Jeremy Lloyd
Encyclopedia
Jeremy Lloyd is an English
writer
, screenwriter
, author
and actor
, best known as co-author and writer of several successful British sitcom
s.
, and appeared in numerous film and television comedies during the 1960s and 1970s, notably Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
as a regular performer in 1969-70. He was lauded in America where they loved his patrician upper class depiction of an Englishman. Back in England after one particular series had been completed he met Joanna Lumley. A decision had to be taken as to whether he return to America for the start of the new series or remain in the United Kingdom and marry Miss Lumley (he never returned to America). His first major success as a comedy writer was with Are You Being Served?
in 1972, on which he worked with David Croft. He had worked for a short time for Simpsons of Piccadilly
and many of the characters depicted are drawn from his recollections of his time there. They subsequently produced 'Allo 'Allo!
, which was equally popular in the UK, a spinoff of Are You Being Served?, Grace & Favour
was aired in 1992. Jeremy also wrote the poem/lyrics for the popular Captain Beaky
album and books in 1980.
He has been the subject of a persistent urban legend
which claims that he was invited to a dinner party at the home of Sharon Tate
on the night that she was murdered by followers of Charles Manson
.
the marriage was dissolved after a few months.
and Help!
, two films starring The Beatles
, and also had a brief role in The Magic Christian
, which starred Peter Sellers
and Ringo Starr
. Starr appeared in an episode of Laugh-In, recalling the movies he and Lloyd were in together, while Lloyd looked at him as a stranger, saying "Sorry, you can't expect me to remember everybody."
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, best known as co-author and writer of several successful British sitcom
British sitcom
A British sitcom tends, as it does in most other countries, to be based on a family, workplace or other institution, where the same group of contrasting characters is brought together in each episode. Unlike American sitcoms, where twenty or more episodes in a season is the norm, British sitcoms...
s.
Career
The gangly Lloyd began his career as a writer in 1958 before making his film debut 2 years later in 1960 in School for ScoundrelsSchool for Scoundrels (1960 film)
School for Scoundrels is a 1960 British comedy film inspired by the "Gamesmanship" series of books by Stephen Potter. The main character, Henry Palfrey , is a failure in sport and love, and victim of conmen. He enrols at the "School of Lifemanship" in Yeovil, run by Dr...
, and appeared in numerous film and television comedies during the 1960s and 1970s, notably Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In is an American sketch comedy television program which ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to May 14, 1973. It was hosted by comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin and was broadcast over NBC...
as a regular performer in 1969-70. He was lauded in America where they loved his patrician upper class depiction of an Englishman. Back in England after one particular series had been completed he met Joanna Lumley. A decision had to be taken as to whether he return to America for the start of the new series or remain in the United Kingdom and marry Miss Lumley (he never returned to America). His first major success as a comedy writer was with Are You Being Served?
Are You Being Served?
Are You Being Served? is a British sitcom broadcast from 1972 to 1985. It was set in the ladies' and gentlemen's clothing departments of Grace Brothers, a large, fictional London department store. It was written mainly by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft, with contributions by Michael Knowles and John...
in 1972, on which he worked with David Croft. He had worked for a short time for Simpsons of Piccadilly
Simpsons of Piccadilly
Simpsons of Piccadilly was a large retail shop which traded at 203-206 Piccadilly in central London, England, and was built as a quality clothing store for men in 1935–36...
and many of the characters depicted are drawn from his recollections of his time there. They subsequently produced 'Allo 'Allo!
'Allo 'Allo!
'Allo 'Allo! is a British sitcom broadcast on BBC One from 1982 to 1992 comprising eighty-five episodes. It is a parody of another BBC programme, the wartime drama Secret Army, and was created by David Croft, who also wrote the theme music, and Jeremy Lloyd. Lloyd and Croft wrote the first 6...
, which was equally popular in the UK, a spinoff of Are You Being Served?, Grace & Favour
Grace & Favour
Grace & Favour is a British sitcom sequel to the long-running series Are You Being Served? It aired on BBC1 for two series from 1992 to 1993 and marked the return of Are You Being Served? creators and writers Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft.-History:The idea of a spinoff was originally suggested by...
was aired in 1992. Jeremy also wrote the poem/lyrics for the popular Captain Beaky
Captain Beaky and His Band
Captain Beaky & His Band is the title of two albums of poetry by Jeremy Lloyd, set to music by Jim Parker and recited by various British celebrities...
album and books in 1980.
He has been the subject of a persistent urban legend
Urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
which claims that he was invited to a dinner party at the home of Sharon Tate
Sharon Tate
Sharon Marie Tate was an American actress. During the 1960s she played small television roles before appearing in several films. After receiving positive reviews for her comedic performances, she was hailed as one of Hollywood's promising newcomers and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for...
on the night that she was murdered by followers of Charles Manson
Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
.
Personal life
Lloyd's first marriage (1955) to the model Dawn Bailey lasted seven years. After the marriage was dissolved, Lloyd was briefly married to the actress Joanna LumleyJoanna Lumley
Joanna Lamond Lumley, OBE, FRGS is a British actress, voice-over artist, former-model and author, best known for her roles in British television series Absolutely Fabulous portraying Edina Monsoon's best friend, Patsy Stone, as well as parts in The New Avengers, Sapphire & Steel, and Sensitive...
the marriage was dissolved after a few months.
Trivia
Lloyd appeared in A Hard Day's NightA Hard Day's Night (film)
A Hard Day's Night is a 1964 British black-and-white comedy film directed by Richard Lester and starring The Beatles—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr—during the height of Beatlemania. It was written by Alun Owen and originally released by United Artists...
and Help!
Help! (film)
Help! is a 1965 film directed by Richard Lester, starring The Beatles—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr—and featuring Leo McKern, Eleanor Bron, Victor Spinetti, John Bluthal, Roy Kinnear and Patrick Cargill. Help! was the second feature film made by the Beatles and is a...
, two films starring The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, and also had a brief role in The Magic Christian
The Magic Christian (film)
The Magic Christian is a 1969 British comedy film directed by Joseph McGrath and starring Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr, with noteworthy appearances by John Cleese, Raquel Welch, Christopher Lee, Richard Attenborough and Roman Polanski. It was loosely adapted from the 1959 comic novel of the same...
, which starred Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Richard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
and Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
. Starr appeared in an episode of Laugh-In, recalling the movies he and Lloyd were in together, while Lloyd looked at him as a stranger, saying "Sorry, you can't expect me to remember everybody."
Selected filmography
- Two and Two Make SixTwo and Two Make SixTwo and Two Make Six is a 1962 film directed by Freddie Francis. It stars George Chakiris and Janette Scott.-Cast:* George Chakiris as Larry Currado* Janette Scott as Irene* Alfred Lynch as Thomas 'Tom' Ernest Bennett* Jocelyn Lane as Julie Matthews...
(1962) - Death Drums Along the RiverDeath Drums Along the RiverDeath Drums Along the River or Sanders is a 1963 German/English international co-production using the same characters as Edgar Wallace's Sanders of the River. Filmed on location in South Africa, it features Richard Todd and Marianne Koch leading a cast of British, German and South African actors...
(1963) - Three Hats for LisaThree Hats for LisaThree Hats for Lisa is a 1965 British comedy film directed by Sidney Hayers and starring Joe Brown, Sophie Hardy]], Una Stubbs and Dave Nelson.-Cast:* Joe Brown - Johnny Howjego* Sophie Hardy - Lisa Milan* Una Stubbs - Flora* Sid James - Sid Marks...
(1965) - Doctor in CloverDoctor in CloverDoctor in Clover is a British comedy film released in 1966, starring Leslie Phillips. The film is based on the novel by Richard Gordon.The film was shot in Carnaby Street, Wormwood Scrubs and Pinewood Studios.-Synopsis:...
(1966) - The Long DuelThe Long DuelThe Long Duel is a 1967 British adventure film directed by Ken Annakin and starring Yul Brynner, Trevor Howard, Charlotte Rampling and Harry Andrews...
(1967) - Smashing TimeSmashing TimeSmashing Time is a 1967 British comedy film starring Rita Tushingham and Lynn Redgrave. It is a satire on the 1960s media-influenced phenomenon of Swinging London.It was written by George Melly and directed by Desmond Davis...
(1967) - Games That Lovers PlayGames That Lovers PlayGames That Lovers Play is a 1970 British comedy film written and directed by Malcolm Leigh and starring Joanna Lumley, Penny Brahms and Richard Wattis.-Cast:* Joanna Lumley - Fanny Hill* Penny Brahms - Constance Chatterley* Richard Wattis - Lothran...
(1970)