11 Facts About Oliver Wakefield

Oliver Wakefield was a popular British actor and comedian, born in South Africa, who was active from the 1930s until his death in 1956.

Oliver Wakefield then attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts for further study, where he developed his distinctive style of humorous monologue.

Oliver Wakefield created the stage persona of a nervous upper class young man, customarily dressed in full dinner suit and habitually carrying a cigarette.

Oliver Wakefield developed a distinctive stuttering mode of speech featuring tortuous syntax, malapropisms, spoonerisms, dropped words and unfinished sentences which he used to disguise his satirical observations, wry sarcasm and clever double entendres.

Oliver Wakefield quickly established himself in nightclubs and music hall and became the first Resident Comedian on the BBC, as well as making pioneering appearances in the early days of British TV, despite sometimes contravening the BBC's strict rules on vulgarity.

Oliver Wakefield became established in the United States and appeared in the variety movie short On the Air and Off .

Oliver Wakefield made one of his first American stage appearances in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1934, which featured Eve Arden.

Oliver Wakefield appeared in several British Pathe newsreels in the late 1930s.

Oliver Wakefield made regular appearances at the Savoy Theatre, the Berkeley, the Ritz, Cafe de Paris, Churchill's and other leading London venues.

Oliver Wakefield toured Australia, performing for a year in Melbourne and Sydney, followed by a 52-week radio series for the Australian Broadcasting Commission.

Oliver Wakefield died from a heart attack at his Rye, New York home at 351 Park Avenue, aged 47.