Gorden Kaye(1941-2017)
- Actor
- Soundtrack
His real name is Gordon, but when he applied to join Equity, their reply was addressed
to Gorden. Soon after he was in hospital with a kidney stone. When he came
round after the operation, he noticed his name on his chart was Gorden, so he stuck to
it. He was born in Huddersfield to a Scottish mother who was married to a local man,
an engineer. On leaving school, he became a sales clerk in a textile company,
then in the early 60's, he ran a radio show on hospital radio and used to interview pop
stars at the local theatre. A friend in the local amateur theatre company asked him to
help paint some scenery and do some other odd jobs. When the friend had to drop
out of a play, Gorden stood in for him. From his first moment on stage, he realised
that was what he wanted to do. He was spotted by Alan Ayckbourn, who gave him
advice, which led to him going to the Octagon Theatre in Bolton for 13 months. His first
part in 1968 was playing an old man of 80. He then made his television debut in
Coronation Street for 50+ episodes as Bernard, Elsie Tanner's nephew. He then did
episodes of 'It Ain't Half Hot Mum and Are You Being Served, both by David Croft, who
said that he would write a larger part for him, and, in 1982, created Rene and 'Allo Allo.
