Roy Jay
Roy Jay | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1948 |
| Died | December 2007 (aged 59) |
| Occupation(s) | comedian, singer |
| Years active | 1972–2007 |
Roy Jay (1948 – 2007) was a British - Norwegian stand-up comedian.[2][3][4] He performed with musical accompaniment and wearing a convict's uniform, telling jokes interspersed with his "spook!" and "slither hither" catchphrases. Jay made high-profile television appearances in the 1980s, including in The Little and Large Show, The Bob Monkhouse Show, The Laughter Show and The Main Attraction.[5]
Early life
[edit]Roy Jay was born as Roy Jørgensen in Oslo, the son of a Norwegian father and a Scottish/Irish mother. He left Norway with his family aged four to live in South Wales. When he was eight, he spent a year in Cork, Ireland studying Irish and the violin, after which time he returned to his parents in Wales. The family soon moved again, to Atherton in Greater Manchester, England where he attended Hesketh Fletcher High School. Aged 15, Roy joined the Royal Norwegian Navy. Returning to civilian life, he performed as a singer in a band who performed in small Northern clubs and dance halls. Following this, Jay became Assistant Entertainments Manager at Pontins holiday camp in Southport where he began performing stand-up comedy.[1]
Career
[edit]In 1973, Roy Jay topped the bill in cabaret following the Miss Gibraltar beauty pageant, broadcast by GBC, the Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation. Jay toured the clubs of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales before being offered a three-month tour of South Africa in 1975. Jay stayed for eight months and rapidly built a following in the country before returning to the UK. In 1979, The Stage described Jay as "like no one else" and tipped him for future stardom.[1] At this time, Jay employed a look inspired by the teddy boy era and his act encompassed singing and impressions of Leo Sayer and Gene Vincent, amongst others.[6]
In the early 1980s, Jay began appearing on television with his "Spook Spook Slither Hither" act. Jay would prowl around the stage to musical accompaniment wearing a convict's uniform, telling jokes interjected with his catchphrases. He'd often remark "you'll all be doing it tomorrow" in reference to his act. In 1982, Jay self-released a single, "Vehicle / You Might Need Somebody". The A-side is a version of the 1970 hit single by the Ides of March, often the musical accompaniment to Jay's act.[7] These two tracks were included on a self-titled album on Clubland Records later that year. The album includes Jay's versions of popular songs including John Lee Hooker's "Dimples", Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale" and Leo Sayer's "The Show Must Go On".[8] In 1983, Jay appeared in The Bob Monkhouse Show and was introduced by Monkhouse as "a new comedian with a style that's all his own".[9] In June that year, Jay appeared on Chas and Dave's show Knees-Up.[10] Jay achieved his greatest fame around this time, appearing in television advertisements for Smiths Square Crisps and Schweppes lemonade. [11] On April 7th 1984, Jay first starred with Les Dennis and Dustin Gee as a regular in the first series of BBC1's The Laughter Show.[12] [13]
On 29 August 1984, Jay performed at the exclusive Inn on the Park club in Jersey. Frustrated with hecklers, he dropped his trousers on stage in front of a family audience. Jay was fined £200 after admitting indecent exposure. The incident received media coverage and dented Jay's public image.[14] Jay did not appear as a regular in the second series of The Laughter Show, but did make a guest appearance in the third episode on 2 March 1985.[15] [16]
Later years and death
[edit]In later years, Jay performed in Benidorm first at The Talk of the Coast and later at the cabaret-bar Chaplins in the English Square. [17] [18] Roy Jay died peacefully at home in November 2007. He was 59 years old. His funeral was paid for by events held by a local friend and businessman following his death.[19]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "The Comic Talent of Roy Jay". The Stage: 33. 18 January 1979. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ "The Spook Spook Slither Hither Man". The Stage. 11 August 1983. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ "I.M.A." The Stage: 36. 17 May 1984. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ "Roy Jay". The Stage: 4. 29 November 1984. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ Lewisohn, Mark (1998). Radio Times guide to TV comedy. London : BBC Worldwide. p. 414. ISBN 9780563369776.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link) - ^ "Roy Jay". The Stage: 7. 13 September 1979. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ "Roy Jay - Vehicle". Discogs. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
- ^ "Roy Jay – Roy Jay". Discogs. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
- ^ "oy "Spook!" Jay on the Bob Monkhouse Show, 1983". Youtube. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
- ^ "Knees-Up". IMDB. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
- ^ "Schweppes - Speedy Disco & Weird Prisoner (Roy Jay) - UK Advert". youtube.com. Schweppes. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ "The Laughter Show: New Series". Drogheda Argus and Leinster Journal: 18. 2 March 1984. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ White, Jack Kibble (April 2003). "The Glory Game − The Rise and Rise of Saturday Night Telly: Part Twelve: A shriveled Little Thing" (PDF). Archive.org. Off the Telly. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ "Flash act Roy says 'I'm sorry'". Reading Evening Post: 3. 31 August 1984. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ "The Laughter Show". Aberdeen Evening Express: 6. 2 March 1985. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ "Television - Saturday" (PDF). The Daily Telegraph: 34. 2 March 1985. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- ^ Armstrong, Paul (26 October 2024). The Bang-On Guide to Benidorm 2025 (2 ed.). Independently published. p. 32. ISBN 979-8344531151.
- ^ McCann, Graham. "You'll all be doing it tomorrow: The strange ways of Roy Jay". Comedy.co.uk. British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
- ^ Ross, Robert (30 September 2021). Forgotten Heroes of Comedy - An Encyclopedia of the Comedy Underdog. Unbound. p. 201. ISBN 9781783529193.