Richard Gilbert Emery (19 February 1915 – 2 January 1983) was an English comedian and actor. Beginning on radio in the 1950s, his self-titled television series ran from 1963 to 1981.
A son born to an established music-hall and variety act, Emery's life was pretty much charted out from the beginning. Even before the age of four, he would appear on stage with his parents as part of the family act. WW2 saw him serving in the Royal Air Force, being demobbed as a corporal. He followed what would become the template for British actors and comedians who rose to fame post-1945, appearing in combined forces' entertainment shows, even managing to swing secondment to civilian theatre companies as a performing boy in the chorus lines in West End musicals. After discharge from the RAF in 1945, he followed the well-worn path to stand-up comedy at the Windmill Theatre, where he moved in the same circles as Tony Hancock, Spike Milligan, Eric Sykes, Harry Secombe, Michael Bentine, Peter Sellers, and many others. This led to regular radio comedy work, principally for the BBC, although he also hosted a radio game-show for the English-language service of Radio Luxembourg. In common with other British comedy artistes, he also toured the variety theatres and northern clubs with his one-man act, noting that a firm favourite from his RAF Gang Show days - a glamorous drag queen act who he called "Vera" in homage to forces' sweetheart Vera Lynn - was a beloved crowd-pleaser.
Following a well-received guest appearance on The Goon Show, the Creator Breakdown of Spike Milligan and his necessary confinement to a mental hospital gave Emery a big break: the Goon Show production team recalled he'd been a good fit on the show, noted Emery was a talented impressionist, and booked him to cover for Milligan and perform his characters until the star was fit to return. This 22-show run as a Goon drew him to the notice of BBC executives. TV work followed, mainly for the BBC but also with ITV, including appearances with big-name comedy star Tony Hancock, and as a presence on Michael Bentine's show It's A Square World. It was following his collaboration with Bentine that the BBC offered him a show of his own, which began in 1963 and lasted, without a breeak and the same format, till 1981.
The Dick Emery Show featured Emery and a cast of grotesque characters of his own devising, running through quickfire sketches. While the unchanging format became a little bit tired and stale by The '80s and was the butt of unkind jokes by the new era's alternative comedians, the creators of The Fast Show two decades later were unanimous in hailing Emery as the inspiration for their sort of comedy - grotesque characters effectively playing the same joke week after week, knowing the repetition would not dull the humour and that fans would find the familiarity reassuringly funny.
It was at least in part Emery's own decision to end the comedy show in 1981 (although the BBC's new direction at this time, that also put paid to other old favourites such as The Goodies, was also a factor). Emery was getting tired of the rut, and genuinely wanted to pursue other directions. During the last two years of his life, Emery tried both comic acting and serious acting, with some critical acclaim.
He also had a solid career as a supporting actor or a character actor in films over four decades. While credited with fifteen films, he only starred in one: the film adaptation of his TV series, called Ooh, You Are Awful!
Dick Emery died in January 1983, aged 67.
Ooh, these tropes are awful! (But possibly likeable)
- Recycled Character: His much-loved TV character, glam blonde Mandy, is his WW2 Forces entertainment drag act Vera (based on Vera Lynn), brought up to date for The '60s and The '70s.
