Claude Dampier

He was born in Clapham, South London as Claud Conolly Cowan.[2][3]

He played largely comic roles, first appearing in music hall acts and then moving to both film and radio comedies. Dampier usually appeared as a dim-witted 'silly ass' type, often billed as 'The Professional Idiot'.[4][5] He was best remembered for his post-war Jewel and Warriss radio shows, where he adopted the catch-phrase "it's me-ee".[6]

Dampier toured Australia with Edward Branscombe's Dandies troupes between 1910 and 1917. He revisited the country in 1921, and starred in two Australian films before returning to England.[1]

He married Australian actress Billie Carlyle (c1901-1991), who appeared as a 'straight-woman' in his act.[7] They met whilst acting in the silent film The Adventures of Algy (1925).[8] Carlyle later wrote a book, Claude Dampier, Mrs. Gibson & Me (1978).[9][10] 'Mrs. Gibson' was Dampier's gimmick (apparently developed accidentally), a fictitious member of the audience with whom he spoke throughout his act.[3]

Dampier is the father of actress Dorothy Dampier.[4][11]

He died in 1955 in London of pneumonia.[12]

He was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium in north London on 4 January 1955. His ashes lie in section 1-L of the Garden of Remembrance.[13]

• Hullo Marmaduke (1924)
• The Adventures of Algy (1925)
• Mr. Stringfellow Says No (1934)
• Radio Parade of 1935 (1934)
• So You Won't Talk (1935)
• The White Lilac (1935)
• No Monkey Business (1935)
• Boys Will Be Boys (1935)
• Such Is Life (1936)
• All In (1936)
• Public Nuisance No. 1 (1936)
• King of the Castle (1936)
• She Knew What She Wanted (1936)
• Sing as You Swing (1937)
• Wanted! (1937)
• She Shall Have Music (1937)
• Riding High (1937)
• Don't Take It to Heart (1944)
• Let's Have a Murder (1950)
• Meet Mr. Malcolm (1954)

• Claude Dampier at IMDb