Claude Dampier
Claude Dampier | |
---|---|
![]() Postcard c. 1910s | |
Born | Claud Conolly Cowan 1879 |
Died | 1 January 1955 Ashford, Middlesex, England |
Resting place | Golders Green Crematorium |
Occupation(s) | Actor, Comedian |
Spouse(s) | Irene Vere Billie Carlyle[1] |
Children | Dorothy Dampier |
Claude Dampier (1879-1955) was an English film actor and popular character comedian in the early 20th century.[2][3]
Life
He was born in Clapham, South London as Claud Conolly Cowan.[2][3]
He played largely comic roles, first appearing in music hall acts and then moving to both film and radio comedies. Dampier usually appeared as a dim-witted 'silly ass' type, often billed as 'The Professional Idiot'.[4][5] He was best remembered for his post-war Jewel and Warriss radio shows, where he adopted the catch-phrase "it's me-ee".[6]
Dampier toured Australia with Edward Branscombe's Dandies troupes between 1910 and 1917. He revisited the country in 1921, and starred in two Australian films before returning to England.[1]
He married Australian actress Billie Carlyle (c1901-1991), who appeared as a 'straight-woman' in his act.[7] They met whilst acting in the silent film The Adventures of Algy (1925).[8] Carlyle later wrote a book, Claude Dampier, Mrs. Gibson & Me (1978).[9][10] 'Mrs. Gibson' was Dampier's gimmick (apparently developed accidentally), a fictitious member of the audience with whom he spoke throughout his act.[3]
Dampier is the father of actress Dorothy Dampier.[4][11]
He died in 1955 in London of pneumonia.[12]
He was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium in north London on 4 January 1955. His ashes lie in section 1-L of the Garden of Remembrance.[13]
Filmography
- Hullo Marmaduke (1924)
- The Adventures of Algy (1925)
- Mr. Stringfellow Says No (1934)
- Radio Parade of 1935 (1934)
- So You Won't Talk (1935)
- The White Lilac (1935)
- No Monkey Business (1935)
- Boys Will Be Boys (1935)
- Such Is Life (1936)
- All In (1936)
- Public Nuisance No. 1 (1936)
- King of the Castle (1936)
- She Knew What She Wanted (1936)
- Sing as You Swing (1937)
- Wanted! (1937)
- She Shall Have Music (1937)
- Riding High (1937)
- Don't Take It to Heart (1944)
- Let's Have a Murder (1950)
- Meet Mr. Malcolm (1954)
References
- ^ a b Clay Djubal. "Claude Dampier" at Australian Variety Theatre Archive. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- ^ a b "Claude Dampier". BFI. Archived from the original on 2009-01-15.
- ^ a b c "Claude Dampier". vam.ac.uk.
- ^ a b HistoryForSale Autographs: Authentic Autographs & Manuscripts. "HistoryForSale - Autographs and Manuscripts - Claude Dampier - Autograph Sentiment Signed - Document 160864". historyforsale.com.
- ^ "' Top of the Bill ' CLAUDE DAMPIER". bbc.co.uk.
- ^ Quinlan's Film Character Actors:David Quinlan
- ^ http://colsearch.nfsa.gov.au/nfsa/search/display/display.w3p;adv=no;group=;groupequals=;holdingType=;page=0;parentid=;query=Person%3A%22%2FPerson%2Fkey%2F48069-1%22;querytype=;rec=0;resCount=10
- ^ /search/summary/summary.w3p;adv=no;group=;groupequals=;page=0;parentid=;query=Person%3A"%2FPerson%2Fkey%2F48069-1";querytype=;resCount=10
- ^ "Claude Dampier, Mrs Gibson and me / by Billie Carlyle. - Version details - Trove". nla.gov.au.
- ^ "Claude Dampier". comedy.co.uk.
- ^ "Dorothy Dampier". BFI. Archived from the original on 2015-06-14.
- ^ "Claude Dampier (1879 - 1955) - Find A Grave Memorial". findagrave.com.
- ^ Golders Green Crematorium information guide
External links