DICK EMERYThe humour of Dick Emery, who died on 2 January, 1983, was the epitome of British camp comedy in the 1960s and '70s.The saucy exploits of his cast of characters provided many of the best known catchphrases of the era and also popularised the spoof vox pop as a comic convention.Richard Gilbert Emery was born on 19 February, 1915, in Bloomsbury, London to a pair of comedy performers. Destined to be an entertainer, he served time in prison for desertion after he chose to join a theatre troupe instead of the RAF.After his release he began making his name on the vaudeville circuit and radio soon beckoned with a Saturday night slot on Radio Luxembourg. He then appeared in several television sitcoms and joined the cast of Hancock's Half Hour, a breeding ground for comedy talent.The Dick Emery Show began in 1963 and ran for 18 years. Dick played all the lead roles, which included various stock characters from British society, from buck-toothed vicars to busty housewives.His most famous creation was Mandy, a dizzy blonde whose life was a series of accidental innuendos – she featured in a film entitled Ooh... You Are Awful (1972) after her catchphrase.Mr Emery also acted in several films and numerous television specials. Another string to his bow was music and he released albums of amusing songs.After his death at the age of 67 from heart and respiratory failure at a hotel in London, it emerged that he had suffered from severe stage fright and despite his success lacked confidence.Neverthel ess, his comedy has remained a staple part of clip shows since and it is easy to trace his influence on modern sketch shows and comedians.
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