Oliver Wakefield
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Oliver Wakefield (29 May 1909 – 30 June 1956) was a popular British actor and comedian, born in South Africa, who was active from the 1930s until his death in 1956. Often billed as "The Voice of Inexperience", Wakefield is best known for his idiosyncratic satirical monologues.


Biography

Born in
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,
Natal NATAL or Natal may refer to: Places * Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, a city in Brazil * Natal, South Africa (disambiguation), a region in South Africa ** Natalia Republic, a former country (1839–1843) ** Colony of Natal, a former British colony ( ...
, Wakefield was educated in South Africa, then traveled to England, where he began acting with a
Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
an
repertory A repertory theatre is a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation. United Kingdom Annie Horniman founded the first modern repertory theatre in Manchester after withdrawing ...
company. He then attended the
Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Senat ...
for further study, where he developed his distinctive style of humorous monologue. Wakefield created the stage persona of a nervous upper class young man, customarily dressed in full dinner suit and habitually carrying a cigarette. He developed a distinctive stuttering mode of speech featuring tortuous syntax,
malaprop A malapropism (also called a malaprop, acyrologia, or Dogberryism) is the mistaken use of an incorrect word in place of a word with a similar sound, resulting in a nonsensical, sometimes humorous utterance. An example is the statement attributed to ...
isms,
spoonerism A spoonerism is an occurrence in speech in which corresponding consonants, vowels, or morphemes are switched (see metathesis) between two words in a phrase. These are named after the Oxford don and ordained minister William Archibald Spooner, w ...
s, dropped words and unfinished sentences which he used to disguise his satirical observations, wry sarcasm and clever
double entendre A double entendre (plural double entendres) is a figure of speech or a particular way of wording that is devised to have a double meaning, of which one is typically obvious, whereas the other often conveys a message that would be too socially ...
s. In his early career he was clean-shaven but later grew a handlebar moustache. He quickly established himself in nightclubs and music hall and became the first Resident Comedian on the
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, as well as making pioneering appearances in the early days of British TV, despite sometimes contravening the BBC's strict rules on vulgarity. He also became established in the United States and appeared in the variety movie short ''On the Air and Off'' (1933) (USA short, filmed at Biograph Studios, Bronx, New York City) (Universal Pictures). He made one of his first American stage appearances in the '' Ziegfeld Follies of 1934'', which also featured
Eve Arden Eve Arden (born Eunice Mary Quedens, April 30, 1908 – November 12, 1990) was an American film, radio, stage and television actress. She performed in leading and supporting roles for nearly six decades. Beginning her film career in 1929 ...
. He was sometimes billed in the U.S. as Lord Oliver Wakefield, and later said: "For some considerable time, millions of people thought I was a
peer of the realm A peer of the realm is a member of the highest aristocratic social order outside the ruling dynasty of the kingdom. Notable examples are: * a member of the peerages in the United Kingdom, who is a hereditary peer or a life peer * a member of the ...
and I was afforded many privileges...".Richard Anthony Baker, ''Old Time Variety: an illustrated history'', Pen & Sword, 2011, , p.140 Wakefield appeared in several
British Pathé British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
newsreels in the late 1930s. In 1937 he starred in the 20th Century Fox film ''There Was Young Man'', followed by featured roles in several British films between 1938 and 1942 including ''
The Peterville Diamond ''The Peterville Diamond'' is a 1942 British comedy film directed by Walter Forde and starring Anne Crawford, Donald Stewart and Renee Houston. It is also known by the alternative title ''Jewel Robbery''. - from the 1931 play of the same title; ...
'' (1942), playing a gentleman jewel thief (whose partner-in-crime was played by future ''
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
'' star
William Hartnell William Henry Hartnell (8 January 1908 – 23 April 1975) was an English actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of the First Doctor, first incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor in ''Doctor Who'' from 1963 to 1966. In film, ...
). He made regular appearances at the
Savoy Theatre The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre was designed by C. J. Phipps for Richard D'Oyly Carte and opened on 10 October 1881 on a site previously occupied by the Savoy Pala ...
, the Berkeley, the Ritz, Cafe de Paris, Churchill's and other leading London venues. He was booked to open at the
Rainbow Room The Rainbow Room is a private event space on the 65th floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza at Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Run by Tishman Speyer, it is among the highest venues in New York City. The Rainbow Room serves clas ...
in New York City three weeks after the outbreak of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, but chose to remain in England, where he served in the
R.A.F. The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
After the war, Wakefield returned to show business. He toured Australia, performing for a year in
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
and Sydney, followed by a 52-week radio series for the
Australian Broadcasting Commission The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-owned ...
. Moving to the United States in 1952, he performed at the Blue Angel in New York, followed by engagements at Number One Fifth Avenue, Ruban Bleu and Bon Soir and TV appearances on ''All Star Revue'', the
Kate Smith Kathryn Elizabeth Smith (May 1, 1907 – June 17, 1986) was an American contralto. Referred to as The First Lady of Radio, Smith is well known for her renditions of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America" & "When The Moon Comes Over The Mountain". ...
show, ''
The Steve Allen Show ''The Steve Allen Show'' was an American variety show hosted by Steve Allen from June 1956 to June 1960 on NBC, from September 1961 to December 1961 on American Broadcasting Company, ABC,
'' and many others. His last Broadway appearance was in the Broadway revue, ''Two's Company'' at the
Alvin Theatre The Neil Simon Theatre, originally the Alvin Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 250 West 52nd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, the theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was built for ...
in New York in 1952, which starred
Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her pe ...
. In Canada he appeared frequently on the Canadian Broadcasting Service on the ''Frigidair TV Show'', played a fourteen-week engagement at
Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
club Ruby Foos and hosted his own TV panel Show ''Make a Match''. Wakefield died from a heart attack at his
Rye, New York Rye is a coastal suburb of New York City in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is separate from the Town of Rye, which has more land area than the city. The City of Rye, formerly the Village of Rye, was part of the Town until it r ...
home at 351
Park Avenue Park Avenue is a wide New York City boulevard which carries north and southbound traffic in the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. For most of the road's length in Manhattan, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the west and Lexington Avenu ...
, aged 47.


Selected filmography

* ''
There Was a Young Man ''There Was a Young Man'' is a 1937 British comedy film directed by Albert Parker and starring Oliver Wakefield, Nancy O'Neil and Clifford Heatherley. It was made at Wembley Studios as a quota quickie by Twentieth Century Fox.Wood p.97 Cast * O ...
'' (1937) * ''
Shipyard Sally ''Shipyard Sally'' is a 1939 British musical comedy film directed by Monty Banks and starring Gracie Fields, Sydney Howard and Norma Varden. The film is notable for the song "Wish Me Luck as You Wave Me Goodbye", which became a major hit. Plot ...
'' (1939) * ''
George and Margaret ''George and Margaret'' is a comedy play by British writer Gerald Savory, which was first staged in 1937. It had a very successful run in the West End, beginning at Wyndham's Theatre before transferring to the Piccadilly Theatre, lasting for ove ...
'' (1940) * ''
The Peterville Diamond ''The Peterville Diamond'' is a 1942 British comedy film directed by Walter Forde and starring Anne Crawford, Donald Stewart and Renee Houston. It is also known by the alternative title ''Jewel Robbery''. - from the 1931 play of the same title; ...
'' (1942) * '' Let the People Sing'' (1942)


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wakefield, Oliver 1909 births 1956 deaths British male film actors British male stage actors British male television actors British male Shakespearean actors Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art 20th-century British male actors 20th-century British comedians Royal Air Force personnel of World War II