Dave’s Kingdom

1 9 6 4 (UK)
8 x 30 minute episodes

Born David Kingshott in Twickenham, Dave King left school aged 12 and joined the Morton Fraser Harmonica Gang at 15. He did his National Service in the RAF where he was in the unit’s repertory company.

An appearance on Television Music Hall led to his compering Show Case and being given a monthly series of his own – The Dave King Show – on the BBC in 1955. He took the show to ITV in 1958.

King scored four UK hit singles in the 1950s, including Memories Are Made of This (#5 in 1956) and You Can’t Be True to Two (#11 in 1956).

In 1959, he went to the United States and hosted the country’s high-profile Kraft Music Hall on 19 occasions, but otherwise had limited success. On his return to the UK, he starred in the ITV series Dave’s Kingdom.

King then became a straight actor, starring in a number of films, including Up the Chastity Belt (1971), The Long Good Friday (1980) and Reds (1981), and appearing in a number of TV series including The Sweeney, Hazell, Pennies From Heaven, Minder, The Professionals, Coronation Street and Heartbeat.