I thought i would start a new Thread for one of my all time favourite Entertainers Roy Castle who presented one of my favourite children's programmes Record Breakers (1972-1993), while presenting Record Breakers Roy Castle broke many world records himself.
Roy Castle also presented, narrated and appeared in many other TV programmes, apart from Record Breakers he also presented Whose Baby? in 1977 and stood in for Bruce Forsyth, hosting one episode of The Generation Game in 1975 when Forsyth was ill, among the many TV programmes he appeared in were The Roy Castle Show, Thirty Minute Theatre, The Morecambe & Wise Show, Seven Of One and many other Variety and Entertainment shows.
Roy Castle appeared in two of my favourite 1960's films - Dr Who And The Daleks (1965) and Dr. Terror's House Of Horrors (1965), Roy Castle also appeared in several other films - Sink The Bismarck (1960), The Plank (1967), Carry On Up The Khyber (1968) and Legend Of The Werewolf (1975).
Roy Castle was a tap dancer from an early age, after leaving school he started his career as an Entertainer in an amateur concert party, in the 1950's he lived in Cleveleys near Blackpool and appeared there at the local Queen's Theatre, turning professional in 1953 as a stooge for Jimmy Clitheroe and Jimmy James, by 1958 he was appearing at the Royal Variety Show.
Roy Castle was also a successful stage performer, appearing in many Shows, Musicals and Pantomimes.
Roy Castle also had a successful recording career, featuring on the soundtrack albums of many of the Musicals he worked on, between 1958 and 1969 Roy Castle recorded several singles and three LPs, in 1994 he released Ben and Roy Castle's Big Celebration, an album of music alongside his son Ben, i have got two of Roy Castle's LPs (one of them also on CD) and also several of his singles.
Roy Castle was also a keen football fan and supported Liverpool Football Club, less than six months before his death, he attended the Liverpool-Everton derby match at Anfield on March 14th 1994 and stood on the famous Spion Kop terrace, as it was the last local derby that would be staged before the Kop was demolished to make way for a new all- seater stand.
Roy Castle was born in Scholes, near Huddersfield, Yorkshire on August 31st 1932.
Roy Castle was married to Fiona Dickson from 1963 until his death in 1994, they had four children together, their youngest son Ben (born 1973) is a successful jazz saxophonist.
Any other fans of this great Entertainer on Brit Movie.
Last edited by billy farmer; 17-01-11 at 02:01 AM.
Hi, Billy,Originally Posted by billy farmer
I didn't know much about Roy Castle until your thread. But when I looked further, I realised how popular he was.
Here's an interview, 1/2, he did on Parky's show in 1982:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjDCHtwJVtU
Barbara
A lovely man and a great entertainer. I always thought he was he was one of the most talented performers of his time. Apart from all the talents Billy mentioned in his opening post, he was also a really fine musician. Taken from us far too early.
He was one of those entertainers that it was always good to see. Such a talented man & he always
seemed such a genuinely nice bloke!
When I was a kid Roy's drummer married the daughter of the butcher who had a shop on our street. The wedding was at a local church and Roy was in attendance. It was a bit of an event. I remember very clearly watching from the other side of the road as they all came out of the church, Roy was all smiles and seemed really happy for his friends, there was no limelight hogging from him and he quietly drifted to the back of the crowd. Top man Roy.
Last edited by batman; 17-01-11 at 11:07 PM.
As you say Bats, he was a 'Top Man'.
Here are some screencaps of Roy Castle as Ian Chesterton in Dr Who And The Daleks (1965) also featuring Peter Cushing as Dr Who.
Yep a really nice guy, who died much too young. Despite never having smoked, he died I believe of lung cancer, which was attributed to spending years playing jazz in smoky nightclubs.
My late father met Roy in the seventies in where else but a nightclub. They chatted at the bar and Roy gave my father some tips on public speaking.
The wedding of Roy Castle and Fiona Dickson in 1963.
Welsh Entertainer Harry Secombe shares a joke with fellow Entertainer and Actor Roy Castle and his new bride Fiona Dickson.
Thanks to Barbara for the Parkinson interview, and to Billy for the Dr. Who screencaps.
Glad you sorted out that wedding picture eventually. This makes quite a nice follow-up:
Roy Castle & his wife Fiona with their baby girl
The date credited is 17th February 1967. If the information is correct this was the
same day The Beatles' Penny Lane c/w Strawberry Fields Forever was released:
... and the elusive Mr. Rose episode The Bright Bomber was shown.
Source of Information: Cornershop's original 'Sixties Diary'
Last edited by cornershop15; 18-01-11 at 05:15 AM.
A very clever and talented man - who also came across as being very down to earth and friendly.
Roy Castle with his children in November 1976.
Entertainer, Singer, Actor, Comedian and Musician Roy Castle leads his children along in a musical line playing various brass instruments, he is followed by his Daughter Julia 9, Daniel 11, Antonia 7 and Ben 3.
Brilliant picture, Billy.
A TV Times listing from January 19th 1977.
Here are some screencaps of Roy Castle as Captain Keene in Carry On Up The Khyber (1968) also featuring Sidney James as Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond and Terry Scott as Sergeant Major MacNutt.
The amazingly versatile Roy began his career in the early fifties 'stooging' for the great Jimmy James. Jimmy's 'Elephant in the Box' routine with Roy and Eli Woods is fondly remembered and viewable on You Tube.
A TV Times feature about Roy Castle from the September 18th - 24th 1976 issue of TV Times.
Here are some grabs I made from Roy's performance in Dr.Terror's House of Horrors.
Incomplete version of The Box Sketch, I'm sure he did this later on again with Eli Wood, but with Jimmy James son Jim Casey standing in for his late father, possible at a Royal Variety Performance but I could be wrong I have been before.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGcRynUHOt0
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