Charlie Chuck
Encyclopedia
Charlie Chuck is the stage name of British
comedian
David Kear.
as a drummer
with various bands in the late-1970s and early-1980s, including a stint with the Small Faces and the Amazing Bavarian Stompers with whom he performed on an edition of the children's TV series Tiswas
in 1981. In the late 1980s, he turned to solo stand-up comedy
as the surreally manic
'Charlie Chuck' and, in 1990, he was talent-spotted by the comedian Malcolm Hardee
who arranged for him to appear on Jools Holland
's The Happening, a Sky TV
series produced by Noel Gay
Television.
He later appeared on the Sky TV talent show
Sky Star Search where he was spotted by DJ James Whale
, who booked him on several editions of his late night series The James Whale Radio Show (a radio show that was simultaneously broadcast on television by Yorkshire Television
on the ITV
Network).
In 1993-1995, he was a cast member of the BBC Two
TV series The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer
. He appeared performing his Charlie Chuck character act, but was always referred to on-screen as 'Uncle Peter'.
His long-running Charlie Chuck stage act often involved the destruction of a drum kit
and was peppered by references to fantasy characters including One Eyed Dog, Cakey Pig and a Donkey. The words "Donkey!" and "Woof! Bark! Donkey!" shouted out more-or-less at random had been part of his Charlie Chuck act and became his 'Uncle Peter' catchphrases on the Reeves & Mortimer TV shows. As a result of these TV appearances, Paul McCartney
became a fan and invited Chuck to perform at one of his birthday parties.
In 2001, he appeared as his Charlie Chuck character in a series of TV ads for Cadbury's
Double Decker chocolate bars.
In 2002 he appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe
in a comedy show Charlie Chuck is Scrooge
, very remotely based on the Charles Dickens
character and, that same year, his company Charlie Chuck Productions also staged Scots comic Ian Watt's one-man Fringe show John Laurie
, Frazer & I, which he directed as David Kear.
In 2004, he guest-starred in the Edinburgh Fringe show Nudge.
In 2006, he appeared as one of the acts in a 5-hour-long memorial tribute show at London's Hackney Empire
theatre in memory of his mentor the late Malcolm Hardee
.
He also appeared at the 2008 Magners Glasgow International Comedy Festival
with fellow northern cult legend Frank Sidebottom
.
In 2011 he narrated the audiobook You Only Live Once Thank Goodness written by Chris Wade
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
David Kear.
Biography
Kear began his careerCareer
Career is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person's "course or progress through life ". It is usually considered to pertain to remunerative work ....
as a drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
with various bands in the late-1970s and early-1980s, including a stint with the Small Faces and the Amazing Bavarian Stompers with whom he performed on an edition of the children's TV series 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....
in 1981. In the late 1980s, he turned to solo stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
as the surreally manic
Mania
Mania, the presence of which is a criterion for certain psychiatric diagnoses, is a state of abnormally elevated or irritable mood, arousal, and/ or energy levels. In a sense, it is the opposite of depression...
'Charlie Chuck' and, in 1990, he was talent-spotted by the comedian Malcolm Hardee
Malcolm Hardee
Malcolm Hardee was an English comedian, author, comedy club proprietor, compère, agent, manager and "amateur sensationalist"....
who arranged for him to appear on Jools Holland
Jools Holland
Julian Miles "Jools" Holland OBE, DL is an English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer, and television presenter. He was a founder of the band Squeeze and his work has involved him with many artists including Sting, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Who, David Gilmour and Bono.Holland is a...
's The Happening, a Sky TV
British Satellite Broadcasting
British Satellite Broadcasting was a British television company which provided direct broadcast satellite television services to the United Kingdom...
series produced by Noel Gay
Noel Gay
Noel Gay was born Reginald Moxon Armitage. He also used the name Stanley Hill professionally. He was a successful British composer of popular music of the 1930s and 1940s whose output comprised 45 songs as well as the music for 28 films and 26 London shows...
Television.
He later appeared on the Sky TV talent show
Talent show
A talent show is an event where participants perform their talent or talents of acting, singing, dancing, acrobatics, drumming, martial arts, playing an instrument, and other activities to showcase a unique form of talent, sometimes for a reward, trophy or prize...
Sky Star Search where he was spotted by DJ James Whale
James Whale (radio)
Michael "James" Whale is a British radio and television host. He is known for his plain-speaking, often ascerbic and confrontational, broadcasting style; during phone-ins he frequently hangs up on callers he disagrees with or who do not make their point quickly enough.-Early life:Whale was born...
, who booked him on several editions of his late night series The James Whale Radio Show (a radio show that was simultaneously broadcast on television by Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
on the 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...
Network).
In 1993-1995, he was a cast member of the BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
TV series The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer
The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer
The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer was a BBC TV sketch show written by and starring double act Vic Reeves & Bob Mortimer. Its first series appeared in 1993 following the duo's move to the BBC after parting company with Channel 4...
. He appeared performing his Charlie Chuck character act, but was always referred to on-screen as 'Uncle Peter'.
His long-running Charlie Chuck stage act often involved the destruction of a drum kit
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and was peppered by references to fantasy characters including One Eyed Dog, Cakey Pig and a Donkey. The words "Donkey!" and "Woof! Bark! Donkey!" shouted out more-or-less at random had been part of his Charlie Chuck act and became his 'Uncle Peter' catchphrases on the Reeves & Mortimer TV shows. As a result of these TV appearances, Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
became a fan and invited Chuck to perform at one of his birthday parties.
In 2001, he appeared as his Charlie Chuck character in a series of TV ads for Cadbury's
Cadbury Schweppes
Cadbury is a confectionery company owned by Kraft Foods and is the industry's second-largest globally after Mars, Incorporated. Headquartered in Uxbridge, London, United Kingdom, the company operates in more than 50 countries worldwide....
Double Decker chocolate bars.
In 2002 he appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe
Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest arts festival. Established in 1947 as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival, it takes place annually in Scotland's capital, in the month of August...
in a comedy show Charlie Chuck is Scrooge
Ebenezer Scrooge
Ebenezer Scrooge is the principal character in Charles Dickens's 1843 novel, A Christmas Carol. At the beginning of the novel, Scrooge is a cold-hearted, tight-fisted and greedy man, who despises Christmas and all things which give people happiness...
, very remotely based on the Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
character and, that same year, his company Charlie Chuck Productions also staged Scots comic Ian Watt's one-man Fringe show John Laurie
John Laurie
John Paton Laurie was a British actor born in Dumfries, Scotland. Although he is now probably most recognised for his role as Private James Frazer in the sitcom Dad's Army , he appeared in hundreds of feature films, including films by Alfred Hitchcock, Michael Powell and Laurence Olivier...
, Frazer & I, which he directed as David Kear.
In 2004, he guest-starred in the Edinburgh Fringe show Nudge.
In 2006, he appeared as one of the acts in a 5-hour-long memorial tribute show at London's Hackney Empire
Hackney Empire
The Hackney Empire is a theatre on Mare Street, in the London Borough of Hackney, built in 1901 as a music hall.-History:Hackney Empire is a grade II* listed building...
theatre in memory of his mentor the late Malcolm Hardee
Malcolm Hardee
Malcolm Hardee was an English comedian, author, comedy club proprietor, compère, agent, manager and "amateur sensationalist"....
.
He also appeared at the 2008 Magners Glasgow International Comedy Festival
Glasgow International Comedy Festival
Glasgow International Comedy Festival is a comedy festival in Glasgow, Scotland.The comedy festival started in 2002 and is held annually in March....
with fellow northern cult legend Frank Sidebottom
Frank Sidebottom
Christopher Mark Sievey was an English musician and comedian known for fronting the band The Freshies in the late 1970s and early 1980s and for his comic persona Frank Sidebottom from 1984 onwards....
.
In 2011 he narrated the audiobook You Only Live Once Thank Goodness written by Chris Wade