I got his autograph at the Manchester BBC studios in the late 60s. He appeared on the same theatre bill with Laurel & Hardy in the 1950s, and after the show there was a knock on his dressing room door, which was up a few flights of stairs. At the door was Oliver Hardy, panting and out of breath. Oliver said "Mr Alan, can I have your autograph?" Ray said, "Oh I would have come to you if I'd known, I wouldn't have had you coming all the way up here!" Oliver replied "Listen Ray, it was me that wanted it and only right that I should come to you." Shows the wonderful nature of Laurel & Hardy. Ray was only used to dealing with divas. He treasured that.
I'm 60, and my first memory of ventriloquism was of Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop. My little brain quickly worked out that the big person was making the little person speak. Then, on British tv, I saw Ray Alan and Lord Charles and I thought I knew what was happening...... until Lord Charles wanted his dummy! When that happened... my little brain was bamboozled! I knew that Ray was making his Lordship talk... but I couldn't work out who was making Lord Charles's dummy talk. Now, I ❤ ventriloquism!
Ray Allen, he was amazing, baffled me as a youngster, Lord Charles always 'appeared squiffy' (drunk) which as a child really made me laugh, and also Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop 😀
As someone has said below, you really should see Ray Alan doing his routine where Lord Charles has decided he's going to be a ventriloquist (or 'ventriquolist', as he puts it). It really is a brilliant routine - Ray Alan has to switch between being himself, being Lord Charles and being Lord Charles being a terrible ventriloquist, and he does it seamlessly! It's on TH-cam.
Ray Alan once said he was passing by a royal mail post box and for fun pranked passers by by having a "conversation" with someone who was supposedly trapped inside because they had mailed themselves. Ray also had an afternoon TV show looking back at music hall greats of the past.
Ray Alan was at the top of the tree with his Lord Charles drunk dummy. never seen it done better I was convinced there was something in the dummy speaking. A true genius Ray Alan I salute your truly brilliant talent. kept me entertained for many years.
He also did Titch and Quackers a children's show. I saw him live once at a theatre I worked at when he did a show for all male conference delegates with Lord Charles and it was full of blue jokes and innuendo. Absolutely hilarious night!
The best to ever do it. If you watch closely, there is slight throat movement at times, but then it has to be realised that he is voicing this character after all. I don't think anyone has ever come close since. It probably helps that Lord Charles is always a little tipsy so he can slur his words. :)
Ray was on a lot in the 60s. He had a children's programme called Tich and Quackers. Tich was a schoolboy version of Lord Charles, and Quackers was a yellow duck. He was always entertaining. I enjoyed the banter, didn't look for giveaways that it wasn't real. In the 50s they used to have a vent act on the radio! It was called Educating Archie. Problem arose when they tried to transfer it to TV because the vent's mouth could be seen moving! Very bizarre, but it was popular with that generation, and an awful lot of comics, who later became household names, started on that show.
Lord charles was ALWAYS Drunk.. Hence the slurred words... not only is doing a vent act bloody hard but in comedy doing a drunk is extremely hard to... put them together and you have the G.O.A.T that is Ray Allen... 😊
Ray Allen also hosted a show with 2 large puppets. A schoolboy called Titch and his pet duck Quackers. Titch looked like a younger version of Lord Charles.
Yeah, as a kid I thought he was amazing, and I was a bit scared to watch this in case he wasn't, but yes, as good as I remember. He was on various shows for years, what an act. Hope you're well Tony!
Grew up watching the brilliant Ray Allen. He also did a children's magic series with another of his "partners"; a mystical moggie called Ali Cat, who sounded quite similar to his lordship,but with a more feline twang.
Ray Alan & Lord Charles were very famous and popular during my childhood in the 1970s. I would have been too young to understand a lot of the nuances of the humour (the double-entendres); and the fact that Lord Charles was clearly drunk would have gone completely over my head.
"By Jove! What a silly @rse! Ray Alan and Lord Charles were around at the same time as Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop. I remember them very well - and, at sixty, I can still do the voices. Although I cannot ventriloquise!
Ray Alan is possibly the best ever ventriloquist, you should watch some more of his stuff, especially one where he drinks a pint of milk, it's unbelievable! Totally puts Jeff Dunham to shame, I don't think he's all that to be fair as Ventriloquists go..
Ray Alan was brilliant. We in the UK have a modern-day ventriloquist, Hey Look Squirrel, check her out, her name is Nina Conti, she is amazing. She is the daughter of Tom Conti the actor.
Lord Charles’ look was based on the late great Stan Laurel. Ray for me will always be the very best in the business. I second another comment advising to watch the video of Lord Charles doing ventriloquism, it’s superb.
Hey Squirrel, I grew up watching them. Besides Doddy & Dickie Mint, this was my first experience of a ventriloquist. They often used to appear on other programs as a variety piece. I`m not sure, but I think they started on radio in the late `50`s, moving to Tv in the `60`s when it was taking off. Yes, Lord Charles was often considered to be sozzled, as the behaviour of a "Hooray Henry" of the Upper Class. (e.g. Bertie Wooster) I believe Lord Charles now resides in an Entertainer`s Museum, with other famous former partners of human performers. Sadly though, his voice is forever silenced except for these wonderful memories of days gone by. :(
I watched these as a teenager in 1970s. Favourite was Lord Charles doing a ventriloquist act, of course very badly. And when criticised by Ray Allen, he challenges him to try, which Allen declines, then he turns to the audience and says “don’t you hate it when people who know nothing about the subject interfere”. A master on many levels.
As a young child in the 60s I remember we had a lot of variety shows on the television. Ray Alan was everywhere, one of our most popular entertainers. Being young I preferred his Titch and Quackers characters, as I was a bit too young to understand the nuances of a drunken Lord Charles.
Does anyone remember Peter Brough and Archie who had a ventiloquist show on the radio for many years, 1950s, but when he moved to TV people realised why he was better suited to radio ...... his lips were moving ! Around the same time there was Terry Hall with Lenny The Lion. Vent acts were pretty big in the 50s and 60s
It was a genius idea to make Lord Charles a bit tipsy, so that he could slur & make unclear words. Ray Alan was probaby the top Vent act in the UK in his day. In stark contrast to the earlier Peter Brough who did Ventriloquism on the Radio & when he moved to TV was seen to be moving his lips very obviously.
I saw Ray Allen live years ago when I was a teenager. I was within ten feet of the guy and he was flawless. The other great vent I have seen live a few times, and with whom I was very impressed was Paul Zerdin
Ray and Lord Charles actually presented a children's tv show called Titch and Quackers ran for 8 seasons 141 episodes of course Titch and Quackers were also puppets and thry interacted with live guests
And Lord Charles was an aristocratic drunk character so 'easy' to slur his words etc. Ray Charles was a gifted ventriloquist of the period and could be enjoyed by all ages. Ken Dodd was a believable ventriloquist too. Cheers DougT
That’s no dummy, that’s Lord Charles!! 🤣🤣. Ray Allen was a genius ventriloquist and Lord Charles always got away with calling people “silly arses” on the restricted broadcaster (back in the 70’s 😉) Auntie Beeb …. 🤣🤣🤣 well, he was a Lord so he was allowed to say “naughty words”
@@postscript67 you might “think” he said ‘silly ass’ but Lord Charles definitely said “arse” 😉🤣 watch other clips of Lord Charles berating someone - he turns using that expression into an art form - clever of Ray Alan in making Lord Charles sound three sheets to the wind and getting away with Lord Charles slurring his words ….🤣🤣 saying “silly arse” was his catchphrase!
From the best, to greatest bad ventriloquist. Sandy Powell was one of the biggest stars of the 30s and 40s, keeping up the nations spirits through the War. He kept going almost up to the end. Here he is at The Royal Variety Performance in 1970 (he had done it in 1935 too). Inspired by the many terrible ventriloquist acts he shared a bill with, he came up with this : th-cam.com/video/nNCwpXaUFbg/w-d-xo.html
I think I always preferred Lord Charles compared to Orville & Nookie Bear. He was actually funny, and not green 😁 I've got a photo somewhere of a lovely wooden yacht, moored up in Greece called L'Orve - with a bright green carved Orville as a bow sprit, nappy & all 😂 I reckon that made me laugh more than the puppet ever did.
You people in America, have been brought up to believe that the American Edgar Bergen was the best in the world - he was a long way short of that. Ray Alan and Arthur Worsley (both English), were `real`vents whose mouths were immobile when working.
Ray Alan did this act for decades, and he aged Lord Charles with him, getting greyer and more doddery as the years went by. Genius.
Ray Allan once got charged with assault. Apparently he hit a guy over the head with a gottle of geer.
@@scoobydont5299 That was because the guy was drinking his water.
@@scoobydont5299
We're talking about Ray Alan here, it would definitely have been a 'bottle of beer'! 🤣
@@jamespasifull3424 maybe it was Tommy Cooper!
@@scoobydont5299 Well, we can't accuse Ray Alan just like that!
Hey Squirrel……good evening, Ray was superb, as a kid, I was mesmerised 👍👌😜🇮🇲
When a national newspaper reported Ray's passing some time ago, they concluded with the poignant quote, "Lord Charles was unavailable for comment."
You must check out the clip with Lord Charles doing HIS ventriloquist act!!
Ray Alan at his absolute peak!!😲😲😲
Oh yes! That triggered a stray memory!
Yeah that was good
I remember that. "Hello, Johnny." . "Hello Gugner!", "It wasn't the dolly saying that, you know, it was me!"
Absolutely brilliant. The best act of its sort.
This: th-cam.com/video/C3Zn3M-WMzM/w-d-xo.html
I got his autograph at the Manchester BBC studios in the late 60s. He appeared on the same theatre bill with Laurel & Hardy in the 1950s, and after the show there was a knock on his dressing room door, which was up a few flights of stairs. At the door was Oliver Hardy, panting and out of breath. Oliver said "Mr Alan, can I have your autograph?" Ray said, "Oh I would have come to you if I'd known, I wouldn't have had you coming all the way up here!" Oliver replied "Listen Ray, it was me that wanted it and only right that I should come to you." Shows the wonderful nature of Laurel & Hardy. Ray was only used to dealing with divas. He treasured that.
Thank you so much for telling this wonderful story for us, that was really beautiful
I'm 60, and my first memory of ventriloquism was of Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop. My little brain quickly worked out that the big person was making the little person speak.
Then, on British tv, I saw Ray Alan and Lord Charles and I thought I knew what was happening...... until Lord Charles wanted his dummy!
When that happened... my little brain was bamboozled!
I knew that Ray was making his Lordship talk... but I couldn't work out who was making Lord Charles's dummy talk.
Now, I ❤ ventriloquism!
"you silly arse"! Lord Charles was brilliant. The best is when Lord Charles had his own little puppet.
This act is good, here in the uK we also had the ventrilaquist Peter Brough, his show being "Educating Archie", it was on the RADIO!
nigel leyand~ ....and his act completely went down the toilet when he transferred to TV as you could see his lips move 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Ray Allen, he was amazing, baffled me as a youngster, Lord Charles always 'appeared squiffy' (drunk) which as a child really made me laugh, and also Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop 😀
As someone has said below, you really should see Ray Alan doing his routine where Lord Charles has decided he's going to be a ventriloquist (or 'ventriquolist', as he puts it). It really is a brilliant routine - Ray Alan has to switch between being himself, being Lord Charles and being Lord Charles being a terrible ventriloquist, and he does it seamlessly!
It's on TH-cam.
Ray Allen was without any doubt the greatest ventriloquist the world has ever seen.The man was a remarkable talent and a really nice guy.
Ray Alan once said he was passing by a royal mail post box and for fun pranked passers by by having a "conversation" with someone who was supposedly trapped inside because they had mailed themselves. Ray also had an afternoon TV show looking back at music hall greats of the past.
I had forgotten about Ray Allan and Lord Charles.
I can remember watching him on Tv in the 80’s when I was a kid.
I remember him well and he was one one of those entertainers that everyone would look forward to seeing again.
he was a complete artist Ray. on another level. there is a routine out there where Lord Charles has a dummy as well.
Always loved Ray and Lord Charles who was on the TV still when Ray was old and still brilliant.
Ray Alan was at the top of the tree with his Lord Charles drunk dummy. never seen it done better I was convinced there was something in the dummy speaking. A true genius Ray Alan I salute your truly brilliant talent. kept me entertained for many years.
there is a clip of him on youtube where lord charles also has a dummy! ray does lord charles and lord charles doing the dummy badly. pure genius!
Ray Alan & Lord Charles were regular on TV back in the early 1970's and I remember watching them
He also did Titch and Quackers a children's show. I saw him live once at a theatre I worked at when he did a show for all male conference delegates with Lord Charles and it was full of blue jokes and innuendo. Absolutely hilarious night!
He was a great 'vensquilikwist' lol. His wooden friend actually did all the talking & controlled Ray's mouth. You couldn't tell could you! 😆🇬🇧🇺🇸
Brilliant, love Ray Alan, so funny and the best ventriloquist ever ❤️
Ray Alan used to live in the same village as me when I was growing up. We used to see him occasionally in the high street.
This brings back some happy memories.
The best to ever do it. If you watch closely, there is slight throat movement at times, but then it has to be realised that he is voicing this character after all. I don't think anyone has ever come close since. It probably helps that Lord Charles is always a little tipsy so he can slur his words. :)
Ray was one of the best we had
Have a very happy birthday 🎂 I've left you a message in the usual place
Ray was on a lot in the 60s. He had a children's programme called Tich and Quackers. Tich was a schoolboy version of Lord Charles, and Quackers was a yellow duck. He was always entertaining. I enjoyed the banter, didn't look for giveaways that it wasn't real.
In the 50s they used to have a vent act on the radio! It was called Educating Archie. Problem arose when they tried to transfer it to TV because the vent's mouth could be seen moving! Very bizarre, but it was popular with that generation, and an awful lot of comics, who later became household names, started on that show.
Lord charles was ALWAYS Drunk.. Hence the slurred words... not only is doing a vent act bloody hard but in comedy doing a drunk is extremely hard to... put them together and you have the G.O.A.T that is Ray Allen... 😊
Always worth watching. Ray Alan.
Top rate, was very funny watching as a kid.
Ray Allen also hosted a show with 2 large puppets. A schoolboy called Titch and his pet duck Quackers. Titch looked like a younger version of Lord Charles.
Ray Alan was a great ventriloquist, the drunken Lord Charles was hilarious.
Yeah, as a kid I thought he was amazing, and I was a bit scared to watch this in case he wasn't, but yes, as good as I remember. He was on various shows for years, what an act. Hope you're well Tony!
I’m doing pretty good Phil thank you for asking. I hope you and yours are well too man. Appreciate your continued support Phil.
@@TheRealSquirrel good to hear, and a pleasure.
@@TheRealSquirrelCheck out Arthur Worsley.
Oh what a joy . I haven't seen these two for years . Marvellous stuff
"Ray Alan Lord Charles 1974" with the milk drinking is excellent.
He was absolutely brilliant. He was the only ventriloquist I found entertaining, as a kid
Grew up watching the brilliant Ray Allen. He also did a children's magic series with another of his "partners"; a mystical moggie called Ali Cat, who sounded quite similar to his lordship,but with a more feline twang.
Yep, Ray Alan was brilliant, he did it for a long, long time.
Not as good as Shari Lewis, imo. She was absolutely amazing, especially the very quick repartee with Lamb Chop.
Ray Alan & Lord Charles were very famous and popular during my childhood in the 1970s. I would have been too young to understand a lot of the nuances of the humour (the double-entendres); and the fact that Lord Charles was clearly drunk would have gone completely over my head.
Always was, and still is just the best!
A legend in UK comedy...Great find
I was a stagehand and watched him do 10 minutes with Lord Charles. That’s why he’s called STONELIPS. Thanks for the vid!
He was a legend on TV in the UK for decades .. technically the best ventriloquist in the world ...ever.
"By Jove! What a silly @rse!
Ray Alan and Lord Charles were around at the same time as Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop. I remember them very well - and, at sixty, I can still do the voices. Although I cannot ventriloquise!
Ray Alan is possibly the best ever ventriloquist, you should watch some more of his stuff, especially one where he drinks a pint of milk, it's unbelievable!
Totally puts Jeff Dunham to shame, I don't think he's all that to be fair as Ventriloquists go..
That's a blast from my past! I was 12 in 1970!
Ray Alan was brilliant. We in the UK have a modern-day ventriloquist, Hey Look Squirrel, check her out, her name is Nina Conti, she is amazing. She is the daughter of Tom Conti the actor.
Pleasure as always, Tony 👍
Every time i watch Ray Allen i always just watch his mouth. it never moves. He is the best.
Lord Charles’ look was based on the late great Stan Laurel. Ray for me will always be the very best in the business. I second another comment advising to watch the video of Lord Charles doing ventriloquism, it’s superb.
I've never seen a better ventriloquist.
Hi Squirrel
There is a clip on TH-cam where Lord Charles has his own puppet.....a double vent!
Oh Yes, I remember being impressed by Ray Alan as a kid. Masterful ventriloquist with Lord Charles who was so life-like and funny.
Hey Squirrel, I grew up watching them. Besides Doddy & Dickie Mint, this was my first experience of a ventriloquist. They often used to appear on other programs as a variety piece. I`m not sure, but I think they started on radio in the late `50`s, moving to Tv in the `60`s when it was taking off. Yes, Lord Charles was often considered to be sozzled, as the behaviour of a "Hooray Henry" of the Upper Class. (e.g. Bertie Wooster)
I believe Lord Charles now resides in an Entertainer`s Museum, with other famous former partners of human performers. Sadly though, his voice is forever silenced except for these wonderful memories of days gone by. :(
Best of the best, fabulous.
I watched these as a teenager in 1970s. Favourite was Lord Charles doing a ventriloquist act, of course very badly. And when criticised by Ray Allen, he challenges him to try, which Allen declines, then he turns to the audience and says “don’t you hate it when people who know nothing about the subject interfere”. A master on many levels.
Ray Allen was the best, funny and baffled everyone growing up in the 70's
More please!
Ray Allen once worked with Laurel and Hardy and Lord Charles face is loosely based on Stan Laurel (although I can’t really see it myself)
As a young child in the 60s I remember we had a lot of variety shows on the television. Ray Alan was everywhere, one of our most popular entertainers.
Being young I preferred his Titch and Quackers characters, as I was a bit too young to understand the nuances of a drunken Lord Charles.
There is a video on TH-cam of Ray Allen who is controlling Lord Charles, who is in turn controlling his own puppet. Ray Allen is flawless
Does anyone remember Peter Brough and Archie who had a ventiloquist show on the radio for many years, 1950s, but when he moved to TV people realised why he was better suited to radio ...... his lips were moving ! Around the same time there was Terry Hall with Lenny The Lion. Vent acts were pretty big in the 50s and 60s
He was excellent. Loved him.
It was a genius idea to make Lord Charles a bit tipsy, so that he could slur & make unclear words. Ray Alan was probaby the top Vent act in the UK in his day.
In stark contrast to the earlier Peter Brough who did Ventriloquism on the Radio & when he moved to TV was seen to be moving his lips very obviously.
He was The Master. Used to love watching him as a kid.
He has to be legit because imagine they were on separate mic's, one mic inevitably fails and he's immediately busted 🤣
Absolute legend. Such a big star during my childhood.
Thanks for this I was twelve at the time and always watched this great tv
Yeah I was just talking about him the other day Great talent I think he was going into the 90s
Wonder where his dummy is now!?
Ray Alan also had a TV show with Tich and Quackers, they were a boy and his pet duck
I love Ray Allan, and Lord Charles when I was a kid. You are right - he was the best, still is. Lord Charles is so ‘real’, isn’t he?
I have seen one of his acts on YT where he drinks and mime at the same time and also can sing.
Who was the vent with Lenny The Lion ?
Terry Hall
A blast from the past
The greatest vent.that ever lived
He was amazing 👍
I saw Ray Allen live years ago when I was a teenager. I was within ten feet of the guy and he was flawless. The other great vent I have seen live a few times, and with whom I was very impressed was Paul Zerdin
Ray and Lord Charles actually presented a children's tv show called Titch and Quackers ran for 8 seasons 141 episodes of course Titch and Quackers were also puppets and thry interacted with live guests
And Lord Charles was an aristocratic drunk character so 'easy' to slur his words etc. Ray Charles was a gifted ventriloquist of the period and could be enjoyed by all ages. Ken Dodd was a believable ventriloquist too. Cheers DougT
That’s no dummy, that’s Lord Charles!! 🤣🤣. Ray Allen was a genius ventriloquist and Lord Charles always got away with calling people “silly arses” on the restricted broadcaster (back in the 70’s 😉) Auntie Beeb …. 🤣🤣🤣 well, he was a Lord so he was allowed to say “naughty words”
Has a hint of Hinge and Bracket era about him does Lord Charles. 😃
"Silly ass" is the expression.
@@postscript67 you might “think” he said ‘silly ass’ but Lord Charles definitely said “arse” 😉🤣 watch other clips of Lord Charles berating someone - he turns using that expression into an art form - clever of Ray Alan in making Lord Charles sound three sheets to the wind and getting away with Lord Charles slurring his words ….🤣🤣 saying “silly arse” was his catchphrase!
Back in the 60s he did his act in a radio show
NO KIDDING
From the best, to greatest bad ventriloquist. Sandy Powell was one of the biggest stars of the 30s and 40s, keeping up the nations spirits through the War. He kept going almost up to the end. Here he is at The Royal Variety Performance in 1970 (he had done it in 1935 too). Inspired by the many terrible ventriloquist acts he shared a bill with, he came up with this : th-cam.com/video/nNCwpXaUFbg/w-d-xo.html
There used to be a Ventriloquist act on the radio back in the 1950s
Archie Andrews (Peter Brough) - Educating Archie - from which so much future talent starting their roads arose, from Julie Andrews to Benny Hill👍
Back in the 60's he had a cheeky schoolboy & a Martian doll
I saw him drink a glass of water while Lord Charles sang a song.
Ray Alan, is my wife's uncle, is real surname was Whyberd
I think I always preferred Lord Charles compared to Orville & Nookie Bear. He was actually funny, and not green 😁
I've got a photo somewhere of a lovely wooden yacht, moored up in Greece called L'Orve - with a bright green carved Orville as a bow sprit, nappy & all 😂 I reckon that made me laugh more than the puppet ever did.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎂🎈❤
He was an aristocrat in his world!
I remember this as a child
Even good ventriloquist’s lips move a little on the hard sounding consonants but Mr Alan’s don’t seem to move at all.
Depending on his audience Lord Charles could be completely sloshed and fairly blue. The old 'stiff upper lip' helped Ray Alan.
I forgot to say in my original comment that in this video Ray has a look of the late great Johnny Carson.
Ray Alan was great.
Squirrel I think it’s cuz he has his shirt collar hiding it he is good 😹🤣😂✌🏼
Please watch Dennis Spicer The Royal Command Performance at the London Palladium 1960s. Absolutely amazing.
If you can find some more Ray Allen you'll love him - and Lord Charles. 😊
You people in America, have been brought up to believe that the American Edgar Bergen was the best in the world - he was a long way short of that. Ray Alan and Arthur Worsley (both English), were `real`vents whose mouths were immobile when working.
arthur worsley is another great one
The best one is Ray Alan and Lord Charles, his drunk dummy has his own dummy
A Gottle of Gear - Ventriloquism - History - Ray Alan - Documentary