]. Much later, Woods was in the support cast of ''Castles in the Air'', a comedy series on [[BBC Radio 2]].

During the late ''1970s'' and early 1980s, Woods featured in three [[Eddie Braben]] scripted comedy shows'': The Worst Show on the Wireless'' (20 episodes, 1973 -75) ''The Show With Ten Legs'' (26 episodes, 1978–80) and ''The Show with No Name'' (13 episodes, 1982–84). Both shows harked back to the [[music hall]] tradition. As a performer, Woods turned his lifelong stutter to his advantage, using it to comic effect in many contexts. For many years active as a stage and radio performer, Woods also appeared in a number of television comedies, as well as playing small parts in a variety of films including ''[[A Private Function]]'' released in 1984.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940590 IMDb profile]; accessed 3 May 2014.</ref>

The apex of his career (in terms of recognition) was appearing in a comedy sketch (the elephant in a box routine) with James Casey and [[Roy Castle]] in the 1982 [[Royal Variety Performance]] in which they also sing [[Kisses Sweeter than Wine]].<ref>Radio Times 14 November 1982</ref>

Although Woods's birth name was John Casey, he was better known to his family as Jack. He died at home in Stockton-on-Tees in the early hours of Thursday 1 May 2014, aged 91.<ref>{{cite web|last=Webber|first=Chris|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/11190618.Tributes_are_paid_to_legendary_comedian/?ref=mr|title=Tributes are paid to legendary Stockton comedian|publisher=Northern Echo|accessdate=3 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Robson|first=Dave|url=http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/whats-on/comedy-news/eli-woods-died-aged-91-7067278|title=Eli Woods died aged 91|publisher=Gazette Live|accessdate=2 May 2014}}</ref>

==Selected filmography==
* ''[[Over the Garden Wall (1950 film)|Over the Garden Wall]]'' (1950)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|0940590}}
*[http://www.its-behind-you.com/variety.html] A fan's page including a recent photograph of Eli Woods
* The 'shoebox' or 'elephant-in-the-box' routine - an early version appears on {{YouTube|gprnJcN_m2A}}. Not currently (May '14) available because of copyright. A later Roy Castle version also appears on {{YouTube|VGcRynUHOt0}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Woods, Eli}}
[[Category:1923 births]]
[[Category:2014 deaths]]
[[Category:Male actors from County Durham]]
[[Category:Actors from Stockton-on-Tees]]
[[Category:English male comedians]]

Eli Woods - Revision history

Kurt at 00:57, 28 September 2024

Kurt: 1 revision imported

en>Jevansen: Moving from Category:Actors from County Durham to Category:Male actors from County Durham using Cat-a-lot