Oliver Wakefield
Encyclopedia
Oliver Wakefield known as "The Voice of Inexperience" was a popular British actor and comedian active from the 1930s until his death in 1956 known for his idiosyncratic satirical monologues.
Wakefield was educated in South Africa
, then travelled to England
, where he began acting with a Shakespearean repertory
company. He then attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts for further study, where he developed his distinctive style of humorous monologue. Wakefield created the stage persona of a nervous upper class young man, customarily dressed in full dinner suit and habitually carrying a cigarette. He developed a distinctive stuttering mode of speech featuring tortuous syntax, malapropisms, spoonerism
s, dropped words and unfinished sentences which he used to disguise his satirical observations, wry sarcasm and clever double entendre
s. In his early career he was clean-shaven but later grew a handlebar moustache.
He quickly established himself in nightclubs and music hall and became the first Resident Comedian on the BBC
, as well as making pioneering appearances in the early days of British TV. He also became established in the United States, making one of his first American appearances in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1934
, which also featured Eve Arden
.
Wakefield appeared in several British Pathé newsreels in the late 1930s. In 1937 he starred in the 20th Century Fox film There Was Young Man, followed by featured roles in several British films between 1938 and 1942 including The Peterville Diamond
(1942), playing a gentleman jewel thief (whose partner-in-crime was played by future Doctor Who
star William Hartnell
). He made regular appearances at the Savoy Theatre
, the Berkeley, the Ritz, Cafe de Paris, Churchill's and other leading London venues. He was booked to open at the Rainbow Room
in New York
three weeks after the outbreak of World War II
, but chose to remain in England, where he served in the R.A.F..
After the war, Wakefield returned to show business
. He toured Australia
, performing for a year in Melbourne
and Sydney
, followed by a 52-week radio series for the Australian Broadcasting Commission. Moving to the United States
in 1952, he performed at the Blue Angel in New York, followed by engagements at Number One Fifth Avenue, Ruban Bleu and Bon Soir and TV appearances on All Star Revue, the Kate Smith
show, The Steve Allen Show
and many others. His last Broadway appearance was in the Broadway revue, Two's Company at the Alvin Theatre in New York in 1952, which starred Bette Davis
. In Canada
he appeared frequently on the Canadian Broadcasting Service
on the Frigidair TV Show, played a fourteen-week engagement at Montreal
club Ruby Foos and hosted his own TV panel Show Make a Match.
Wakefield died from a heart attack at his New York home at 351 Park Avenue, aged 48.
Wakefield was educated in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, then travelled to England
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...
, where he began acting with a Shakespearean repertory
Repertory
Repertory or rep, also called stock in the United States, is a term used in Western theatre and opera.A repertory theatre can be a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation...
company. He then attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts for further study, where he developed his distinctive style of humorous monologue. Wakefield created the stage persona of a nervous upper class young man, customarily dressed in full dinner suit and habitually carrying a cigarette. He developed a distinctive stuttering mode of speech featuring tortuous syntax, malapropisms, spoonerism
Spoonerism
A spoonerism is an error in speech or deliberate play on words in which corresponding consonants, vowels, or morphemes are switched . It is named after the Reverend William Archibald Spooner , Warden of New College, Oxford, who was notoriously prone to this tendency...
s, dropped words and unfinished sentences which he used to disguise his satirical observations, wry sarcasm and clever double entendre
Double entendre
A double entendre or adianoeta is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic....
s. In his early career he was clean-shaven but later grew a handlebar moustache.
He quickly established himself in nightclubs and music hall and became the first Resident Comedian on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, as well as making pioneering appearances in the early days of British TV. He also became established in the United States, making one of his first American appearances in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1934
Ziegfeld Follies
The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
, which also featured Eve Arden
Eve Arden
Eve Arden was an American actress. Her almost 60-year career crossed most media frontiers with supporting and leading roles, but she may be best-remembered for playing the sardonic but engaging title character, a high school teacher, on Our Miss Brooks, and as the Rydell High School principal in...
.
Wakefield appeared in several British Pathé newsreels in the late 1930s. In 1937 he starred in the 20th Century Fox film There Was Young Man, followed by featured roles in several British films between 1938 and 1942 including The Peterville Diamond
The Peterville Diamond
The Peterville Diamond is a 1942 British comedy film directed by Walter Forde and starring Anne Crawford, Donald Stewart, Renee Houston, William Hartnell and Felix Aylmer. A thief tries to steal a diamond from the wife of a wealthy businessman, at her suggestion in an effort to get her husband to...
(1942), playing a gentleman jewel thief (whose partner-in-crime was played by future Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
star William Hartnell
William Hartnell
William Henry Hartnell was an English actor. During 1963-66, he was the first actor to play the Doctor in the long-running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Early life:...
). He made regular appearances at the Savoy Theatre
Savoy Theatre
The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre located in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre opened on 10 October 1881 and was built by Richard D'Oyly Carte on the site of the old Savoy Palace as a showcase for the popular series of comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan,...
, the Berkeley, the Ritz, Cafe de Paris, Churchill's and other leading London venues. He was booked to open at the Rainbow Room
Rainbow Room
The Rainbow Room was an upscale restaurant and nightclub on the 65th floor of the GE Building in Rockefeller Center, Midtown Manhattan, New York City.-Cuisine:...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
three weeks after the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, but chose to remain in England, where he served in the R.A.F..
After the war, Wakefield returned to show business
Show business
Show business, sometimes shortened to show biz, is a vernacular term for all aspects of entertainment. The word applies to all aspects of the entertainment industry from the business side to the creative element ....
. He toured Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, performing for a year in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, followed by a 52-week radio series for the Australian Broadcasting Commission. Moving to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1952, he performed at the Blue Angel in New York, followed by engagements at Number One Fifth Avenue, Ruban Bleu and Bon Soir and TV appearances on All Star Revue, the Kate Smith
Kate Smith
Kathryn Elizabeth "Kate" Smith was an American Popular singer, best known for her rendition of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America". Smith had a radio, television, and recording career spanning five decades, which reached its pinnacle in the 1940s.Smith was born in Greenville, Virginia...
show, The Steve Allen Show
The Steve Allen Show
The Steve Allen Show is an American variety show hosted by Steve Allen from June 1956 to June 1960 on NBC, from September 1961 to December 1961 on ABC, and in first-run syndication from 1962 to 1964....
and many others. His last Broadway appearance was in the Broadway revue, Two's Company at the Alvin Theatre in New York in 1952, which starred Bette Davis
Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional...
. In Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
he appeared frequently on the Canadian Broadcasting Service
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
on the Frigidair TV Show, played a fourteen-week engagement at Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
club Ruby Foos and hosted his own TV panel Show Make a Match.
Wakefield died from a heart attack at his New York home at 351 Park Avenue, aged 48.