Jim Davidson

File:Jim as Buttons in Sinderella Comes Again.jpg

Jim Davidson as Buttons in Sinderella Comes Again.

Jim Davidson (born Cameron James Davidson in Kidbrooke, London. England, December 13 1953) is a British comedian, TV presenter and actor. He has been made an officer of the Order of the British Empire for his charity work.

Biography

Jim Davidson was born in Blackheath, London and attended St Austen’s School in Charlton. He was chosen to appear in Ralph Reader’s Gang Show at the Golders Green Hippodrome aged 12, and found his way into showbusiness when he was in a pub in Woolwich when the regular comedian hadn’t turned up.

He became a regular on the London comedy circuit, and then first auditioned for Opportunity Knocks in 1975, but was unsuccessful, reporting that Hughie Green told him to "go away". His audition for New Faces was more successful, and he proceeded to win the show by one point, and then to come second in the overall contest.

Television

His success was quickly followed by many appearances on television, including “What’s On Next” and several series of his own show “The Jim Davidson Show” which ran for five complete series and won Davidson the TV Times award as “Funniest Man On Television”. Davidson made a few appearances on Tiswas in 1977, and claimed in 2004 to have been the first Phantom Flan Flinger on that programme He starred in high rating TV sitcoms “Up The Elephant And Around The Castle” and “Home James”. His one man show for Thames, “Stand Up Jim Davidson” was recorded on stage at London’s Royalty Theatre. In recent years, he is most famous for his television roles on Big Break and successor to Bruce Forysth as host of the Generation Game

Touring show

Davidson's touring is developed from his original London Comedy circuit show, for pub and club audiences. Aimed at a very different audience to his television work, it is at best blue language and at worst Anglo-Saxon swearing - he is quite open and honest in promoting his stage shows as Adult Entertainment. This has also developed into his Adult Pantomime work, including productions with titles such as: Boobs in the Wood and SINderella - both of which have played to sellout audiences. He has also for the first time in 14years refused to play Great Yarmouth, stating that the resort was: full of overweight people in flip-flops and fat children of all colours and no class

Music

Davidson has also produced some engaging musical pieces of work, mostly produced in conjunction with his friend Greg Lake or Emerson Lake and Palmer fame. These include albiums of a contemporary nature, as well as Scottish ballards and folk songs.

Forces

Davidson has put much effort into entertaining the British Forces, and set up a charity to fund shows to provide entertainment for British soldiers living abroad. As well as extensive touring, he has starred in a number of his own TV specials for ITV and BBC, including one from HMS Invincible, “Homeward Bound for Christmas” and in 2002 he filmed “Jim Davidson Falklands Bound” which was screened during the 20th Anniversary of the end of the hostilities. During the Iraq conflict he was trapped on a cargo plane to entertain the British soldiers for no fee, and in 2003 “Jim Davidson Basra Bound” was screened on BBC One and further BBC TV Specials of his live stand-up show followed. He has made five visits to the Falkland Islands, twice to Macedonia, and at least six times to Iraq. His is presently the Chairman of The British Forces Foundation charity which aims to promote the well-being and esprit de corps of service personnel.

Business

Much as though Davidson is known for getting into trouble in his private life, he has been wise in his business dealings. He set up a compnay which either bought or leased several seaside theatres or piers, including the Winter Gardens building in Great Yarmouth, converting it into a nightclub. He has since sold the company for a considerable profit. He has also been quick to take advantage of the Video and DVD age, and all of his works are available to this day on back catalog.

Personal Life

Davidson has always been a good subject for the tabloid press. His multiple marriages, battles with alcohol and abusive language on stage make good selling copy.

In his 2004 autobiography Close to the edge, he writes his story in his own words, including the tales of his four marriages and six year battle against alcoholism. His ex-wife Alison Holloway's new husband Burt Kearns had also plotted to have Davidson knee-capped as a result of his confession of battering Holloway

His various marriages resulted in Sir John Mills sending him a telegram on the occasion of his fourth marriage, which simple read: Will It Last? It didn't, and after 10years (the longest of any of his marriages), his wife Tracy accepted that like the three before here, she had been a hapless victim of the fickle comedian's bad moods, roving eye and general bad behaviour towards women Davidson subsequently returned the compliment to Sir John and his wife on the anniversary of their 60th Wedding Anniversary

In 2004, Davidson, a self-professed Conservative, (not BNP like many assume) publicly left the United Kingdom for Dubai in protest at the Labour Party government.

Controversy

Davidson makes no attempt to be politically correct, and from time to time makes jokes about ethnic minorities and disabled people in his stand-up act. His humour is not universally well-received, but still has had popular "stand-up" shows featured on the BBC.

Davidson has been the subject of media coverage, especially in British tabloid newspapers. The Shropshire Star reports that much of it has focused upon his divorce payments, income tax bills, and court orders for cancelled shows, with a tendency to concentrate upon where his comedy is ill-received rather than where it is well-received It cites as an example an incident where he once refused to go on stage in Plymouth because some disabled ticketholders were in the front row, quoting his as saying that "I've got nothing against disabled people but part of my act is taking the piss out of the front row. Just imagine if I had have ripped it out of them? The papers would have had a field day. Instead I asked them to move but they wouldn't budge." The disabled people in question responded they had bought front row tickets, were aware of the nature of his act, and on that basis why should they move. Some critics later said that a feature of a great comedian is to be able to tailor his act suit any audience Mean while, disabled comedian Laurence Clark now turns the tables on Davidson, refusing to perform if Davidson ever turned up to one of his shows, and comparing Davidson to Tony Blair's manifesto speeches

Martin Fletcher, writing for the Marxist Socialist Democracy, describes Davidson as "extraordinarily foul-mouthed, racist, and sexist" and a "throwback", whilst quoting Garry Bushell describing Davidson as a "family entertainer". In a Channel 4 poll of the "100 Worst Britons", Davidson came in at #20

Credits

Television

Big Break, Home James, New Faces, Stand Up Jim Davidson, The Generation Game, The Jim Davidson Show, Up the Elephant and Round the Castle, Manimal, Life's a pitch, CSI, Jim Davidson live at Sun City, What's on Next, Tiswas, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

Film

• Jim Davidson made his first feature film appearance, somewhat incongruously, in the Peter Greenaway directed A Zed and Two Noughts (1985).
• Colour Me Kubrick (2006) With John Malkovich. The true story of a man who posed as director Stanley Kubrick during the production of Kubrick's last film, Eyes Wide Shut, despite knowing very little about his work and looking nothing like Kubrick.

Music

• "Watching Over You"
• "A Time for Remembering"
• "Love Please Stop Leaving Me"

Theatre

• Jim Davidson wrote and performed in the "adult" pantomime Sinderella with '60s singer Jess Conrad, comedians Dave Lee, Rogger Kitter, Dave Kristian, Mia Carla, Charlie Drake and balloon dancers The Oddballs.
• Boobs in the Wood 1999 an adult pantomime performed with Victor Spinetti
• In 2004 Sinderella Comes Again toured again with a new script and was released on DVD and Video

External links

• Jim Davidson Official Site
• Sinderella Comes Again