''Davy'' is a 1958 British comedy-drama film directed by
Michael Relph
Michael Leighton George Relph (16 February 1915 – 30 September 2004) was an English film producer, art director, screenwriter and film director. He was the son of actor George Relph.
Films
Relph began his film career in 1933 as an assistant ...
and starring
Harry Secombe
Sir Harold Donald Secombe (8 September 1921 – 11 April 2001) was a Welsh comedian, actor, singer and television presenter. Secombe was a member of the British radio comedy programme ''The Goon Show'' (1951–1960), playing many characters, m ...
,
Alexander Knox
Alexander Knox (16 January 1907 – 25 April 1995) was a Canadian actor on stage, screen, and occasionally television. He was nominated for an Oscar and won a Golden Globe for his performance as Woodrow Wilson in the film '' Wilson'' (1944).
...
and
Ron Randell Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald.
Ron or RON may also refer to:
Arts and media
* Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character
* Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character
*Ron Douglas, the protagonist in '' Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe ...
. It was the last comedy to be made by
Ealing Studios
Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever s ...
and had the distinction of being the first British film in
Technirama
__NOTOC__
Technirama is a screen process that has been used by some film production houses as an alternative to CinemaScope. It was first used in 1957 but fell into disuse in the mid-1960s. The process was invented by Technicolor and is an anamo ...
. ''Davy'' was intended to launch the solo career of Harry Secombe, who was already a popular British radio personality on ''
The Goon Show
''The Goon Show'' is a British radio comedy programme, originally produced and broadcast by the BBC Home Service from 1951 to 1960, with occasional repeats on the BBC Light Programme. The first series, broadcast from 28 May to 20 September 19 ...
'', but it was only moderately successful.
Plot
A young entertainer is conflicted over the chance of a big break. He has to decide whether to remain with his family's
music hall
Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as variety. Perceptions of a distinction in Bri ...
act or to go solo.
Main cast
*
Harry Secombe
Sir Harold Donald Secombe (8 September 1921 – 11 April 2001) was a Welsh comedian, actor, singer and television presenter. Secombe was a member of the British radio comedy programme ''The Goon Show'' (1951–1960), playing many characters, m ...
as Davy Morgan
*
Alexander Knox
Alexander Knox (16 January 1907 – 25 April 1995) was a Canadian actor on stage, screen, and occasionally television. He was nominated for an Oscar and won a Golden Globe for his performance as Woodrow Wilson in the film '' Wilson'' (1944).
...
as Sir Giles Manning
*
Ron Randell Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald.
Ron or RON may also refer to:
Arts and media
* Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character
* Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character
*Ron Douglas, the protagonist in '' Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe ...
as George
*
George Relph
George Relph, CBE (27 January 1888 – 24 April 1960) was an English actor. He acted in more than a dozen films, and also many plays. He served in the British Army in the First World War, and was shot in the leg, hindering his return to acting. ...
as Uncle Pat Morgan
*
Susan Shaw
Susan Shaw (29 August 192927 November 1978) was an English actress.
Biography
Shaw was born Patsy Sloots in West Norwood, London. She had wanted to become a dress designer and was working as a typist at the Ministry for Information when she di ...
as Gwen
*
Bill Owen as Eric
*
Isabel Dean
Isabel Dean (born Isabel Hodgkinson, 29 May 1918 – 27 July 1997) was an English stage, film and television actress.
Life and career
Born in Aldridge, Staffordshire, Dean studied painting at Birmingham Art School. In 1937, she joined the Che ...
as Miss Helen Carstairs
*
Adele Leigh
Adele Leigh (15 June 1928 – 23 May 2004) was an English operatic soprano, later the wife of the Austrian ambassador in London.
Early life
Leigh was born in Hackney, East London on 15 June 1928. Her father left when she was two and she was bro ...
as Joanna Reeves
*
Peter Frampton
Peter Kenneth Frampton (born 22 April 1950) is an English musician and songwriter who was a member of the rock bands Humble Pie and the Herd. As a solo artist, he has released several albums, including his major breakthrough album, the live ...
as Tim
*
Joan Sims
Irene Joan Marion Sims (9 May 1930 – 27 June 2001) was an English actress, best remembered for her roles in the ''Carry On'' franchise, appearing in 24 of the films (the most for any actress).
On television, she is known for playing Gran i ...
as Tea Lady
*
Gladys Henson
Gladys Henson (27 September 1897 – 21 December 1982) was an Irish actress whose career lasted from 1932 to 1976 and included roles on stage, radio, films and television series. Among her most notable films were '' The History of Mr Polly'' ...
as Beatrice, Tea Lady
*
George Moon
George Moon (19 March 1909 – 17 December 1981) was an English stage, film and television actor.
During the late 1950s he appeared as Ginger Smart in the television series ''Shadow Squad'' and its sequel ''Skyport''.
Moon's largest tele ...
as Jerry
* Clarkson Rose as Mrs. Magillicuddy
*
Kenneth Connor
Kenneth Connor, (6 June 1918 – 28 November 1993) was a British stage, film and broadcasting actor, who rose to national prominence with his appearances in the ''Carry On'' films.
Early life
Connor was born in Highbury, Islington, London ...
as Herbie
*
Liz Fraser
Elizabeth Joan Winch (14 August 1930 – 6 September 2018), known professionally as Liz Fraser, was a British film actress, best known for being cast in provocative comedy roles.
Early life
Fraser was born in Southwark, London. Her year of bi ...
as Tea Lady
*
Charles Lamb
Charles Lamb (10 February 1775 – 27 December 1834) was an English essayist, poet, and antiquarian, best known for his '' Essays of Elia'' and for the children's book '' Tales from Shakespeare'', co-authored with his sister, Mary Lamb (1764†...
as Henry
*
Arnold Marlé
Arnold Marlé (15 September 1887 – 21 February 1970) was a German actor who appeared largely in British films and television programmes.
Stage work
His theatre work included appearances on the London stage, and a year-and-a-half-long run on B ...
as Mr. Winkler
*
Campbell Singer
Campbell Singer (born Jacob Kobel Singer; 16 March 1909 – 16 February 1976) was a British character actor who featured in a number of stage, film and television roles during his long career. He was also a playwright and dramatist.
Life
He was ...
as Stage Doorkeeper
Peter Frampton
Peter Kenneth Frampton (born 22 April 1950) is an English musician and songwriter who was a member of the rock bands Humble Pie and the Herd. As a solo artist, he has released several albums, including his major breakthrough album, the live ...
, who plays young Tim, was the son of Harry Frampton, makeup artist for many years at Ealing including in this film. Peter would eventually follow in his father's footsteps and worked as his assistant on several films, including Hitchcock's ''
Frenzy
''Frenzy'' is a 1972 British thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It is the penultimate feature film of his extensive career. The screenplay by Anthony Shaffer was based on the 1966 novel ''Goodbye Piccadilly, Farewell Leicester Squa ...
'' (1972). In 1995, Peter Frampton won
the Oscar
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
for Best Makeup for ''
Braveheart''. He remembered his filming on ''Davy'' fondly, as "it meant time off school and (getting the) star treatment."
Reception
Box office
According to MGM records, the film earned only $40,000 in the US and Canada and $265,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $279,000.
Critical
''
TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
'' called the film a "pleasant if unimpressive drama"; ''Britmovie'' wrote, "stylistically the film is an awkward combination of broad farce, Secombe having made his name as one of the denizens of the celebrated Goon Show, and awkward, turgid scenes of moral conflict"; while ''
Allmovie
AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne.
History
AllMovie was founded by popular-cult ...
'' noted, "a stellar supporting cast enables ''Davy'' to overcome its occasional banalities and cliches."
References
External links
*
Review of filmat Variety
1958 films
1958 comedy-drama films
British comedy-drama films
Ealing Studios films
1958 comedy films
1958 drama films
1950s English-language films
1950s British films
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