Keith Harris and Orville - Orville’s Song. Top Of The Pops 1982

Great quality video, Keith singing live at Christmas time in the studio of Top Of The Pops 1982. Keith Harris (born 21 September 1947 in Lyndhurst, Hampshire) is an English ventriloquist who is known for his television show (which ran between 1982--1990), audio recordings, and club appearances with his puppets Orville the Duck and Cuddles the Monkey. Harris grew up in Chester and North Baddesley, and started creating ventriloquism characters as a teenager. He then appeared in summer seasons at holiday resorts before appearing on television in Let’s Laugh. He then became a popular act on television variety shows, was the host of the Black and White Minstrel Show, and was given his own show called Cuddles and Company. In 2005 up to 2008 Keith had his own pantomime company which he wrote and appeared in his own pantomimes, this was called Keith Harris productions ltd and he did an annual pantomime at Ferneham Hall, Fareham, Hampshire; in 2005 this was ’Goldilocks and the three bears’. In 2006, this was Aladdin; in 2007, the group performed Cinderella, and in 2008, Dick Whittington. Keith was bought out of writing and directing future pantomimes for Ferneham Hall in 2009 by Jordan Productions Ltd. The 2009 pantomime if Harris was producing it would have been Snow White and the seven dwarfs; this was promoted early in 2009 but did not state any production company or cast, due to the bidding war between his own company ’Keith Harris Productions and ’Jordan Productions’, after Fareham council declared the person who would direct the future pantos would be the highest bidder. Jordan Productions wrote and performed Snow White and the seven dwarfs in the 2009 panto season at Ferneham Hall whilst Keith joined another production company and appeared in Peter Pan alongside Orville and Cuddles at the Hull New Theatre in Hull for the 2009/10 pantomime season. Jordan productions will also produce ’Aladdin’ at Ferneham Hall in 2010. In May 2006, Harris made a pilot called Judge Orville for Bravo. In a parody of popular shows such as Judge Judy and The People’s Court, Orville was dressed in judge’s garb and made pronouncements on fictional disputes. For example Orville once ruled for kids TV personality Timmy Mallett and against Cuddles in a case regarding Mallett’s Mallet. The show was not made into a series. In February 2007, he refused to appear on the second series of Extras, claiming that writer Ricky Gervais “wanted me to be a racist bigot“ and describing the script as “pure filth“. When asked about Harris’ refusal on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, Gervais claimed that Harris simply “didn’t get it“. Keith Chegwin, who assumed the role offered to Harris, said “the people who didn’t get it probably think Johnny Depp really is a pirate.“ Harris now lives in Poulton-le-Fylde near Blackpool with his fourth wife, Sarah, and his two youngest children, Shenton and Kitty. He was previously married to singer Jacqui Scott, a winner of a BBC talent show in 1979 who entered the 1980 A Song For Europe contest with her own composition. They had one child. Harris is a fan of Chester City Football Club, and entertains fans at the Chester City social club. Please visit my other Channel. Keep Rockin!.