Ugly Dave Gray
Ugly Dave Gray | |
|---|---|
| Born | Graham David Taylor 26 December 1933 |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1960s- |
| Known for | The Young Doctors as Bunny Howard Blankety Blanks (as panelist) |
Graham David Taylor (born 26 December 1933), known better as Ugly Dave Gray, is an English Australian comedian, television personality, game show host and radio host. He featured briefly in the TV serial The Young Doctors as publican Bunny Howard.
Biography
[edit]Early life
[edit]Born Graham David Taylor, he transposed his first and middle names to come up with "Dave Gray". The "Ugly" part came from his first wife, Gail Gray, who joked that Gray was so ugly, he made her look attractive.[1] He became active as a comedian in his native England in the 1960s, before arriving in Australia.
Career
[edit]His first television gig in Australia was in 1972, when he hosted a version of the American television game show Beat the Clock. Although still working as a stand-up comedian, by 1976, Gray had taken a straight dramatic role as publican Bunny Howard in the early episodes of soap opera The Young Doctors. The following year, however, Gray appeared in his most popular role, as a regular panelist on the game show Blankety Blanks.[2] He proceeded to leave his role in The Young Doctors after his initial 13-week contract expired to work on Blankety Blanks, with Graham Kennedy himself convincing Gray to do the game show.[3] Gray had been receiving $100 a day for The Young Doctors; with Blankety Blanks paying $45 an episode, this represented a pay cut.[4] Later, Gray signed with agent Harry M Miller, who negotiated the increased pay rate of $75 per episode, which remained until the series ended.[5]
Gray was appointed Court Jester to 1977 King of Moomba Mickey Mouse (a controversial choice with some Melburnians, who preferred 'home-grown' Blinky Bill).[6]
With his ever-present cigar, Gray became one of the most popular comedians on Australian TV. He became a game show host in his own right, helming Celebrity Tattle Tales in 1980, and Play Your Cards Right from 1984 to 1985. Gray also appeared in a series of commercials for Half Case supermarkets in the 1980s, as well as spots for other products, including an erectile dysfunction nasal spray in 2003.[7]
In the 1980s, Gray also presented a drive-time radio program on 3UZ, with Mary Hardy.
Biography and personal life
[edit]Ugly Dave Gray has two children, a daughter and a son. His son, also called Dave Gray, is following in his father's footsteps as a comedian.[8]
In his 2005 autobiography, It's Funny Being Ugly, Gray said he was not invited to speak at Graham Kennedy's funeral, and indeed was not even told where the service was being held. He did attend after asking Phillip Brady for details.[9]
In 1999, Gray announced that he wished to be cryogenically frozen after death.[10]
Albums
[edit]| Title | Album details | Certifications |
|---|---|---|
| Gray and Spicy. Boom! Boom! |
| |
| Ugly Dave Gray's Singalong |
|
Filmography
[edit]| Title | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
| In Melbourne Tonight (TV series) | 1969–1970 | Himself (Host) |
| The Graham Kennedy Show | 1973–1975 | Himself |
| The Ernie Sigley Show (TV series) | 1974 | Himself (Guest artist) |
| Ted Hamilton's Musical World (TV series) | 1974 | Himself |
| The Penthouse Club (TV series) | 1974 | Himself |
| Celebrity Squares (Australian version) (TV series) | 1975–1976 | Himself (Celebrity) |
| Dinah! (TV series) | 1976 | Himself |
| The Young Doctors (TV series) | 1976–1977 | Bunny Howard |
| All at Sea (TV movie) | 1977 | Dick Goscomb |
| Blankety Blanks (TV series) | 1977–1978 | Himself (Panellist) |
| Celebrity Tattle Tales (TV series) | 1980 | Himself (Host) |
| The Daryl Somers Show | 1982–1983 | Himself |
| Play Your Cards Right (TV series) | 1984 | Himself (Host) |
| Vaudeville (TV movie documentary) | 1992 | Himself |
| Frontline (TV series) (known as Behind the Frontline or Breaking News in the U.S.) | 1994 | Himself |
| Burke's Backyard | 1996 | Himself (Celebrity gardener) |
| The Micallef P(r)ogram(me) (TV series) | 2001 | Himself (Guest) |
| Gettin' Square (Movie) | 2003 | Jack Cullan |
| Double the Fist (TV series) | 2004 | Himself |
| Graham Kennedy: Farewell to the King (TV movie) | 2005 | Himself |
| Temptation (TV series) | 2006 | Himself (Contestant) |
| I Will Not Go Quietly (Documentary) | 2010 | Himself |
| The Hamster Wheel (TV series) | 2011 | Himself (Guest) |
References in popular culture
[edit]Gray was portrayed by Angus Sampson in the 2007 television movie The King, about the life of Graham Kennedy.
References
[edit]- ^ Ugly Dave Gray, It's Funny Being Ugly New Holland 2008 p. 86
- ^ "Ugly Dave's Gray-ve plan". The Gold Coast Bulletin. Australia. 13 December 2010. p. 17.
- ^ Gray, Dave. It's Funny Being Ugly, New Holland Publishers, 2005. ISBN 1-74110-409-2. pp. 125–6
- ^ Gray, Dave. It's Funny Being Ugly, New Holland Publishers, 2005. ISBN 1-74110-409-2 p. 126
- ^ Gray, Dave. It's Funny Being Ugly, New Holland Publishers, 2005. ISBN 1-74110-409-2 p. 133.
- ^ Craig Bellamy, Gordon Chisholm, Hilary Eriksen (17 February 2006) Moomba: A festival for the people.: "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 August 2006. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) PDF pp. 17–22 - ^ "Impotent to get money back". theage.com.au. 4 December 2003. Retrieved 30 September 2007.
- ^ "David Gray – Stand-Up Comedian". Archived from the original on 6 October 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
- ^ Gray, Dave "It's Funny Being Ugly", New Holland Publishers, 2005 ISBN 1-74110-409-2 p. 224
- ^ Jeffrey, James (13 December 2010). "Strewth". The Australian. p. 13.
- ^ "Grey Turns Gold" (PDF). Billboard. 24 September 1977. p. 54. Retrieved 10 November 2021 – via World Radio History.