I loved his one about The Rev Paisley doing a sermon about Hell Fire and going on about "AND THERE WILL BE NASHING OF TEETH", (You have to imagine the accent). And a little old lady in the front pipes up, "But I have no teeth". And the Rev replies, "TEETH WILL BE PROVIDED".
Only 68 years old!
He was a ground breaker. One of his sketch shows was shown on French tv in 1978 - everybody I know loved it. What a loss.
I wonder if there'll be a coffin race to the cemetery ...
Very sad. I used to be allowed to stay up and watch his show when I was a child, and I loved the hilarious glimpse it gave me into the world of 'grownups' - yet he was never offensive.
A true comedian.
Mark
I'd just like to pay tribute to him as well. Does anyone remember him doing a gag about queing. I think he mentioned that he was always behind charity workers with mountains of change at the banks. His reaction was to tear all their pubic hair out, knit a scarf with it and strangle them. Pure genuis if you had have seen him perform it.
Occasionally, usually on their death you realise just how much a person had eaten their way into your affections .....Bobby Moore, John Peel et al, and now Dave Allen. One of the funniest men I ever saw on TV. He will be greatly missed.
Mr. Allen is known to, and loved by, some of us on the colonial side of the pond. This is a sad day indeed for me.
I have always liked to describe him as a sit down wit, as opposed to a stand up comic. I have always said that as an extreme compliment.
The airing of his show in America today would likely cause a small firestorm of indignation in some circles, so, in memoriam, I am going to don a pair of short socks, smoke a ciggie (and I don't smoke ciggies) and have a wee drop of whiskey (something I have been known to do, now and again).
Here's one of Dave Allen's quotes:
"Don't mourn for me now, don't mourn for me never - I'm going to do nothing for ever and ever" (what Dave Allen said he would like to have inscribed on his tombstone)
He was truly great. An awful role model for us kids, with his smoke and his glass of whiskey, but for some reason our parents let us stay up and watch him.
Unfortunately he was banned in our house. His regular skits about the Pope being so p*ssed that he had to be carried around on yon big catafalque annoyed the hell out of my Da.
'Paddy goes into pub in Rome and asks what the Pope drinks. Antonio the barman replies that he is very fond of creme de menthe. So Paddy says - I'll have a pint of creme de menthe then. Five pints of the old creme later and Paddy is sh*tfaced on the floor. Not a bit of f**king wonder he has to be carried around all the time!'
My favourite skit was the one about explaining how to tell the time to a kid.
I loved his sense of humour and sometimes sneakyed a jook at his show when the ma and da were off at sodality or confraternity. Sitting there with my finger on the channel button on the TV in case they came home early.
He was well-known in Australia too - had a sort of parallel career down there, even had a chat show for a while.
Didn't seem to belong to any group of comedians, he was a one-off
Yes, he played a role in the 1970 movie Squeeze a Flower and in 1979 had a role in the Alan Bennet TV play One Fine Day.
He also appeared in the 1972 London Coliseum stage production of Peter Pan playing Mr. Darling and Capt. Hook; and I believe he made a number of smaller stage appearances.
As I write (8.45pm GMT), the BBC have changed their Radio 4 schedule and are broadcasting a special programme about Dave Allen. I think it is likely you'll be able to listen to a recording of it on the BBC Radio 4 website http:/www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/ within the next 7 days.
Only a week or so ago the BBC had started talking to him about a series to mark his 70th birthday in a couple of years from now. Sadly, this will now never be, at least in its intended format.
Trevor
Saw him do a show once where he nearly fell off his stool.
Never have worked out whether it was done on purpose, or whether someone spiked his drink!!!
Michael, I remember with fondness that sketch about the false teeth. They showed the 'let he who is without sin cast the first stone' routine on Australian TV when they announced his passing, which reminded me of the false teeth episode.
One aspect of Dave Allen that occurs to me is that he wasn't just a great comedian. He was even more a superlative story-teller in the tradition of the itinerant story-tellers of Ireland - not as many as there were, but they are still around.
Dave Allen
Dave Allen
Just found out the Irish comedian Dave Allen has died.
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by Alf Tupper
Re: Dave Allen
May his God rest him.
Genius
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by Conán McDonnell
Re: Dave Allen
I loved his one about The Rev Paisley doing a sermon about Hell Fire and going on about "AND THERE WILL BE NASHING OF TEETH", (You have to imagine the accent). And a little old lady in the front pipes up, "But I have no teeth". And the Rev replies, "TEETH WILL BE PROVIDED".
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by llig leahcim
Re: Dave Allen
Only 68 years old!
He was a ground breaker. One of his sketch shows was shown on French tv in 1978 - everybody I know loved it. What a loss.
I wonder if there'll be a coffin race to the cemetery ...
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by Cath
Re: Dave Allen
Yeah Michael, loved that one too!
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by Cath
Re: Dave Allen
Very sad. I used to be allowed to stay up and watch his show when I was a child, and I loved the hilarious glimpse it gave me into the world of 'grownups' - yet he was never offensive.
A true comedian.
Mark
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by Ottery
Re: Dave Allen
I'd just like to pay tribute to him as well. Does anyone remember him doing a gag about queing. I think he mentioned that he was always behind charity workers with mountains of change at the banks. His reaction was to tear all their pubic hair out, knit a scarf with it and strangle them. Pure genuis if you had have seen him perform it.
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by jfiddlerh
Re: Dave Allen
That is sad news indeed....he was an institution. I too used to be "allowed" by my very generous parentsto stay up and watch his program.
Sarah
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by Sarah the Flute
Re: Dave Allen
Michael, do you remember how Dave always closed his show with the line "May your god (no capital)go with you?"
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by Johannes J
Re: Dave Allen
Occasionally, usually on their death you realise just how much a person had eaten their way into your affections .....Bobby Moore, John Peel et al, and now Dave Allen. One of the funniest men I ever saw on TV. He will be greatly missed.
May his god go with him.
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by Geoff Pollitt
Re: Dave Allen
Mr. Allen is known to, and loved by, some of us on the colonial side of the pond. This is a sad day indeed for me.
I have always liked to describe him as a sit down wit, as opposed to a stand up comic. I have always said that as an extreme compliment.
The airing of his show in America today would likely cause a small firestorm of indignation in some circles, so, in memoriam, I am going to don a pair of short socks, smoke a ciggie (and I don't smoke ciggies) and have a wee drop of whiskey (something I have been known to do, now and again).
And may he go with his god.
KFG.
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by KFG
Re: Dave Allen
Here's one of Dave Allen's quotes:
"Don't mourn for me now, don't mourn for me never - I'm going to do nothing for ever and ever" (what Dave Allen said he would like to have inscribed on his tombstone)
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by Lurcherjohn
Re: Dave Allen
He was truly great. An awful role model for us kids, with his smoke and his glass of whiskey, but for some reason our parents let us stay up and watch him.
May his god go with him, indeed.
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by grego
Re: Dave Allen
Unfortunately he was banned in our house. His regular skits about the Pope being so p*ssed that he had to be carried around on yon big catafalque annoyed the hell out of my Da.
'Paddy goes into pub in Rome and asks what the Pope drinks. Antonio the barman replies that he is very fond of creme de menthe. So Paddy says - I'll have a pint of creme de menthe then. Five pints of the old creme later and Paddy is sh*tfaced on the floor. Not a bit of f**king wonder he has to be carried around all the time!'
My favourite skit was the one about explaining how to tell the time to a kid.
I loved his sense of humour and sometimes sneakyed a jook at his show when the ma and da were off at sodality or confraternity. Sitting there with my finger on the channel button on the TV in case they came home early.
May your dog go with you Dave.
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by breandan
Re: Dave Allen
"...and BURNED into the sole of the shoe were two words....
...Size 9."
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by JerryH
Re: Dave Allen
Hope there's whiskey and ciggies where he's gone.
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by Joe Quinn
Re: Dave Allen
Sure he gave them up years ago.
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by breandan
Re: Dave Allen
I remember him describing how he lost a finger;
" I thought he wouldn't bring the axe down, he thought I would take my finger away "
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by Twiz
Re: Dave Allen
"..and the wolves came. And they ate the man. And they drank his beer."
# Posted on March 11th 2005 by grego
Re: Dave Allen
I wonder if he and Spike Milligan ever met up. I expect they will now.
Trevor
# Posted on March 12th 2005 by lazyhound
Re: Dave Allen
And Pope Paul too. Love to be a fly on the wall for that one.
# Posted on March 12th 2005 by grego
Re: Dave Allen
He was well-known in Australia too - had a sort of parallel career down there, even had a chat show for a while.
Didn't seem to belong to any group of comedians, he was a one-off
RIP
# Posted on March 12th 2005 by Bren
Re: Dave Allen
I believe Dave Allen also did some straight acting, although I never saw any of it. Anyone confirm?
Trevor
# Posted on March 13th 2005 by lazyhound
Re: Dave Allen
Yes, he played a role in the 1970 movie Squeeze a Flower and in 1979 had a role in the Alan Bennet TV play One Fine Day.
He also appeared in the 1972 London Coliseum stage production of Peter Pan playing Mr. Darling and Capt. Hook; and I believe he made a number of smaller stage appearances.
There was a spate of documentaries as well.
KFG
# Posted on March 13th 2005 by KFG
Re: Dave Allen
As I write (8.45pm GMT), the BBC have changed their Radio 4 schedule and are broadcasting a special programme about Dave Allen. I think it is likely you'll be able to listen to a recording of it on the BBC Radio 4 website http:/www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/ within the next 7 days.
Only a week or so ago the BBC had started talking to him about a series to mark his 70th birthday in a couple of years from now. Sadly, this will now never be, at least in its intended format.
Trevor
# Posted on March 13th 2005 by lazyhound
Re: Dave Allen
KFG, thanks for that information. The BBC Radio programme which started a few minutes ago at 8.30pm mentioned that he was a superlative actor.
Trevor
# Posted on March 13th 2005 by lazyhound
Re: Dave Allen
Oops, slip of the finger there - the BBC Radio 4 website is of course, http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/
Trevor
# Posted on March 13th 2005 by lazyhound
Re: Dave Allen
Saw him do a show once where he nearly fell off his stool.
Never have worked out whether it was done on purpose, or whether someone spiked his drink!!!
Michael, I remember with fondness that sketch about the false teeth. They showed the 'let he who is without sin cast the first stone' routine on Australian TV when they announced his passing, which reminded me of the false teeth episode.
May he rest in peace.
Dave C.
# Posted on March 14th 2005 by Dave Cunningham
Re: Dave Allen
now let's hope they will come out with a DVD series of some sort .......wouldn't that be great?
sure he will be missed by many, he was the best comedian ever.......never laughed so hard.
berti
# Posted on March 15th 2005 by Berti
Re: Dave Allen
One aspect of Dave Allen that occurs to me is that he wasn't just a great comedian. He was even more a superlative story-teller in the tradition of the itinerant story-tellers of Ireland - not as many as there were, but they are still around.
Trevor
# Posted on March 16th 2005 by lazyhound
Re: Dave Allen
i was ''brought up'' on this man (and Tommy Cooper) _the first to bring tears to my eyes before i discovered Monty Python
no doubt, his 'god' has gone with him as she has no choice . . .
# Posted on May 21st 2005 by lisaniska