Bill Oddie

William Edgar (Bill) Oddie, OBE, MA (Cantab.) (born on July 7, 1941 in Rochdale (then in Lancashire)) is a comedy writer and performer, author, composer and musician. A birdwatcher since his childhood in Birmingham, Oddie has now established a reputation for himself as an ornithologist, conservationist and television presenter on wildlife issues. Some of his books are illustrated with his own paintings and drawings.

Comedy and music

After attending King Edward's School, Birmingham, Oddie studied English Literature at Pembroke College at the University of Cambridge, where he appeared in several Cambridge University Footlights Club productions, one of which, A Clump of Plinths, was so successful during its run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival that the revue was renamed as Cambridge Circus, and transferred the revue to the West End in London, and then later took the revue to New Zealand and Broadway. While still at Cambridge Bill Oddie wrote scripts for TV's That Was The Week That Was.

Related Topics:
King Edward's School, Birmingham - English Literature - Pembroke College - University of Cambridge - Cambridge University Footlights Club - Edinburgh Fringe Festival - Cambridge Circus - West End - London - New Zealand - Broadway - That Was The Week That Was

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

His first televison appearance was in Bernard Braden's Braden Beat in 1964. Subsequently, he was a key member of the performers in the cult BBC radio series I'm Sorry, I'll Read that Again (ISIRTA; 1965), where many of his compositions were featured. Some of these were released on the album Distinctly Oddie (Polydor, 1967). He was possibly one of the first performers to parody a rock song, arranging the traditional Yorkshire folk song "On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at" in the style of Joe Cocker's hit rendition of the Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends", and singing "Andy Pandy" in the style of a brassy soul number such as Wilson Pickett or Geno Washington might perform. In many shows he would do short impressions of Hughie Green.

Related Topics:
Bernard Braden - Braden Beat - 1964 - BBC - I'm Sorry, I'll Read that Again - Parody - Yorkshire - Joe Cocker - The Beatles - With a Little Help from My Friends - Andy Pandy - Wilson Pickett - Geno Washington - Hughie Green

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bill Oddie co-wrote many of the episodes of the television comedy series Doctor in the House with Graeme Garden.

Related Topics:
Doctor in the House - Graeme Garden

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bill Oddie also appeared as the hapless window cleaner in one of the two films made of Eric Sykes' comedy story The Plank.

Related Topics:
Eric Sykes - The Plank

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Oddie was a member of 1970s BBC TV trio The Goodies, in which he starred with ISIRTA colleagues Graeme Garden and Tim Brooke-Taylor (also veterans of Cambridge Footlights). He portrayed the rebel, to Brooke-Taylor's conservative and Garden's boffin, with long hair and a poster of Che Guevara in his corner. The Goodies also released records, including "Funky Gibbon", a chart hit single in 1975. They reformed, briefly, in 2005, for a successful 13-date tour of Australia.

Related Topics:
1970s - The Goodies - Graeme Garden - Tim Brooke-Taylor - Che Guevara - 2005 - Australia

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The three have worked together since the demise of the Goodies, including the 1983 animated television series, Bananaman, that parodied comic super-hero adventures. Bill Oddie voiced the characters of "Crow", "Chief O'Reilly", "Doctor Gloom", "Eric" and "the Weatherman".

Related Topics:
1983 - Animated - Bananaman

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He was the compere of a daytime BBC gameshow, "History Hunt" (2003); and has featured in a Doctor Who audio drama.

Related Topics:
Gameshow - History Hunt - 2003 - Doctor Who

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He plays the drums and saxophone and appeared as Cousin Kevin in a production of The Who's rock opera Tommy at the Rainbow Theatre, Finsbury Park, London on 9 December 1972. He has also contributed vocals to a Rick Wakeman album, "Criminal Record".

Related Topics:
Drum - Saxophone - The Who - Tommy - Rainbow Theatre - Finsbury Park - London - 9 December - 1972 - Rick Wakeman

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~