Charlie Drake

Charlie Drake, born Charles Edward Spungall, rose from impoverished surroundings in London’s southeastern East End to earn a place among Britain’s most cherished comedians. Twice awarded the Golden Rose of Montreux Comedy prize, the short-statured performer, recognized for his red hair and Cockney delivery, entertained audiences with an unmistakable slapstick approach across more than forty years and appeared in fifteen Royal Command Variety Shows.

His BBC series Charlie Drake occupied the screen from 1959 to 1960; afterward he headlined the Ronald Marsh–produced Charlie Drake Show during 1960–1963 and again from 1967 to 1968. An identically titled program reached ITV viewers in 1963, while Slapstick and Old Lace, broadcast from 1965 into the early 1970s, invited spectators to join sing-alongs and sketches.

Drake also recorded novelty numbers. His 1958 treatment of Bobby Darin’s “Splish Splash,” overseen by George Martin, surpassed the original’s British sales. Further comic releases included “Starkle Starkle Little Twink,” “Mr. Custer,” “My Boomerang Won’t Come Back,” “I Bent My Assagai,” “I’ve Lost the End of My Yodel,” “I’m Too Heavy for the Light Brigade,” and “The Reluctant Tight Rope Walker.” A notable resurgence arrived with the 1972 single “Puckwudgie.”

Children’s programming first showcased his material. Radio work began in 1951 within the Jigsaw duo he formed with Jack Edwards; the partnership ended in 1957 when Drake redirected his efforts toward adult audiences. While shooting the pilot for Bingo Madness, a stunt malfunctioned, leaving him unconscious for several days in a coma and prompting the series’ cancellation.

A strict perfectionist, Drake earned a reputation for being “difficult.” Conflict with British Equity led to an eighteen-month exclusion from provincial theaters. His autobiography, Drake’s Progress, was issued by Century Benham, Ltd., in 1986.