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{{short description|English ventriloquist}} | {{short description|English ventriloquist}} | ||
{{Infobox person | {{Infobox person | ||
| image = Peter Brough and Archie Andrews.jpg | | image = Peter Brough and Archie Andrews.jpg | ||
| caption = Peter Brough with his doll Archie Andrews | | caption = Peter Brough with his doll Archie Andrews | ||
| name = Peter Brough | | name = Peter Brough | ||
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1916| | | birth_date = {{Birth date|1916|02|26|df=y}} | ||
| birth_place = [[Shepherd's Bush]], [[London]], UK | | birth_place = [[w:Shepherd's Bush|Shepherd's Bush]], [[w:London|London]], UK | ||
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1999| | | death_date = {{Death date and age|1999|06|03|1916|02|26|df=y}} | ||
| death_place = [[England]] | | death_place = [[w:England|England]] | ||
| birth_name = Peter Brough | | birth_name = Peter Brough | ||
| occupation = [[Actor]], [[ventriloquist]] | | occupation = [[w:Actor|Actor]], [[w:ventriloquist|ventriloquist]] | ||
| spouse = Peggy Mary Franklin | | spouse = | ||
*{{Marriage|Peggy Mary Franklin|March 1940|<!-- Unknown -->|end=dissolved}} | |||
*{{Marriage|Elizabeth Chantler|<!-- Unknown -->|1994|end=d.}} | |||
}} | }} | ||
'''Peter Brough''' (26 February 1916 – 3 June 1999) was an [[England|English]] radio [[ventriloquist]] who became a well-known name to audiences in the 1950s. He is associated with his puppet [[Archie Andrews (puppet)|Archie Andrews]]. | '''Peter Brough''' (26 February 1916 – 3 June 1999) was an [[w:England|English]] radio [[w:ventriloquist|ventriloquist]] who became a well-known name to audiences in the 1950s. He is associated with his puppet [[w:Archie Andrews (puppet)|Archie Andrews]]. | ||
==Early career== | ==Early career== | ||
Peter Brough’s father, Arthur Brough, was a ventriloquist and a frequent performer on the variety stages around London. Brough senior gave up performing in the early 1920s and concentrated on a textile business. Young Peter left school at 15 and worked for a Bayswater department store called [[Whiteleys]], first as an errand boy and later as a counter salesman. He emulated his father by developing his ventriloquist skills, which he continued to practice whilst working at Whiteleys.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mislaid Comedy Heroes |url=https://www.mislaidcomedyheroes.com/peter-brough |website=mislaidcomedyheroes.com |access-date=February 24, 2022}}</ref> | Peter Brough’s father, Arthur Brough, was a ventriloquist and a frequent performer on the variety stages around London. Brough senior gave up performing in the early 1920s and concentrated on a textile business. Young Peter left school at 15 and worked for a Bayswater department store called [[w:Whiteleys|Whiteleys]], first as an errand boy and later as a counter salesman. He emulated his father by developing his ventriloquist skills, which he continued to practice whilst working at Whiteleys.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mislaid Comedy Heroes |url=https://www.mislaidcomedyheroes.com/peter-brough |website=mislaidcomedyheroes.com |access-date=February 24, 2022}}</ref> | ||
Early press reports show Brough entertaining the patients at [[Acton, London|Acton hospital]] on Christmas Day, 1935.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Acton Gazette |journal=Acton Gazette |date=January 3, 1936 |page=9}}</ref> He continued entertaining at clubs and at concerts in the Acton area<ref>{{cite journal |title=Middlesex County Times |journal=Middlesex County Times |date=March 11, 1939 |page=21}}</ref> and by 1939 he was becoming a regular on the variety stage.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Stage |journal=The Stage |date=April 20, 1939 |page=4}}</ref> His stage performances increased and in 1941 he was described as “England's Moat Successful Young Ventriloquist”. <ref>{{cite journal |title=Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser |journal=Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser |date=November 22, 1940 |page=4}}</ref> He acted as a compere in the 1940 film ''Cavalcade of Variety'' featuring [[Billy Cotton]] and his band.<ref>{{cite web |title=Internet Movie Database |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5080094/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm |website=imdb.com |access-date=February 24, 2022}}</ref> | Early press reports show Brough entertaining the patients at [[w:Acton, London|Acton hospital]] on Christmas Day, 1935.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Acton Gazette |journal=Acton Gazette |date=January 3, 1936 |page=9}}</ref> He continued entertaining at clubs and at concerts in the Acton area<ref>{{cite journal |title=Middlesex County Times |journal=Middlesex County Times |date=March 11, 1939 |page=21}}</ref> and by 1939 he was becoming a regular on the variety stage.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Stage |journal=[[w:The Stage|The Stage]] |date=April 20, 1939 |page=4}}</ref> His stage performances increased and in 1941 he was described as “England's Moat Successful Young Ventriloquist”. <ref>{{cite journal |title=Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser |journal=Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser |date=November 22, 1940 |page=4}}</ref> He acted as a compere in the 1940 film ''Cavalcade of Variety'' featuring [[w:Billy Cotton|Billy Cotton]] and his band.<ref>{{cite web |title=Internet Movie Database |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5080094/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm |website=imdb.com |access-date=February 24, 2022}}</ref> | ||
==Radio days== | ==Radio days== | ||
Brough began his radio career in 1944 in ventriloquism but in 1950 he debuted Archie, a mischievous child who domineered his mentor.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/genome/entries/796be208-0b9a-4111-b249-13d630cb017e The Sunday Post: Ventriloquism.] Andrew Martin, ''BBC Genome Blog'', 20 July 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2017.</ref> Archie's chief characteristics were his [[Savile Row]]-tailored blazers and manic eyes. Archie followed in the tradition of the [[United States|American]] ventriloquist [[Edgar Bergen]] and his dummy [[Charlie McCarthy]]. | Brough began his radio career in 1944 in ventriloquism but in 1950 he debuted Archie, a mischievous child who domineered his mentor.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/genome/entries/796be208-0b9a-4111-b249-13d630cb017e The Sunday Post: Ventriloquism.] Andrew Martin, ''BBC Genome Blog'', 20 July 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2017.</ref> Archie's chief characteristics were his [[w:Savile Row|Savile Row]]-tailored blazers and manic eyes. Archie followed in the tradition of the [[w:United States|American]] ventriloquist [[w:Edgar Bergen|Edgar Bergen]] and his dummy [[w:Charlie McCarthy|Charlie McCarthy]]. | ||
His radio series based around the character – ''[[Educating Archie]]'' – featured in support the likes of [[Dick Emery]], [[Freddie Sales]], [[Benny Hill]], [[Tony Hancock]], [[Hattie Jacques]], [[Bruce Forsyth]], [[Harry Secombe]], [[Max Bygraves]], [[Beryl Reid]] and even a young [[Julie Andrews]] as the girlfriend of Archie; [[Eric Sykes]] was one of the series' main writers in the early 1950s. The show often averaged 15 million listeners, and a fan club had 250,000 members. | His radio series based around the character – ''[[Educating Archie]]'' – featured in support the likes of [[Dick Emery]], [[Freddie Sales]], [[Benny Hill]], [[Tony Hancock]], [[Hattie Jacques]], [[Bruce Forsyth]], [[Harry Secombe]], [[Max Bygraves]], [[Beryl Reid]] and even a young [[w:Julie Andrews|Julie Andrews]] as the girlfriend of Archie; [[Eric Sykes]] was one of the series' main writers in the early 1950s. The show often averaged 15 million listeners, and a fan club had 250,000 members. | ||
Brough published his autobiography "Educating Archie" in 1955.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Britannia and Eve |journal=Britannia and Eve |date=June 1, 1955 |page=41}}</ref> | Brough published his autobiography "Educating Archie" in 1955.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Britannia and Eve |journal=Britannia and Eve |date=June 1, 1955 |page=41}}</ref> | ||
==TV work== | ==TV work== | ||
Because of the success of his radio show, Brough made his debut on [[television]] in 1956 in the [[BBC]] sitcom ''Here's Archie'' which co-starred [[Irene Handl]] and [[Ronald Chesney]]. The show was written by the latter and [[ | Because of the success of his radio show, Brough made his debut on [[w:television|television]] in 1956 in the [[w:BBC|BBC]] sitcom ''Here's Archie'' which co-starred [[Irene Handl]] and [[Chesney and Wolfe|Ronald Chesney]]. The show was written by the latter and [[Chesney and Wolfe|Ronald Wolfe]], who would later team up on British [[w:sitcoms|sitcoms]] ''[[The Rag Trade]]'' and ''[[On the Buses]]''. | ||
Two years later, Brough was on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] in ''Educating Archie'', utilising the same team as before, although [[Marty Feldman]] took some of the writing credit as well. The TV appearances exposed his limitations as a ventriloquist, as his lips were frequently seen to move. In later years a critic remarked, "Ventriloquism on the radio - I could have done that." | Two years later, Brough was on [[w:ITV (TV network)|ITV]] in ''Educating Archie'', utilising the same team as before, although [[Marty Feldman]] took some of the writing credit as well. The TV appearances exposed his limitations as a ventriloquist, as his lips were frequently seen to move. In later years a critic remarked, "''Ventriloquism on the radio - I could have done that.''" | ||
By 1961, Brough decided to retire Archie following the death of his father, also a ventriloquist, and he then took over the family's textile and menswear business. His TV appearances were sporadic from then on. He died on 3 June 1999 <ref>{{cite news|author=Dennis Barker |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/jun/07/guardianobituaries2 |title=Peter Brough | News |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref> and was buried in [[Maldon, Essex|Maldon]] cemetery in Essex. | By 1961, Brough decided to retire Archie following the death of his father, also a ventriloquist, and he then took over the family's textile and menswear business. His TV appearances were sporadic from then on. He died on 3 June 1999 <ref>{{cite news|author=Dennis Barker |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/jun/07/guardianobituaries2 |title=Peter Brough | News |newspaper=[[w:The Guardian|The Guardian]] |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref> and was buried in [[w:Maldon, Essex|Maldon]] cemetery in Essex. | ||
In November 2005, the original Archie Andrews doll was sold at auction in [[Taunton]] for £34,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/4459700.stm |title=England | Somerset | Archie dummy sells for £34,000 |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date=2005-11-22 |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref> | In November 2005, the original Archie Andrews doll was sold at auction in [[w:Taunton|Taunton]] for £34,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/4459700.stm |title=England | Somerset | Archie dummy sells for £34,000 |publisher=[[w:BBC News|BBC News]] |date=2005-11-22 |accessdate=2017-07-23}}</ref> | ||
==Family== | ==Family== | ||
Brough married twice: first in 1940 to Peggy Franklin (one son, one daughter; marriage dissolved), second to Elizabeth Chantler (died 1994; one son, one daughter). | Brough married twice: first in 1940 to Peggy Franklin (one son, one daughter; marriage dissolved), second to Elizabeth Chantler (died 1994; one son, one daughter). | ||
His son Chris Brough, became a record producer and was married to the singer, actress and TV presenter [[Ayshea|Ayshea Brough]] in the 1970s. | His son Chris Brough, became a record producer and was married to the singer, actress and TV presenter [[w:Ayshea|Ayshea Brough]] in the 1970s. | ||
His daughter, Romey Brough is an internationally collected artist with work in the Tate Gallery Archive. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/romey-brough-820|title = Romey Brough born 1944}}</ref> | His daughter, Romey Brough is an internationally collected artist with work in the Tate Gallery Archive. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/romey-brough-820|title = Romey Brough born 1944}}</ref> | ||
| Line 53: | Line 53: | ||
[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/361459.stm BBC news article about Peter Brough upon his death] | [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/361459.stm BBC news article about Peter Brough upon his death] | ||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brough, Peter}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Brough, Peter}} | ||
Latest revision as of 07:57, 17 January 2023
Peter Brough | |
|---|---|
 Peter Brough with his doll Archie Andrews | |
| Born | Peter Brough 26 February 1916 Shepherd's Bush, London, UK |
| Died | 3 June 1999 (aged 83) |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, ventriloquist |
| Spouses |
Peggy Mary Franklin
(m. 1940, dissolved)Elizabeth Chantler (died 1994) |
Peter Brough (26 February 1916 – 3 June 1999) was an English radio ventriloquist who became a well-known name to audiences in the 1950s. He is associated with his puppet Archie Andrews.
Early career
Peter Brough’s father, Arthur Brough, was a ventriloquist and a frequent performer on the variety stages around London. Brough senior gave up performing in the early 1920s and concentrated on a textile business. Young Peter left school at 15 and worked for a Bayswater department store called Whiteleys, first as an errand boy and later as a counter salesman. He emulated his father by developing his ventriloquist skills, which he continued to practice whilst working at Whiteleys.[1] Early press reports show Brough entertaining the patients at Acton hospital on Christmas Day, 1935.[2] He continued entertaining at clubs and at concerts in the Acton area[3] and by 1939 he was becoming a regular on the variety stage.[4] His stage performances increased and in 1941 he was described as “England's Moat Successful Young Ventriloquist”. [5] He acted as a compere in the 1940 film Cavalcade of Variety featuring Billy Cotton and his band.[6]
Radio days
Brough began his radio career in 1944 in ventriloquism but in 1950 he debuted Archie, a mischievous child who domineered his mentor.[7] Archie's chief characteristics were his Savile Row-tailored blazers and manic eyes. Archie followed in the tradition of the American ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his dummy Charlie McCarthy.
His radio series based around the character – Educating Archie – featured in support the likes of Dick Emery, Freddie Sales, Benny Hill, Tony Hancock, Hattie Jacques, Bruce Forsyth, Harry Secombe, Max Bygraves, Beryl Reid and even a young Julie Andrews as the girlfriend of Archie; Eric Sykes was one of the series' main writers in the early 1950s. The show often averaged 15 million listeners, and a fan club had 250,000 members.
Brough published his autobiography "Educating Archie" in 1955.[8]
TV work
Because of the success of his radio show, Brough made his debut on television in 1956 in the BBC sitcom Here's Archie which co-starred Irene Handl and Ronald Chesney. The show was written by the latter and Ronald Wolfe, who would later team up on British sitcoms The Rag Trade and On the Buses.
Two years later, Brough was on ITV in Educating Archie, utilising the same team as before, although Marty Feldman took some of the writing credit as well. The TV appearances exposed his limitations as a ventriloquist, as his lips were frequently seen to move. In later years a critic remarked, "Ventriloquism on the radio - I could have done that."
By 1961, Brough decided to retire Archie following the death of his father, also a ventriloquist, and he then took over the family's textile and menswear business. His TV appearances were sporadic from then on. He died on 3 June 1999 [9] and was buried in Maldon cemetery in Essex.
In November 2005, the original Archie Andrews doll was sold at auction in Taunton for £34,000.[10]
Family
Brough married twice: first in 1940 to Peggy Franklin (one son, one daughter; marriage dissolved), second to Elizabeth Chantler (died 1994; one son, one daughter).
His son Chris Brough, became a record producer and was married to the singer, actress and TV presenter Ayshea Brough in the 1970s.
His daughter, Romey Brough is an internationally collected artist with work in the Tate Gallery Archive. [11]
See also
- Archie's the Boy (radio programme)
References
- ^ "Mislaid Comedy Heroes". mislaidcomedyheroes.com. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
- ^ "Acton Gazette". Acton Gazette: 9. January 3, 1936.
- ^ "Middlesex County Times". Middlesex County Times: 21. March 11, 1939.
- ^ "The Stage". The Stage: 4. April 20, 1939.
- ^ "Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser". Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser: 4. November 22, 1940.
- ^ "Internet Movie Database". imdb.com. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
- ^ The Sunday Post: Ventriloquism. Andrew Martin, BBC Genome Blog, 20 July 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
- ^ "Britannia and Eve". Britannia and Eve: 41. June 1, 1955.
- ^ Dennis Barker. "Peter Brough | News". The Guardian. Retrieved 2017-07-23.
- ^ "England | Somerset | Archie dummy sells for £34,000". BBC News. 2005-11-22. Retrieved 2017-07-23.
- ^ "Romey Brough born 1944".
