Terry Hall (ventriloquist): Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|English ventriloquist}} |
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'''Terence "Terry" Hall''' (20 November 1926 – 3 April 2007) was an English [[ventriloquist]]. He appeared regularly on television with his puppet, '''Lenny the Lion''', whose catchphrase was "Aw, don't embawass me!" Hall is credited with having been one of the first ventriloquists to use a non-human puppet.<ref name="Guardian">[https://www.theguardian.com/obituaries/story/0,,2090807,00.html Obituary], ''[[The Guardian]]'', 30 May 2007]</ref> |
'''Terence "Terry" Hall''' (20 November 1926 – 3 April 2007) was an English [[ventriloquist]]. He appeared regularly on television with his puppet, '''Lenny the Lion''', whose catchphrase was "Aw, don't embawass me!" Hall is credited with having been one of the first ventriloquists to use a non-human puppet.<ref name="Guardian">[https://www.theguardian.com/obituaries/story/0,,2090807,00.html Obituary], ''[[The Guardian]]'', 30 May 2007]</ref> |
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==Biography== |
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Hall was born in [[Chadderton]], [[Lancashire]], where his parents ran a [[working men's club]].<ref name="Guardian"/> He was educated at St Patrick's School in [[Oldham]] and at De La Salle College in [[Pendleton, Greater Manchester|Pendleton]], [[County Borough of Salford|Salford]]. Hall initially worked as a ventriloquist with a boy dummy, named Mickey Finn, and won a talent show aged 15. |
Hall was born in [[Chadderton]], [[Lancashire]], where his parents ran a [[working men's club]].<ref name="Guardian"/> He was educated at St Patrick's School in [[Oldham]] and at De La Salle College in [[Pendleton, Greater Manchester|Pendleton]], [[County Borough of Salford|Salford]]. Hall initially worked as a ventriloquist with a boy dummy, named Mickey Finn, and won a talent show aged 15. |
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Hall created Lenny the Lion in 1954 after he visited the zoo while working at the [[summer season]] in [[Blackpool]]. Lenny was made from an old fox fur and [[papier-mâché]], with a golf ball for the nose. He originally had a mouthful of fearsome teeth, but they were removed at the suggestion of singer [[Anne Shelton (singer)|Anne Shelton]]{{Citation needed|date=June 2009}} to avoid scaring children in the audience. |
Hall created Lenny the Lion in 1954 after he visited the zoo while working at the [[summer season]] in [[Blackpool]]. Lenny was made from an old fox fur and [[papier-mâché]], with a golf ball for the nose. He originally had a mouthful of fearsome teeth, but they were removed at the suggestion of singer [[Anne Shelton (singer)|Anne Shelton]]{{Citation needed|date=June 2009}} to avoid scaring children in the audience. |
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Hall and Lenny first appeared on BBC Television in 1956, in a variety show entitled ''Dress Rehearsal'' that also signalled [[Eric Sykes]]'s television debut. The ''Lenny the Lion Show'' ran on from 1957 to 1960, followed by ''Lenny's Den'' in 1959 to 1961, and the pop music show ''Pops and Lenny'' in 1962 to 1963. Hall visited the United States in 1958, making his debut on ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]'' with Lenny that year. |
Hall and Lenny first appeared on BBC Television in 1956, in a variety show entitled ''Dress Rehearsal'' that also signalled [[Eric Sykes]]'s television debut. The ''Lenny the Lion Show'' ran on from 1957 to 1960, followed by ''Lenny's Den'' in 1959 to 1961, and the pop music show ''Pops and Lenny'' in 1962 to 1963. In 1958 Bill Mevin created a comic strip based on ''Lenny the Lion''.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.lambiek.net/artists/m/mevin_bill.htm| title = Bill Mevin - Lambiek Comiclopedia}}</ref> Hall visited the United States in 1958, making his debut on ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]'' with Lenny that year. Throughout the 1960s, Hall and Lenny appeared on stage in Blackpool and on television. [[The Beatles]] made one of their early TV appearances in a 1963 episode of ''Pops and Lenny'', singing "[[From Me to You]]" and "[[Please Please Me (song)|Please, Please Me]]". [[David Bowie]]'s father, Hayward Jones, worked on the show, and launched the Lenny the Lion Fan Club. Lenny advertised [[Cadbury|Trebor]] mints for three years. Hall released a single, "Lenny's Bath Time", in 1963. |
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In spite of the fact that Hall was a staunch [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]] fan, during the 1957–58 English football season, Hall took Lenny to [[The Old Den|the Den (old)]] which was then the home of [[Millwall F.C.]] and allowed Lenny to pose with his "fellow Lions" for publicity shots, much to the delight of all present in the ground.<ref name="Bethel">Bethel, Chris. ''Millwall Football Club 1940–2001'' Tempus Publishing Ltd. p44. ISBN |
In spite of the fact that Hall was a staunch [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]] fan, during the 1957–58 English football season, Hall took Lenny to [[The Old Den|the Den (old)]] which was then the home of [[Millwall F.C.]] and allowed Lenny to pose with his "fellow Lions" for publicity shots, much to the delight of all present in the ground.<ref name="Bethel">Bethel, Chris. ''Millwall Football Club 1940–2001'' Tempus Publishing Ltd. p44. {{ISBN|0-7524-2187-5}}</ref> |
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Hall and Lenny continued to work in variety through the 1970s, appearing on television in programmes such as ''[[Crackerjack (TV series)|Crackerjack]]''<ref name="Guardian"/> and ''[[3-2-1]]''.<ref> |
Hall and Lenny continued to work in variety through the 1970s, appearing on television in programmes such as ''[[Crackerjack (TV series)|Crackerjack]]''<ref name="Guardian"/> and ''[[3-2-1]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkG9yXKbKmA|title=3-2-1 - 'Hollywood' (1978)|last=gbgameshows|date=31 October 2012|publisher=|via=YouTube}}</ref> From 1977 to 1980, Hall regularly appeared in the educational television programme ''Reading With Lenny''. He wrote the ''Kevin the Kitten'' series of children's reading books which accompanied the series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastforschools.co.uk/site/Reading_with_Lenny|title=Reading with Lenny - BroadcastForSchools.co.uk|website=www.broadcastforschools.co.uk}}</ref> |
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Hall married twice. He had two daughters from his first marriage. He married a second time in 1980, to dance teacher Denise Francis. He suffered from [[Alzheimer's disease]] in later life, and died in 2007 in [[Coventry]]. [[Dr. Harry Brünjes|Dr Harry Brünjes]], a long-standing family friend, gave the eulogy at the service. |
Hall married twice. He had two daughters, Beverley and Melanie from his first marriage to Kathleen Mary Hall,who died. He married a second time in 1980, to dance teacher Denise Francis. He suffered from [[Alzheimer's disease]] in later life, and died in 2007 in [[Coventry]] aged 80. [[Dr. Harry Brünjes|Dr Harry Brünjes]], a long-standing family friend, gave the eulogy at the service. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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*{{IMDb name|id=0356149|name=Terry Hall}} |
*{{IMDb name|id=0356149|name=Terry Hall}} |
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*{{IMDb name|id=1573158|name=Lenny the Lion}} |
*{{IMDb name|id=1573158|name=Lenny the Lion}} |
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*[http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/kids3.htm Lenny the Lion at TelevisionHeaven.com] |
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070326003652/http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/kids3.htm Lenny the Lion at TelevisionHeaven.com] |
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*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/6544083.stm Children's entertainer Hall dies], [[BBC News]], 11 April 2007 |
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/6544083.stm Children's entertainer Hall dies], [[BBC News]], 11 April 2007 |
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*[http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article2441965.ece Obituary], ''[[The Independent]]'', 12 April 2007 |
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930165333/http://news.independent.co.uk/people/obituaries/article2441965.ece Obituary], ''[[The Independent]]'', 12 April 2007 |
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*[ |
*[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/news/2007/04/12/db1202.xml Obituary] {{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', 12 April 2007 |
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*[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article1652124.ece Obituary], ''[[The Times]]'', 14 April 2007 |
*[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article1652124.ece Obituary]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, ''[[The Times]]'', 14 April 2007 |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hall, Terry}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hall, Terry}} |
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[[Category:2007 deaths]] |
[[Category:2007 deaths]] |
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[[Category:British entertainers]] |
[[Category:British entertainers]] |
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[[Category:English puppeteers]] |
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[[Category:People from Chadderton]] |
[[Category:People from Chadderton]] |
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[[Category:Ventriloquists]] |
[[Category:Ventriloquists]] |
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Latest revision as of 05:24, 20 November 2024
Terence "Terry" Hall (20 November 1926 – 3 April 2007) was an English ventriloquist. He appeared regularly on television with his puppet, Lenny the Lion, whose catchphrase was "Aw, don't embawass me!" Hall is credited with having been one of the first ventriloquists to use a non-human puppet.[1]
Biography
[edit]Hall was born in Chadderton, Lancashire, where his parents ran a working men's club.[1] He was educated at St Patrick's School in Oldham and at De La Salle College in Pendleton, Salford. Hall initially worked as a ventriloquist with a boy dummy, named Mickey Finn, and won a talent show aged 15.
Hall created Lenny the Lion in 1954 after he visited the zoo while working at the summer season in Blackpool. Lenny was made from an old fox fur and papier-mâché, with a golf ball for the nose. He originally had a mouthful of fearsome teeth, but they were removed at the suggestion of singer Anne Shelton[citation needed] to avoid scaring children in the audience.
Hall and Lenny first appeared on BBC Television in 1956, in a variety show entitled Dress Rehearsal that also signalled Eric Sykes's television debut. The Lenny the Lion Show ran on from 1957 to 1960, followed by Lenny's Den in 1959 to 1961, and the pop music show Pops and Lenny in 1962 to 1963. In 1958 Bill Mevin created a comic strip based on Lenny the Lion.[2] Hall visited the United States in 1958, making his debut on The Ed Sullivan Show with Lenny that year. Throughout the 1960s, Hall and Lenny appeared on stage in Blackpool and on television. The Beatles made one of their early TV appearances in a 1963 episode of Pops and Lenny, singing "From Me to You" and "Please, Please Me". David Bowie's father, Hayward Jones, worked on the show, and launched the Lenny the Lion Fan Club. Lenny advertised Trebor mints for three years. Hall released a single, "Lenny's Bath Time", in 1963.
In spite of the fact that Hall was a staunch Oldham Athletic fan, during the 1957–58 English football season, Hall took Lenny to the Den (old) which was then the home of Millwall F.C. and allowed Lenny to pose with his "fellow Lions" for publicity shots, much to the delight of all present in the ground.[3]
Hall and Lenny continued to work in variety through the 1970s, appearing on television in programmes such as Crackerjack[1] and 3-2-1.[4] From 1977 to 1980, Hall regularly appeared in the educational television programme Reading With Lenny. He wrote the Kevin the Kitten series of children's reading books which accompanied the series.[5]
Hall married twice. He had two daughters, Beverley and Melanie from his first marriage to Kathleen Mary Hall,who died. He married a second time in 1980, to dance teacher Denise Francis. He suffered from Alzheimer's disease in later life, and died in 2007 in Coventry aged 80. Dr Harry Brünjes, a long-standing family friend, gave the eulogy at the service.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Obituary, The Guardian, 30 May 2007]
- ^ "Bill Mevin - Lambiek Comiclopedia".
- ^ Bethel, Chris. Millwall Football Club 1940–2001 Tempus Publishing Ltd. p44. ISBN 0-7524-2187-5
- ^ gbgameshows (31 October 2012). "3-2-1 - 'Hollywood' (1978)" – via YouTube.
- ^ "Reading with Lenny - BroadcastForSchools.co.uk". www.broadcastforschools.co.uk.
External links
[edit]- Terry Hall at IMDb
- Lenny the Lion at IMDb
- Lenny the Lion at TelevisionHeaven.com
- Children's entertainer Hall dies, BBC News, 11 April 2007
- Obituary, The Independent, 12 April 2007
- Obituary [dead link], The Daily Telegraph, 12 April 2007
- Obituary[dead link], The Times, 14 April 2007