Larry Grayson (1923-95) is fondly remembered in the UK, as a stand-up comedian on TV and television presenter whose career was based mainly on "camp" humour.
William
Sully White, later to become famous as UK stand-up comedian and TV star Larry
Grayson, was born in Banbury, Oxfordshire on the 31st August, 1923.
Early Life
Being born out of wedlock, the young William grew up in Nuneaton, Warwickshire in the English Midlands, under the care of foster parents who were friends of his natural mother.
At the age of 6 when his adopted mother died, his eldest
adoptive sister, Florence (known as Fan), became the major influence on his
early life and after that time he always thought of and referred to her as his
mother.From birth, he remained in contact with his natural mother however, who was a regular visitor to the house. Known to him as Aunt Ethel, he discovered her true identity when reaching the age of 8. He never knew his natural father.
Early Career
Being
very much an extrovert and show-off in his early years, he liked to perform to
family and friends on any possible occasion. Upon leaving school at the age of
14, he started work as a sales assistant in a shoe shop. He lasted 2 days in
the job and went on the stage to act and sing with a locally based concert
party.
His stage career continued throughout
the 2nd World War, where he entertained the troops after he had been
exempt from service due to health reasons.
After
peace was restored, he changed his professional name to Billy Breen and
performed as a drag act, wearing women’s clothing. He continued to tour the
country with his limp-wristed act, playing the ultimately critical English
northern club circuit, where he soon acquired the necessary toughness for these
unforgiving, harsh venues.
In
the 1950’s, an early TV appearance was followed by numerous complaints from
viewers that his act was far too controversial and outrageous. After this setback,
he resigned himself to not becoming a TV star and resolved to continue on the
club circuit for the rest of his career.
Around the same time he again changed
his stage name, taking the surname Grayson (from US singing star Kathryn), and
preceded it with Larry, as suggested by his agent.
Grayson’s
act evolved into the gently delivered, anecdotal antics of an imaginary group
of “friends”, such as Everard, Slack Alice, Apricot Lil, Self Raising Fred (a
baker) and Pop-It-In Pete (the postman).
Loosely based on real people, he kept
these so-called characters in his act for the remainder of his stage and, soon
to follow, TV career.
He
also created and used many catchphrases. Such utterances as, “what a gay day” and, “look at the muck on ‘ere” were
synonymous with Grayson, along with the most memorable of them all, “shut that door”.
There
are a few conflicting stories as to the origin of the latter catchphrase. They
all agree that he coined it when feeling a sudden draught when on stage one day,
but the locations of the said performance differ.
Early Television Career
In
the early part of the 1970’s, after high profile appearances in London and
pantomime in Brighton with comedienne Dora Bryan, Grayson was a guest on the
Leslie Crowther show on TV, followed by a very nervous appearance on ITV’s
prestigious Saturday Variety show.
In 1972, the head of ATV in Birmingham was
so impressed; he commissioned a 16 part comedy show starring Grayson, entitled
“Shut That Door”. This was followed by “The Larry Grayson Show” which aired in
1975.
The Generation Game
In
1978, the BBC’s flagship Saturday night show “The Generation Game”, was looking
for a new host. Incumbent star Bruce Forsyth, who had built up a regular weekly
viewing audience of 21 million, had decided to jump ship and had signed for
London Weekend Television to present what became a short lived variety show
called “The Big Night”.
There
were many suggestions as to who should be his replacement, but the BBC, in a
controversial move that would prove to be a master stroke of genius, decided to
change the look and feel of the show and signed Grayson to take over the reins.
Over
a 4 year period, until he decided to quit for semi-retirement, Grayson managed
to raise the audience to 25 million. He presented the show in a style of total
incompetence, giving the impression he had no clue as to what was going on.
This was of course, totally contrived, but to the delight of the British public
who had fallen for his sheer charm. Grayson had them eating out of the palm of
his hand and was now becoming the biggest star on British TV.
He
fronted another game show in 1987 which flopped and his last TV appearance was
at the Royal Variety Show in 1994 – performance footage available at http://www.astabgay.com/KingsOfCamp/LarryGrayson.htm
Larry Grayson’s Death
On
New Year’s Eve 1994, Larry was rushed to hospital suffering from a ruptured
appendix. After being allowed home, he died on 7th January 1995 at
the age of 71. He is buried in Nuneaton.
By
all accounts he was a very kind, gentle, albeit unhappy man who had a razor
sharp quick wit. There is a tribute dedicated to him, containing memorabilia
and items from his career, at the Riversley Park Museum in his home town.
In
the 1970's he used to perform a song on TV, that contained the following lyrics:
Shut that door, shut that door, it's freezing cold in here. Shut that door, shut that door, I'm feeling rather queer!
Shut that door, shut that door, it's freezing cold in here. Shut that door, shut that door, I'm feeling rather queer!
At
that somewhat homophobic period in the UK, it could only be Larry Grayson who could ever get away with it!
