† Aug 7 1940 – Aug 16 2022
A popular turn on the club circuit in the late '60s and early '70s, chubby-faced comic Duggie Brown made an unusual transition to cinema and TV in serious and comedy roles after his brief appearance in Ken Loach's 'Kes'. He went on to feature in some of the typically gritty TV plays of the early '70s including 'Another Sunday and Sweet FA', 'Rank and File', Play for Today 'The Price of Coal', and 'The Hard Word'. All the while, he was also appearing on Granada Television's 'The Comedians' performing the presumably less blue parts of his club act for teatime TV audiences.
He had the title role in kitchen-sink doyenne Shelagh Delaney's six-part BBC series 'The House That Jack Built', which appears to be a victim of the corporation's disastrous tape-wiping stinginess. Shame if it hasn't survived, sounds like something of a lost gem.
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| In the 1977 Play for Today, 'The Price of Coal' |
I first recall him in the rather downbeat modelling-agency sitcom, 'The Glamour Girls', written by Reggie Perrin creator David Nobbs. It also featured our old friend James Warrior, not to mention Brigit Forsyth as a slightly neurotic model constantly at odds with her bubbly blonde colleague played by Sally Watts.
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| In a recent TV interview. |
Trivia: He helmed the ITV Saturday morning kids' show 'The Mersey Pirate' - a desolate relation of Tiswas - filmed on board a cold and draughty boat on Liverpool Docks.
More trivia: His sister, the late Lynne Perrie, was famous as Ivy Tilsley on 'Coronation Street'. The family resemblance is quite marked.
Duggie Brown-imdb
I fondly remember him in "The Enigma Files" )which according to IMDB was way back in 1980 - blimey.)
ReplyDeleteHe was a kind of early CSI guy / comedy relief. I remember the show as quite offbeat and quirky (I'm probably wrong).
It "starred" Tom Adams, most lately seen in a stairlift advert sadly, but a stalwart square jawed leading man back in the 60s/70s, prime blog material (checks imdb - still alive!)
Brilliant recall. I don't remember that at all, but it looks great from this little clip. Tom Adams is prime FU material too!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfwPx49jUXo
Damn! now I'll never find out what William Gaunt (still around too) was up to! Notice how Sharon Maughans name was misspelled in the titles? (plus that boy grew up to be semi-famous can't place him at the moment , probably a Grange Hiller I imagine)
ReplyDeleteJohn Alford, who played Robbie Wright in 'Grange Hill'. Went on to be in 'London's Burning'.
ReplyDeleteCan currently (2016) be seen in the Tesco Christmas TV advert.
ReplyDeleteand now doing british heart foundation advert 2019
Delete"The House That Jack Built" was a splendid six-part series, written by Shelagh Delaney. It documented the first ten years of the marriage of Jack (Duggie) and Lu (Sharon Duce). No other actors appeared.
ReplyDeleteThe first episode was the most memorable as it featured Lu - drunk on her honeymoon - performing a striptease in front of Jack once they were alone. She suddenly took exception to a remark Jack made and rushed at him intent on violent revenge while bare-breasted; aggression and beauty in the same scene.
I've liked Sharon Duce ever since...
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ReplyDeleteI'm sure Duggie Brown's in the British Heart Foundation, commercial, as the grandad with dementia.
ReplyDeleteYes he is in the heart commercial
ReplyDelete