Ray Alan Dies

Variety star Ray Alan has died aged 79 his agent confirms. Alan became a popular television personality thanks to his ventriloquist act starring alongside the always drunk, posh puppet, Lord Charles.

 

 

Alan, after leaving school aged 14, worked at the Lewisham Hippodrome as a call-boy before taking to the stage with his variety act. Initially his routine included impressions and magic tricks. But it was his ventriloquism that made him a star. Aged 19 he changed his act into what millions of viewers came to love.

 

In the 1950s he became a ‘television personality’ with regular appearances on many BBC and ITV shows, including ATV Network’s Sunday Night At The London Palladium. [Pictured in a promo for the show in 1965. above left]

 

For the next five decades he would be a popular booking on chat shows and quizzes appearing on everything from The Bachelors special, Des O’Connor Tonight, Surprise Surprise and game shows such as The Golden Shot, Give Us A Clue and Celebrity Squares. He also presented his own series for Children’s television.

 

Ray Alan also was a respected writer, devising scripts for television comedy and also as an author; his latest book was released earlier this year.

 

Alan died after complaining of feeling unwell. He died at his home in Reigate, Surrey.