Quote: Godot Taxis @ May 27 2010, 12:29 AM BSTI believe Alan was able to move his lips less than other ventriloquists because his Lord Charles dummy was meant to be drunk as well as an aristocrat, which gave him the ability to slur and drawl his words somewhat. At least that's what it said in the Guardian obituary yesterday.
I was trying out a Lord Charles impression out while waiting for a change and this is probably a fair point you silly arse.
What's sad is that the last time I probably saw him on TV was in the late 1980s or early 90s and I hadn't seen or heard of him since and then sadly he dies.
I just think it's sad that a man of his great talent was reduced to just treading the circuit than appearing on TV in his final years.
There is so much crappiness on TV these days and no room for genuine talent like Ray Alan and the like.
Makes me quite pissed off.
Quote: Richard Wells @ May 27 2010, 1:46 PM BSTWhat's sad is that the last time I probably saw him on TV was in the late 1980s or early 90s and I hadn't seen or heard of him since and then sadly he dies.
I just think it's sad that a man of his great talent was reduced to just treading the circuit than appearing on TV in his final years.
There is so much crappiness on TV these days and no room for genuine talent like Ray Alan and the like.
Makes me quite pissed off.
He was nearly 80 though so he was probably retired most of the time, but I get your point. Even Britain's Got Talent treats variety acts and comedy as freaks and losers (while just pushing the X-Factor style cover version singers).
Its seems especially true that TV doesn't like ventriloquism very much as I've not seen any of the popular younger ones such as Nina Conti.
What ever happened to Jo Beezley and Cheeky Monkey?
I booked him in the 70's for a show and the audience would not let him go - he was brilliant.
I saw Ray a few years ago in the stage show No Place Like Home. It was about a home for retired entertainers facing the bulldozer. He managed to give Lord Charles an airing and was still as good as ever.
Also in it were Gordon Kaye, Ken Moreley, Tony Adams.
It was great stuff all round