Bob Carolgees
Encyclopedia
Bob Carolgees is a comedy entertainer who appeared on the Saturday morning TV series Tiswas
and then later in its adult versions O.T.T.
and Saturday Stayback
. He is best-known for appearing with a puppet named Spit the Dog.
Carolgees first appeared in a guest spot on Tiswas
on the 31 March 1979. Main presenter Chris Tarrant
's first words to him were "I don't know who the f--- you are, but stand there, you're going to be on the telly, it's great!" Clowning around with a monkey puppet Charlie, Bob went down very well with the viewing audience and after being invited back for several guest spots he soon became a team presenter. Carolgees, in pyjamas and headband was also the Tiswas character Houdi Elbow, a comedy 'psychic' and small time magician.
As well as gaining national fame with these and Spit the Dog, he was also part of The Four Bucketeers
who made the UK Top 30 in 1980, even making a Top of the Pops
appearance.
Carolgees went on to work for eight years alongside Cilla Black
in Surprise, Surprise and he was for nearly two decades one of the foremost performers to entertain the British armed forces around the world. He also fronted pop/game show Hold Tight!, produced by Granada Television
for Children's ITV and game show Concentration.
In the 1980s, and at the height of his popularity, Bob featured in a series of Hellmann's Mayonnaise
press and television commercials for eight years dressed as an overgrown schoolboy.
Bob now owns a candle shop — Carolgees Candles — in Frodsham
, Cheshire
. He temporarily came out of show business retirement to appear with all his old colleagues in Tiswas Reunited on ITV
on 16 June 2007.
auction
.
and was where Bob developed his act. Alternatively it was the name of his secretary when he was warden (warder) at the Cannon Hill MAC in Brum. These may be the same person.
and appeared in a couple of episodes as himself. He and Spit the Dog can briefly be seen hosting a Trisha style early morning discussion show in Peter Kay
's follow up comedy Phoenix Nights. He can also be seen on the back of a leaflet in the toilets in the first episode.
Tiswas
Tiswas was a Saturday morning children's British television series which ran from 5 January 1974 to 3 April 1982 and was produced for the ITV network by ATV Network Limited....
and then later in its adult versions O.T.T.
O.T.T.
O.T.T. was a late-night adult version of the anarchic ATV children's show Tiswas, but made by its ITV franchise successor Central Television. It was broadcast at 11.00pm on Saturday nights for one series in 1982. O.T.T. was created and presented by Chris Tarrant, and also starred ex-Tiswasians John...
and Saturday Stayback
Saturday Stayback
Saturday Stayback was a late night comedy show made in 1983 by Central Television, starring Chris Tarrant. It was performed entirely in a public house....
. He is best-known for appearing with a puppet named Spit the Dog.
Career
In the early 1970s Carolgees ran a DJ and modelling school at 11A Lord Street in Liverpool. After a 5 week course DJs and models were tested in front of an audience at the Sportsmans Club in Central Liverpool.Carolgees first appeared in a guest spot on Tiswas
Tiswas
Tiswas was a Saturday morning children's British television series which ran from 5 January 1974 to 3 April 1982 and was produced for the ITV network by ATV Network Limited....
on the 31 March 1979. Main presenter Chris Tarrant
Chris Tarrant
Christopher John "Chris" Tarrant, OBE is an English radio and television broadcaster, now best known for hosting the first version of the television game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in the United Kingdom and later Ireland, as the two national versions of the show merged in 2002.Chris...
's first words to him were "I don't know who the f--- you are, but stand there, you're going to be on the telly, it's great!" Clowning around with a monkey puppet Charlie, Bob went down very well with the viewing audience and after being invited back for several guest spots he soon became a team presenter. Carolgees, in pyjamas and headband was also the Tiswas character Houdi Elbow, a comedy 'psychic' and small time magician.
As well as gaining national fame with these and Spit the Dog, he was also part of The Four Bucketeers
Four Bucketeers
The Four Bucketeers were an ad-hoc music/water-throwing group from the ITV children's programme Tiswas.Officially, the Four were Chris Tarrant, Sally James, John Gorman and Bob Carolgees; sometimes Lenny Henry contributed as well. Gorman was the musical talent in the group, having been part of The...
who made the UK Top 30 in 1980, even making a Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
appearance.
Carolgees went on to work for eight years alongside Cilla Black
Cilla Black
Cilla Black OBE is an English singer, actress, entertainer and media personality, who has been consistently popular as a light entertainment figure since 1963. She is most famous for her singles Anyone Who Had A Heart, You're My World, and Alfie...
in Surprise, Surprise and he was for nearly two decades one of the foremost performers to entertain the British armed forces around the world. He also fronted pop/game show Hold Tight!, produced by Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
for Children's ITV and game show Concentration.
In the 1980s, and at the height of his popularity, Bob featured in a series of Hellmann's Mayonnaise
Hellmann's and Best Foods
Hellmann's and Best Foods are brand names that are used for the same line of mayonnaise and other food products. The Hellmann's brand is sold in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, and also in Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Canada...
press and television commercials for eight years dressed as an overgrown schoolboy.
Bob now owns a candle shop — Carolgees Candles — in Frodsham
Frodsham
Frodsham is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. Its population is 8,982. It is approximately south of Runcorn, 16 miles south of Liverpool, and approximately south-west of Manchester...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. He temporarily came out of show business retirement to appear with all his old colleagues in Tiswas Reunited on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
on 16 June 2007.
Spit The Dog auction
An early Spit the Dog puppet (Bob has made three over the years) recently raised over £5,000 at a Christie'sChristie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
.
Stage Name
The name Carolgees comes from friends Carole and George Dunmore who owned a record shop called Carolgees Records & Cassettes. Carole and George also operated a mobile disco called Carolgees Cabaret Disco which became extremely popular around MerseysideMerseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
and was where Bob developed his act. Alternatively it was the name of his secretary when he was warden (warder) at the Cannon Hill MAC in Brum. These may be the same person.
In popular culture
Bob is mentioned in almost all episodes of That Peter Kay ThingThat Peter Kay Thing
That Peter Kay Thing was a series of six spoof documentaries shown on Channel 4 in January 2000. Set in and around Bolton, these followed the lives of different characters and starred Peter Kay as the subject of each documentary. All of the episodes displayed Kay's penchant for nostalgic humour and...
and appeared in a couple of episodes as himself. He and Spit the Dog can briefly be seen hosting a Trisha style early morning discussion show in Peter Kay
Peter Kay
Peter John Kay is an English comedian, writer, actor, director and producer. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing , Phoenix Nights , Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere , Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and other independent productions which have included two sell out tours.-Early career:Peter Kay...
's follow up comedy Phoenix Nights. He can also be seen on the back of a leaflet in the toilets in the first episode.