Dustin Gee
Encyclopedia
Dustin Gee was an English
impressionist
and comedian most famous for his double act with fellow comic, Les Dennis
.
Born Gerald Harrison in York
, Gee lived in Manchester
, where he studied at art college. He later took a job as an artist - working mainly with stained glass and for a while worked on the famous stained glass windows at York Minster. He played in a rock band in the evenings. The group were called 'Gerry B and the Hornets' before they altered the name to 'Gerry B and the Rockafellas'. When the group disbanded, Gee became a compere, then later a comedian.
After 20 years in show business, he got his television break on Who Do You Do?, an ITV
showcase for impressionists, where they impersonated a host of stars, including Robert Mitchum
and Mick Jagger
. He went on to appear on Russ Abbot
's Madhouse, which debuted in 1980.
Dustin also appeared on ITV's talent show, Success, alongside a sixteen year old Lisa Stansfield
making her TV debut.
He became a huge cabaret star in the UK selling out nightclubs across the land by word of mouth alone.
His impressions were almost uncanny. In the medium he worked he went far beyond the impression and almost became the person he was emulating. He had a unique talent for actually looking just like the people he was trying to be.
His take on John Cleese as eccentic hotel owner Basil Fawlty was acclaimed by the great man himself as the 'best he'd seen'.
When he perfected his brand of Larry Grayson (comedy star of the 70's /80's) he was to be joined by him on stage and a friendship grew, so good was the 'impression'.
However, he made his biggest impact on Russ Abbott's Madhouse from 1980 onwards. This was the show that included his most famous impression, as Coronation Street
's Vera Duckworth
in two-handers with Mavis Riley
(played by Les Dennis).
Les and Dustin were also the act that had to follow Tommy Cooper
, when he collapsed and died onstage on ITV's Live From Her Majesty's
in April 1984.
In the summer of 1985 Dustin had a heart attack while on stage on the opening night of a six month run at the North Pier in Blackpool. He returned one month later, on his birthday, to complete the run.
On New Year's Eve, 1985, he had a second heart attack whilst working in pantomime with Les Dennis in Southport
, Merseyside
. Basil Soper, the show's company manager, revived him and Roger Edwards (his PA) accompanied him to Southport General Hospital where he died three days later, surrounded by his family. It was later revealed that he had had a heart condition all his life, and had been born with an enlarged heart.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
impressionist
Impressionist (entertainment)
An impressionist or a mimic is a performer whose act consists of imitating the voice and mannerisms of others. The word usually refers to a professional comedian/entertainer who specializes in such performances and has developed a wide repertoire of impressions, including adding to them, often to...
and comedian most famous for his double act with fellow comic, Les Dennis
Les Dennis
Les Dennis is an English comedian, television presenter and actor best known as the host of Family Fortunes for 15 years.-Early life:...
.
Born Gerald Harrison in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, Gee lived in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, where he studied at art college. He later took a job as an artist - working mainly with stained glass and for a while worked on the famous stained glass windows at York Minster. He played in a rock band in the evenings. The group were called 'Gerry B and the Hornets' before they altered the name to 'Gerry B and the Rockafellas'. When the group disbanded, Gee became a compere, then later a comedian.
After 20 years in show business, he got his television break on Who Do You Do?, an ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
showcase for impressionists, where they impersonated a host of stars, including Robert Mitchum
Robert Mitchum
Robert Charles Durman Mitchum was an American film actor, author, composer and singer and is #23 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male American screen legends of all time...
and Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
. He went on to appear on Russ Abbot
Russ Abbot
Russ Abbot is an English musician, comedian and actor who first came to public notice during the 1970s as the singer and drummer with British comedy showband the Black Abbots, later forging a prominent solo career as a television comedian with his own weekly show on British television.Continuing...
's Madhouse, which debuted in 1980.
Dustin also appeared on ITV's talent show, Success, alongside a sixteen year old Lisa Stansfield
Lisa Stansfield
Lisa Stansfield is an English singer and songwriter.-Early years:Stansfield was born to Marion and Keith Stansfield in Heywood, Lancashire, in England, where she attended Redbrook School, Rochdale. Her first television appearance was on a talent programme in the Granada TV area in 1982...
making her TV debut.
He became a huge cabaret star in the UK selling out nightclubs across the land by word of mouth alone.
His impressions were almost uncanny. In the medium he worked he went far beyond the impression and almost became the person he was emulating. He had a unique talent for actually looking just like the people he was trying to be.
His take on John Cleese as eccentic hotel owner Basil Fawlty was acclaimed by the great man himself as the 'best he'd seen'.
When he perfected his brand of Larry Grayson (comedy star of the 70's /80's) he was to be joined by him on stage and a friendship grew, so good was the 'impression'.
However, he made his biggest impact on Russ Abbott's Madhouse from 1980 onwards. This was the show that included his most famous impression, as Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
's Vera Duckworth
Vera Duckworth
Veronica "Vera" Duckworth , played by Elizabeth Dawn, is a fictional character on the British soap opera Coronation Street, first appearing in August 1974 and last appearing in episode 6,734 on 18 January 2008, where the character peacefully died in her sleep at the age of 70 from heart failure...
in two-handers with Mavis Riley
Mavis Wilton
Mavis Wilton is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by Thelma Barlow. A long-running series regular, Mavis appeared in the show for 26 years from 1971 to 1997...
(played by Les Dennis).
Les and Dustin were also the act that had to follow Tommy Cooper
Tommy Cooper
Thomas Frederick "Tommy" Cooper was a very popular British prop comedian and magician from Caerphilly, Wales.Cooper was a member of The Magic Circle, and respected by traditional magicians...
, when he collapsed and died onstage on ITV's Live From Her Majesty's
Live From Her Majesty's
Live From Her Majesty's was a Sunday night live variety show which was produced by London Weekend Television for the ITV network and ran from 1982 to 1988...
in April 1984.
In the summer of 1985 Dustin had a heart attack while on stage on the opening night of a six month run at the North Pier in Blackpool. He returned one month later, on his birthday, to complete the run.
On New Year's Eve, 1985, he had a second heart attack whilst working in pantomime with Les Dennis in Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
. Basil Soper, the show's company manager, revived him and Roger Edwards (his PA) accompanied him to Southport General Hospital where he died three days later, surrounded by his family. It was later revealed that he had had a heart condition all his life, and had been born with an enlarged heart.