Joy Nichols

Joy Eileen Nichols (17 February 1925 – 23 June 1992) was an Australian-British comedian, actress and singer who also worked in the United States. She is best known as a star of Take It From Here on BBC Radio.

Joy Nichols
Joy Nichols during the Tivoli revue of Follow the Girls, Sydney, May 1948
Born
Joy Eileen Nichols

(1925-02-17)17 February 1925
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died23 June 1992(1992-06-23) (aged 67)
New York City, New York, USA
NationalityAustralian
OccupationActor, singer, comedian
Spouse(s)Wally Peterson

Biography

Nichols born in Sydney, Australia, was originally part of a song-and-dance double act with her brother George, Joy Nichols moved to Britain in 1946 to further her career. Radio producer Charles Maxwell gave her a major role in the last series of Navy Mixture, broadcast for the BBC General Forces Programme in 1947 starring with Jimmy Edwards. Guest appearances by fellow Australian Dick Bentley led to the pairing of Bentley's writer Denis Norden with Edwards and Nichols' writer Frank Muir on Take It From Here (1948–1960), starring Edwards, Bentley and Nichols, who both sang and played comedy.[1]

In 1949, Nichols married Wally Peterson, an American musical comedy performer who was then touring in the London production of Oklahoma!. In 1952 she temporarily left Take It From Here while she gave birth to a daughter, Roberta.[2] The following year Nichols departed for good and was replaced by June Whitfield (comedy actress) and Alma Cogan (singer), just as the show took off with the appearance of The Glums. Nichols returned with her husband to the United States.[1]

In 1953, Nichols recorded with Jimmy Edwards and Dick Bentley the novelty song "Little Red Monkey" by Stephen Gale and Jack Jordan. This was re-played many times in the 1950s and early 60s on the BBC's radio request programme Children's Favourites.

Nichols had supporting roles in a number of Broadway musicals in the 1950s and 1960s, including Redhead[3] and Darling of the Day,[3] but was unable to secure lead roles and finally left show business. Latterly she worked as a retail assistant.

Selected filmography

References
  1. Frank Muir (1997). A Kentish Lad. Bantam Press, London. ISBN 0-593-03452-X.
  2. Take It From Here: 11 October 1949 (Joy returns wed); 18 March 1952 (Roberta broadcasts!)
  3. "Joy Nichols". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 24 October 2007.


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