In 1964, a single appearance on TV talent show Opportunity Knocks
made ‘Parrotface’ comedian Freddie Davies famous overnight. Spectacular
success followed, stars such as Judy Garland, Cliff Richard, even Cary
Grant, were fans…
But when it all began to slip in the 1980s, Freddie became a producer and then forged yet another career as a serious actor. He appeared to great acclaim in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of The Secret Garden and cult film Funny Bones – alongside Lee Evans and Jerry Lewis – based on tales of Freddie’s music hall comic grandfather Jack Herbert. Now he has come full circle, delighting audiences again as Samuel Tweet in theatres up and down the land.
Fifty years on from his television debut, Freddie finally tells his own story, revealing for the first time the tragedy behind his early days in Salford and a family secret that rocked his world. He paints a vivid and hilarious picture of a gruelling apprenticeship in the Northern clubs – revealing how ‘Parrotface’ spluttered into life.
With a foreword by legendary comic Ken Dodd, this unique autobiography is a poignant and hilarious evocation of a vanished world, offering insights into the art of stand-up and a richly nostalgic treat for comedy connoisseurs.
- See more at: http://www.scratchingshedpublishing.com/products-page/#sthash.dSNj10mK.dpuf
But when it all began to slip in the 1980s, Freddie became a producer and then forged yet another career as a serious actor. He appeared to great acclaim in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of The Secret Garden and cult film Funny Bones – alongside Lee Evans and Jerry Lewis – based on tales of Freddie’s music hall comic grandfather Jack Herbert. Now he has come full circle, delighting audiences again as Samuel Tweet in theatres up and down the land.
Fifty years on from his television debut, Freddie finally tells his own story, revealing for the first time the tragedy behind his early days in Salford and a family secret that rocked his world. He paints a vivid and hilarious picture of a gruelling apprenticeship in the Northern clubs – revealing how ‘Parrotface’ spluttered into life.
With a foreword by legendary comic Ken Dodd, this unique autobiography is a poignant and hilarious evocation of a vanished world, offering insights into the art of stand-up and a richly nostalgic treat for comedy connoisseurs.
- See more at: http://www.scratchingshedpublishing.com/products-page/#sthash.dSNj10mK.dpuf
In 1964, a single appearance on TV talent show Opportunity Knocks
made ‘Parrotface’ comedian Freddie Davies famous overnight. Spectacular
success followed, stars such as Judy Garland, Cliff Richard, even Cary
Grant, were fans…
But when it all began to slip in the 1980s, Freddie became a producer and then forged yet another career as a serious actor. He appeared to great acclaim in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of The Secret Garden and cult film Funny Bones – alongside Lee Evans and Jerry Lewis – based on tales of Freddie’s music hall comic grandfather Jack Herbert. Now he has come full circle, delighting audiences again as Samuel Tweet in theatres up and down the land.
Fifty years on from his television debut, Freddie finally tells his own story, revealing for the first time the tragedy behind his early days in Salford and a family secret that rocked his world. He paints a vivid and hilarious picture of a gruelling apprenticeship in the Northern clubs – revealing how ‘Parrotface’ spluttered into life.
With a foreword by legendary comic Ken Dodd, this unique autobiography is a poignant and hilarious evocation of a vanished world, offering insights into the art of stand-up and a richly nostalgic treat for comedy connoisseurs.
- See more at: http://www.scratchingshedpublishing.com/products-page/#sthash.dSNj10mK.dpuf
But when it all began to slip in the 1980s, Freddie became a producer and then forged yet another career as a serious actor. He appeared to great acclaim in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of The Secret Garden and cult film Funny Bones – alongside Lee Evans and Jerry Lewis – based on tales of Freddie’s music hall comic grandfather Jack Herbert. Now he has come full circle, delighting audiences again as Samuel Tweet in theatres up and down the land.
Fifty years on from his television debut, Freddie finally tells his own story, revealing for the first time the tragedy behind his early days in Salford and a family secret that rocked his world. He paints a vivid and hilarious picture of a gruelling apprenticeship in the Northern clubs – revealing how ‘Parrotface’ spluttered into life.
With a foreword by legendary comic Ken Dodd, this unique autobiography is a poignant and hilarious evocation of a vanished world, offering insights into the art of stand-up and a richly nostalgic treat for comedy connoisseurs.
- See more at: http://www.scratchingshedpublishing.com/products-page/#sthash.dSNj10mK.dpuf
In 1964, a single appearance on TV talent show Opportunity Knocks
made ‘Parrotface’ comedian Freddie Davies famous overnight. Spectacular
success followed, stars such as Judy Garland, Cliff Richard, even Cary
Grant, were fans…
But when it all began to slip in the 1980s, Freddie became a producer and then forged yet another career as a serious actor. He appeared to great acclaim in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of The Secret Garden and cult film Funny Bones – alongside Lee Evans and Jerry Lewis – based on tales of Freddie’s music hall comic grandfather Jack Herbert. Now he has come full circle, delighting audiences again as Samuel Tweet in theatres up and down the land.
Fifty years on from his television debut, Freddie finally tells his own story, revealing for the first time the tragedy behind his early days in Salford and a family secret that rocked his world. He paints a vivid and hilarious picture of a gruelling apprenticeship in the Northern clubs – revealing how ‘Parrotface’ spluttered into life.
With a foreword by legendary comic Ken Dodd, this unique autobiography is a poignant and hilarious evocation of a vanished world, offering insights into the art of stand-up and a richly nostalgic treat for comedy connoisseurs.
- See more at: http://www.scratchingshedpublishing.com/products-page/#sthash.dSNj10mK.dpuf
This is a blog about Freddie Davies's autobiography Funny Bones. It is maintained by the book's cowriter Anthony Teague.But when it all began to slip in the 1980s, Freddie became a producer and then forged yet another career as a serious actor. He appeared to great acclaim in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of The Secret Garden and cult film Funny Bones – alongside Lee Evans and Jerry Lewis – based on tales of Freddie’s music hall comic grandfather Jack Herbert. Now he has come full circle, delighting audiences again as Samuel Tweet in theatres up and down the land.
Fifty years on from his television debut, Freddie finally tells his own story, revealing for the first time the tragedy behind his early days in Salford and a family secret that rocked his world. He paints a vivid and hilarious picture of a gruelling apprenticeship in the Northern clubs – revealing how ‘Parrotface’ spluttered into life.
With a foreword by legendary comic Ken Dodd, this unique autobiography is a poignant and hilarious evocation of a vanished world, offering insights into the art of stand-up and a richly nostalgic treat for comedy connoisseurs.
- See more at: http://www.scratchingshedpublishing.com/products-page/#sthash.dSNj10mK.dpuf
To learn more about how Freddie and I worked together, see this post.
Otherwise read on to discover more about the book and what's in this blog ...
"An invaluable record"
KEN DODD
"One of the most honest and illuminating books I have read about the practice of comedy"
JOHN FISHER
"A vivid description of the scene of fifty years ago"
CHORTLE
"A fascinating and important story"
VIV GARDNER
"One of the few great biographies of British comedy"
ALWYN TURNER
"A smashing book"
KEN DODD
"One of the most honest and illuminating books I have read about the practice of comedy"
JOHN FISHER
"A vivid description of the scene of fifty years ago"
CHORTLE
"A fascinating and important story"
VIV GARDNER
"One of the few great biographies of British comedy"
ALWYN TURNER
"A smashing book"
LOUIS BARFE
In 1964 an appearance on talent show Opportunity Knocks made struggling comic Freddie "Parrotface" Davies famous overnight. Spectacular success followed, but when it all began to slip Freddie forged a new career, appearing with the RSC and in Peter Chelsom's cult film Funny Bones.
Now Freddie tells his own story, revealing the tragedy behind his early days in Salford and the family secret which shook his world, and painting a vivid picture of the Northern clubs where ‘Parrotface’ spluttered into life.
With a foreword by the late Ken Dodd, this unique autobiography is a poignant evocation of several vanished worlds, offering insights into the art of stand-up and the making of Funny Bones along the way. A richly nostalgiac treat for comedy connoisseurs, it is also "a researcher's dream"(Viv Gardner).
Funny Bones: My Life in Comedy by Freddie Davies with Anthony Teague is published by Scratching Shed.
To buy direct from Scratching Shed, click HERE.
Funny Bones is also available from amazon HERE and other online shops.
Here's a quick guide to some of the posts in this blog. Click on any title to be taken to the post.
The blog post which started it all: in 2011 I wrote a piece about Freddie which ultimately led to our working together.
Reviews of Funny Bones - click on author name:
John Fisher
Alwyn Turner
Viv Gardner
Martin Kelner interviews Freddie
Article in BMHS magazine The Call Boy about Freddie's grandad Jack Herbert
On seeing Freddie at the City Varieties
Click here for more.