Freddie Davies

Freddie Davies was born in Brixton, London in 1937, the grandson of music hall comedian Jack Herbert.{{cite news|last=Kelner|first=Martin|title=Martin Kelner went in search of...|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/martin-kelner-went-in-search-of-a-sadoldendofthepiercomic-story-but-when-he-found-it-he-discovered-freddie-parrot-face-davies-had-rewritten-the-script-1598365.html|work=The independent|accessdate=10 February 2014}} At the start of the Second World War, Davies was evacuated to Seend in Wiltshire, subsequently to Torquay in Devon and then to Salford, Lancashire in 1941.

After finishing his national service in the Royal Army Pay Corps, Davies became a stand-up comedian. He began his career in 1958 as a Butlin's holiday camp entertainer. He started on the cabaret circuit in 1964, when he turned professional, and he appeared on many television shows in the 1960s, '70s and '80s including Opportunity Knocks, Sunday Night at the London Palladium, The Des O'Connor Show, The Tom Jones Show, The Bachelors Show and Blackpool Night Out.

His first appearance on the ITV talent show Opportunity Knocks, on 1 August 1964, brought him to public notice. The single joke he told involved an increasingly exasperated character remonstrating with a tiresome pet-shop owner with the words: "look here, Parrot-face!". Audience reaction prompted him to bill himself as "Freddie 'Parrot-face' Davies". He made further allusions to birds in jokes about budgies, and by playing a character he named Samuel Tweet. His visual identity included wearing a black Homburg hat pulled low on his head, pushing out his ears.{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/martin-kelner-went-in-search-of-a-sadoldendofthepiercomic-story-but-when-he-found-it-he-discovered-freddie-parrot-face-davies-had-rewritten-the-script-1598365.html|title=Martin Kelner went in search of a sad-old-end-of-the-pier-comic story.|date=27 August 1995|website=The Independent}}

From 1968 to 1971, the long-running British children's comic Buster featured the comic-strip Freddie "Parrot-Face" Davies, based upon the adventures of Freddie and his "boodgies" (budgies). In 1974, he took the lead role in a BBC children's television series, The Small World of Samuel Tweet. Mr. Tweet worked in a pet shop in Chumpton Green, appearing with many animals during the series. He also appeared in a television commercial for Mars' "Trill" bird seed, with the slogan, "Trill makes budgies bounce with health".

After a spell touring the USA he returned to the UK and began a television acting career, appearing in Heartbeat, Casualty, Last of the Summer Wine, Preston Front, two series of Harbour Lights (as George Blade), Born and Bred, Sensitive Skin and My Family. He also appeared in the RSC's 2000-01 production of the musical The Secret Garden.{{cite web|author=Matt Wolf |url=https://variety.com/2001/legit/reviews/the-secret-garden-4-1200467488/# |title=The Secret Garden |publisher=Variety |date=2001-03-04 |accessdate=2014-03-06}}

Davies acted in films including the 1995 comedy Funny Bones and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in 2004.

While living in the Scottish village of Aberfeldy, Davies produced a DVD for the local Aberfeldy and District Gaelic Choir.[http://www.aberfeldygaelicchoir.co.uk/news/04MAY07.html Gaelic Choir filming in Aberfeldy at aberfeldygaelicchoir.co.uk] He also ran a stage school, Stage One, whilst living near Aberfeldy but found it to be a difficult proposition financially. He now lives in North Yorkshire.{{cite web|title=Biography|url=http://www.freddiedavies.com/biog.htm|website=Freddie Davies. The official web site|accessdate=26 August 2017|archive-date=26 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826154530/http://www.freddiedavies.com/biog.htm|url-status=dead}}

In December 2012 and January 2013, Davies appeared in the BBC Two documentary Blackpool: Big Night Out, sharing reminiscences of performing in the town. The programme included a clip of Davies' comedy routine at the ABC Theatre in Blackpool, on 31 July 1966, where he was appearing that year in a summer season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pm7zk|title=BBC Two - Blackpool Big Night Out|website=BBC}}

He has performed in a one-man show entitled Funny Bones.

In 2022, Davis played the father of Eddie Marsan‘s John Darwin in the ITV Drama The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe.

Davies is a long-serving Freemason, and a Past Master of Chelsea Lodge No 3098,{{cite web |url = http://www.chelsea-lodge.org.uk/masters.htm |title = Past Masters of Chelsea Lodge |publisher = Chelsea Lodge No 3098 |access-date = 18 November 2018 }} a London Masonic lodge for those associated with the entertainment industry. In 2016, he celebrated 50 years as a Freemason.{{cite web |url = http://croeso8377.swmason.com/2016/03/20/visit-to-chelsea-lodge/freddiedavies/ |title = Visit to Chelsea Lodge - Freddie Davies |publisher = Croeso Lodge No 8377 |access-date = 18 November 2018 }}

His autobiography Funny Bones: My Life in Comedy, co-written by Anthony Teague, was published by Northern company Scratching Shed on 31 July 2014, fifty years after his appearance on Opportunity Knocks.

Freddie also recorded several children's albums and stories for children. The Last of the Summer Wine actor Bill Owen wrote the lyrics to a romantic ballad called "So Lucky" which Freddie recorded in 1972.{{YouTube|sSF64AGDl9g|So Lucky}} It became a hit record in the Philippines and South America, going gold in Brazil.

{{reflist}}

• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060525005319/http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/celebs/parrotface.jpg Picture of Freddie Davies]}}
• [http://www.freddiedavies.com Official Freddie Davies web site]
• {{IMDb name|0203709}}
• {{Discogs artist|Freddie Davies}}

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Category:1937 births

Category:Living people

Category:English male comedians

Category:English male film actors

Category:English male television actors

Category:Royal Army Pay Corps soldiers

Category:Actors from the London Borough of Lambeth

Category:Male actors from Salford

Category:Butlins Redcoats

Category:20th-century British Army personnel

Category:Male actors from London

Category:Comedians from the London Borough of Lambeth

Category:Comedians from Lancashire

Category:Military personnel from the London Borough of Lambeth

Category:People from Brixton