Percy Edwards
Percy Edwards | |
---|---|
![]() Percy Edwards on Morecambe and Wise | |
Born | |
Died | 7 June 1996 Hintlesham, Suffolk, England | (aged 88)
Known for | Animal impersonator, entertainer, ornithologist |
Percy Edwards MBE (1 June 1908 – 7 June 1996)[1] was an English animal impersonator,[2] entertainer and ornithologist.
Biography
[edit]When he was a child, bird impressions were often done with the assistance of hands on the mouth, however he was able to do them without.[3] During World War II, Edwards worked at Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies in Ipswich.[4]
Edwards became a household name after playing Psyche the dog in the radio series A Life of Bliss,[5] which he reprised for its television adaptation. He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1993 for services to ornithology and entertainment.[6] In 2009, Sir David Attenborough presented a special BBC radio panel game, The Percy Edwards Showdown, dedicated to Edwards's life and career.[2] He is buried in the churchyard of St Mary's, Polstead, Suffolk.
![](http://178.128.105.246/content-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/The_grave_of_Percy_Edwards_in_the_churchyard_of_St_Mary%2C_Polstead%2C_Suffolk.jpg/220px-The_grave_of_Percy_Edwards_in_the_churchyard_of_St_Mary%2C_Polstead%2C_Suffolk.jpg)
Filmography
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1960-1961 | A Life of Bliss | Psyche the Dog | 10 episodes |
1965 | Pet Pals | Animal Sounds | 6 episodes |
1966 | Hugh and I | Voices | Episode “Hold That Tiger” |
1971 | The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer | Bird impersonator | Film |
On the Buses | Bird Impressions | Episode “The Kids’ Outing” | |
1972 | His Lordship Entertains | Voices | Episode 4 “The Safari Park” |
1973 | The Morecambe and Wise Show | Jungle Sounds | 1 episode |
1976 | Wodehouse Playhouse | Bird Imitations | Episode “The Nodder” |
The End of the Pier Show | Various | Episode “The 9.36 to Didcot” | |
The Good Life | Animal Noises | Episode “The Happy Event” | |
1977 | The Goodies | The Dodo | Episode “Dodonuts” |
1979 | Alien | Alien Voices | Film, uncredited |
1981 | Hi-de-Hi! | Bubbles | Episode 7 “No Dogs Allowed” |
The Ark Stories | Animal Sounds | 11 episodes | |
The Island of Adventure | Kiki | Film | |
1982 | The Plague Dogs | Animal Vocalisations | Film |
The Dark Crystal | Fizzgig | Film | |
1983 | Fair Ground! | Captain Cutlass | 9 episodes |
Androcles and the Lion | The Lion's Voice | TV movie | |
1984-1985 | Hilary | Arthur | 4 episodes |
1985 | In the Shadow of Kilimanjaro | Baboon Voices | Film |
1986 | Sorry! | The Duck | Episode “My Family and Other Monsters” |
Labyrinth | Ambrosius | Film | |
1988 | Bad Boyes | Joey the Budgie | Episode “The Holiday” |
Bibliography
[edit]- Call Me at Dawn (1948)
- The Birdman's Pocket Book (1954)
- The Road I Travelled (1979)
- Country Book (1981)
- Song Birds (1986)
References
[edit]- ^ Gifford, Denis (10 June 1996). "Obituary: Percy Edwards". The Independent. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
- ^ a b "Percy Edwards Showdown". BBC. 4 March 2009.
- ^ "BBC Archive (19th February 2017) "#Onthisday 1972: One-man vocal menagerie Percy Edwards showed off his range of animal impressions" - Twitter". Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ "WW2 People's War - Joan Whitson". BBC History. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2008.
- ^ "Wogan's Radio Fun - Percy Edwards and Patricia Hayes". YouTube.
- ^ "Percy Edwards - Biography". Imdb.com. Retrieved 4 March 2009.