Ugly Dave Gray
Encyclopedia
Ugly Dave Gray is an Australian television personality.
's Blankety Blanks
in 1977-1978. He had earlier taken a straight dramatic role as publican Bunny Howard in the early episodes of soap opera
The Young Doctors
in 1976. He left his role in The Young Doctors after his initial 13-week contract expired in order to work on Blankety Blanks. Kennedy himself had convinced Gray to do Blankety Blanks Gray had been receiving $100 a day for The Young Doctors, with Blankety Blanks paying $45 an episode this represented a pay cut. Later Gray signed with agent Harry M Miller who negotiated the increased pay rate of $75 per episode of Blankety Blanks which remained until the series ended.
Gray was appointed Court Jester to 1977 King of Moomba
Mickey Mouse
(controversial choice with some Melburnians preferring a 'home-grown' Blinky Bill
).
Gray later hosted the celebrity game show Celebrity Tattle Tales in 1980, and Play Your Cards Right
in 1984.
In May 2005, Gray was not invited to speak at Kennedy's funeral, and did not know where the funeral was to be held and had to call presenter Philip Brady
for details.
Gray was portrayed by Angus Sampson
in the 2007 television movie The King
, about the life of Graham Kennedy
. He wrote a biography and now is in store!
On 19th October 2011, Gray appeared in a comedy sketch for the ABC1
show Hamster Wheel
.
He also has a legally blind son, Gough Gray who is a film maker and recently appeared on Sunday Night Safran with Father Bob. You can view his film at http://www.beernutsproductions.com/
Gray was often seen onscreen smoking his trademark cigar
.
Career
Gray was a regular panellist on Graham KennedyGraham Kennedy
Graham Cyril Kennedy, AO was an Australian radio, television and film performer, often called Gra Gra and The King of Australian television.-Childhood:...
's Blankety Blanks
Blankety Blanks
Blankety Blanks was a popular Australian game show based on the American game show Match Game. It was hosted by Graham Kennedy on Network Ten. It ran from 1977-1978.Regular panelists were Ugly Dave Gray, Noeline Brown, Carol Raye and Stuart Wagstaff...
in 1977-1978. He had earlier taken a straight dramatic role as publican Bunny Howard in the early episodes of soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
The Young Doctors
The Young Doctors
The Young Doctors is an Australian early evening soap opera. The series was set in the fictional Albert Memorial hospital and primarily concerned with romances between younger members of the hospital staff, screened on the Nine Network from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March...
in 1976. He left his role in The Young Doctors after his initial 13-week contract expired in order to work on Blankety Blanks. Kennedy himself had convinced Gray to do Blankety Blanks Gray had been receiving $100 a day for The Young Doctors, with Blankety Blanks paying $45 an episode this represented a pay cut. Later Gray signed with agent Harry M Miller who negotiated the increased pay rate of $75 per episode of Blankety Blanks which remained until the series ended.
Gray was appointed Court Jester to 1977 King of Moomba
Moomba
Moomba is Australia's largest free community festival and one of the longest running festivals in Australia. Held annually in the city of Melbourne, Australia, Moomba is celebrated during the Labour Day long weekend , and has been celebrated since 1955...
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
(controversial choice with some Melburnians preferring a 'home-grown' Blinky Bill
Blinky Bill
Blinky Bill is an anthropomorphic koala and children's fictional character created by New Zealand-born Australian author Dorothy Wall. The character of Blinky first appeared in Brooke Nicholls' 1933 book, Jacko - the Broadcasting Kookaburra, which was illustrated by Wall...
).
Gray later hosted the celebrity game show Celebrity Tattle Tales in 1980, and Play Your Cards Right
Play Your Cards Right
Play Your Cards Right is a British television game show based on the American show known as Card Sharks. The gameplay was basically the same as in the American version.-Broadcast History:...
in 1984.
In May 2005, Gray was not invited to speak at Kennedy's funeral, and did not know where the funeral was to be held and had to call presenter Philip Brady
Philip Brady (broadcaster)
Philip Brady is an Australian media personality.Born in Melbourne, Brady was involved in the early days of television. He left school at the age of 18 and started working as a booth announcer at Channel Nine in 1958....
for details.
Gray was portrayed by Angus Sampson
Angus Sampson
Angus Murray Lincoln Sampson is an Australian actor, voice-over artist, director and writer based in Los Angeles and Melbourne.-Early life:Sampson was born in Sydney, Australia. A former ward of the state, he was educated at the Trinity Grammar School in Sydney prior to winning a place at The...
in the 2007 television movie The King
The King (2007 film)
The King: The Story of Graham Kennedy is an Australian telemovie examining the life of Australian entertainer Graham Kennedy.Produced in Australia by the Sydney based independent production company Crackerjack Productions for TV1 and the Nine Network, The King was first shown on 20 May 2007 on TV1...
, about the life of Graham Kennedy
Graham Kennedy
Graham Cyril Kennedy, AO was an Australian radio, television and film performer, often called Gra Gra and The King of Australian television.-Childhood:...
. He wrote a biography and now is in store!
On 19th October 2011, Gray appeared in a comedy sketch for the ABC1
ABC1
ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
show Hamster Wheel
Hamster wheel
Most wheels are constructed of steel or plastic, both with advantages and problems. Solid plastic wheels are safer for some types of pets, such as hamsters and hedgehogs, because the space between rungs is solid and the animal's feet or legs cannot get stuck between rungs, an injury risk in steel...
.
He also has a legally blind son, Gough Gray who is a film maker and recently appeared on Sunday Night Safran with Father Bob. You can view his film at http://www.beernutsproductions.com/
Filmography
- Double the FistDouble the FistDouble the Fist is an Australian satirical television show which airs on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It follows the misadventures of four men and their pursuit of "fistworthiness": host Steve Foxx , and his three offsiders; Rod Foxx , Mephisto , and The Womp .The series has also been...
(2004) TV Series (Episode Four: Fear Factory) .... Himself - Gettin' SquareGettin' SquareGettin' Square is a crime caper movie set on Australia's Gold Coast and directed by Jonathan Teplitzky. The protagonists are ex-criminals trying to keep out of trouble....
(2003) .... Jack Cullan - All At SeaAll at SeaAll at Sea is a naval ruleset for Games Workshop's miniature wargame The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game. The official rules were a modified version of the Warhammer Boat rules, adapted by Nick Davis and first presented in Games Workshop's White Dwarf magazine .The game's mechanics centred...
(1977) (TV) - The Young DoctorsThe Young DoctorsThe Young Doctors is an Australian early evening soap opera. The series was set in the fictional Albert Memorial hospital and primarily concerned with romances between younger members of the hospital staff, screened on the Nine Network from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March...
(1976) TV Series .... Bunny Howard
Personal life
Ugly Dave Gray has two children, a daughter and a son. His son, also called Dave Gray, is following in his father's footsteps as a comedian himself.Gray was often seen onscreen smoking his trademark cigar
Cigar
A cigar is a tightly-rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco that is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines, and the Eastern...
.