Denny Willis
Encyclopedia
Dennis Willis (± 1920 - March 17, 1995) was a Scottish
comedian
.
Willis was born as the son of theatre maker Dave Willis
, who performed sketches in theatres in Scotland in the 1930s. Willis added many of his fathers ideas to his own repertoire. In 1962, Willis had his own television show on ATV
, the Denny Willis Show. In 1941, Willis became father of daughter Bobbie Willis, who, just like her father and grandfather before her, became a comedian.
Willis is probably best remembered for the act "The Fox Has Left Its Lair", which he performed as Denny Willis and the Quorn Quartet, touring along various theatres in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
"The Fox Has Left Its Lair" was written by Douglas Furber (words) and Peggy Connor (music); it was originally a novelty item performed by Jack Buchanan
in the Charlot Revue of 1925 Willis changed some of the lyrics and the order of the verses to suit the act. The original lyrics are as follows:
With each new verse, repeat the previous verses and the chorus.
Alternative lines in the Denny Willis version include:
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
.
Willis was born as the son of theatre maker Dave Willis
Dave Willis (comedian)
Dave Willis was a Scottish comedian and actor. He was a major music hall star in the 1930s and the 1940s in Glasgow. The actor Jerry Desmonde acted as a stooge to him. He made two films for Welwyn Studios co-starring with Patricia Kirkwood in the late 1930s...
, who performed sketches in theatres in Scotland in the 1930s. Willis added many of his fathers ideas to his own repertoire. In 1962, Willis had his own television show on ATV
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
, the Denny Willis Show. In 1941, Willis became father of daughter Bobbie Willis, who, just like her father and grandfather before her, became a comedian.
Willis is probably best remembered for the act "The Fox Has Left Its Lair", which he performed as Denny Willis and the Quorn Quartet, touring along various theatres in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
"The Fox Has Left Its Lair" was written by Douglas Furber (words) and Peggy Connor (music); it was originally a novelty item performed by Jack Buchanan
Jack Buchanan
Walter John "Jack" Buchanan was a British theatre and film actor, singer, producer and director. He was known for three decades as the embodiment of the debonair man-about-town in the tradition of George Grossmith Jr., and was described by The Times as "the last of the knuts." He is best known in...
in the Charlot Revue of 1925 Willis changed some of the lyrics and the order of the verses to suit the act. The original lyrics are as follows:
With each new verse, repeat the previous verses and the chorus.
- There was a fox who left his lair; a red fox, a dead fox.
- With a yoicks, tally-ho, yo ho! With a yoicks tally-ho yo ho!
- The huntsman, huntsman blows his horn, a gold horn, a cream horn.
- Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, Funny, funny.
- The babes come bounding out of school, chubby, grubby.
- All for the Lady Gwendoline, bonny, bony.
- Behold the bold Sir Geoffrey, dandy, bandy.
- The wedding bells ring out on high, ding dong, sing song.
- Sir Geoffrey cried "Egad I will woo her, boo her."
Alternative lines in the Denny Willis version include:
- The hunting huntsman blows his horn...
- Old grandpa with his wooden leg, limping, limping.
- Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, silly, billy.
- The children running home from school, he's barmy, he's barmy.
- All for the Lady Gwendoline, she's charming, she's charming.
External links
- Comedy Tribute UK/Denny Willis
- "The Fox Has Left Its Lair" on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
(recorded at a television show of Dutch broadcaster VARAVARA (broadcaster)The Omroepvereniging VARA is a Dutch public broadcasting association operating within the framework of the Nederlandse Publieke Omroep system, founded in 1925 as the Vereeniging van Arbeiders Radio Amateurs...
)