Dave King - 9571

Great British all-round show-business personality - a very popular stand-up comedian, a successful ballad singer and, in his later years, a fine serious actor. A few brief TV appearances during 1955 turned into a BBC contract and a series of his own for King. His earliest comedy shows were groundbreaking at the time. He would banter with the BBC announcers, especially Macdonald Hobley. This was quite unheard of at a time when BBC announcement staff were still in evening dress and bow ties. Not only was King a very funny and innovative comedian, he could also sing. With a crooning style similar to Bing Crosby and Dean Martin, his records sold very well. Memories Are Made of This reached No.5 in the Pop charts in 1956 At the beginning of the 1960s, Dave King decided to try his luck on the other side of the Atlantic. He became one of the first British-born comedians to be successful in the USA and soon had his own television series there- repeating the success he'd enjoyed in the UK during the 1950s. Sadly, this didn't last and King eventually returned to Britain, to find that things had changed. He couldn't get back to the level of popularity he had enjoyed only a few years earlier. After struggling in Variety for some time, he decided to make a dramatic career change and went into the world of drama. Having lost his youthful looks, he turned this to good advantage by taking on sinister roles, notably as a villain in the highly acclaimed film The Long Good Friday (1980). The following year he was in the Warren Beatty film Reds. He also appeared in the television drama series Pennies from Heaven (1978) and had roles in The Sweeney, Bergerac and The Professionals. This is a very cheery black and white vintage 1950s photograph, nicely signed across the image in white ink. In very good condition.