Gransnet forums

Chat

Dave Allen

(70 Posts)
Luckygirl3 Mon 28-Oct-24 12:31:00

Anyone remember Dave Allen? I have just been watching some of his skits on British Comedy Greats on Facebook - he was so very good.

LovesBach Mon 28-Oct-24 15:43:09

I recently watched his sketch on UTube, where he was attempting to teach his child to tell the time. It is priceless.

mokryna Mon 28-Oct-24 17:46:00

Loved watching Dave Allen, shame his programmes can’t be shown, I thought they were so funny.

Madmeg Mon 28-Oct-24 18:07:21

I've seen him live (in his later years) too and he was as hilarious as ever.

I think it was Spike Milligan whose epitaph is "I told you I was ill".

Daddima Mon 28-Oct-24 18:59:39

crazyH

Handsome and witty - I often wondered how he lost one tiger - I could read it up online, I suppose.

He lost it as a child playing in an old mill and it got caught in a cog wheel apparently.

Primrose53 Mon 28-Oct-24 22:28:55

Daddima

crazyH

Handsome and witty - I often wondered how he lost one tiger - I could read it up online, I suppose.

He lost it as a child playing in an old mill and it got caught in a cog wheel apparently.

He has never revealed how he lost part of his finger. He has made up various stories over the years with a twinkle in his eye!

Primrose53 Mon 28-Oct-24 22:31:42

mokryna

Loved watching Dave Allen, shame his programmes can’t be shown, I thought they were so funny.

There are loads of his videos on Youtube and his biography is a great read.

nanna8 Tue 29-Oct-24 01:46:13

I loved Dave Allen as well. They don’t make ‘em like that anymore.

infoman Tue 29-Oct-24 04:44:44

Quite a few DVD's available on Amazon.

Bellasnana Tue 29-Oct-24 05:20:09

escaped

My husband worked with him on Dave Allen's one man show at the Haymarket. Behind the stage every evening they had a sweepstake for what time the show would finish. Dave Allen knew this and used to come off stage asking who'd won each night. It could vary 10 - 15 minutes depending on his audience!
We had a lovely engagement gift from him.
So funny in real life.

What lovely memories for you escaped😊
My late DH and I went to see him at the Haymarket. He was absolutely brilliant.

escaped Tue 29-Oct-24 07:13:07

Thank you Bellasnana.
DA was everything posters have described here.
He was also a dab hand at cards, and used to come in early before shows to play with the crew!

Clawdy Tue 29-Oct-24 08:23:56

I loved Dave Allen too, but don't think he would get away with the Sister Matilda tale now.

DaisyAnn Tue 29-Oct-24 11:11:33

interesting coincidence but I just spoke about him with my friends the other night...

MissInterpreted Tue 29-Oct-24 11:13:20

I was lucky enough to see him live in Edinburgh and he was just brilliant - even funnier than on television, because he could get away with a lot more. Such a sharp, dry wit.

win Tue 29-Oct-24 11:18:48

When I met my husband in 1966 viewing one of his flats he rang me later that afternoon inviting me out to a show the same evening. We saw Dave Allan at the local nightclub and later danced to the early hours of the morning. We got married the following year. I remember the audience being in stitches all the time he was on appearing to do very little just sitting on his bar stool with his glass of whisky. I also seem to remember he had a cigarette then, so perhaps that was before he gave up smoking. I was 22 so a very long time ago.

LilCatMomma83 Tue 29-Oct-24 11:21:10

I remember going to see him live in Bournemouth. I was about 10 or 11 - probably not appropriate humour for that age but we were a very liberal family. Even at that age I found him funny.

essjay Tue 29-Oct-24 11:22:07

a family favourite

Dinahmo Tue 29-Oct-24 11:26:09

The BBC showed his programmes a year or so ago. Apparently he, or his family (I forget which) didn't want them shown very often. I thought he was the best and was sorry that he died so young. I doubt whether he'd be able to make similar shows now.

Tish Tue 29-Oct-24 11:33:09

Comedy genius, all our family would tune in and watch him…

TheWeirdo Tue 29-Oct-24 11:37:45

He was one of the greatest comedians ever, along with his little band of ladies and gents who did hilarious train scenes etc.!

Bazza Tue 29-Oct-24 11:55:27

Loved Dave Allen. We saw him once at Sandown race course and I was surprised how short he was, I’d always imagined him to be very tall, don’t know why. May your god go with you is especially pertinent now with all the religious conflicts around the world. A bit like Lennon’s Imagine.

Mojack26 Tue 29-Oct-24 11:58:38

Love loved him and his weeshort pinkie finger! Brilliant comedian made fun of everyone...This humour would no doubt offend someone now!

Athrawes Tue 29-Oct-24 12:26:12

He was brilliant. My parents loved his programmes too. I don't find comics today half as comical - some are just crude

Davida1968 Tue 29-Oct-24 12:51:14

Like others here, DH & I absolutely loved Dave Allen. My mum also was a great fan.
Terrific raconteur and IMO his humour stands the test of time. I wish there was a re-run of his shows.

HeavenLeigh Tue 29-Oct-24 13:11:13

Loved him back in the day

Foxyferret Tue 29-Oct-24 13:21:10

I loved him, so funny. Before my dad died in 2014, he would get out his Dave Allen videos and have us all laughing.