Comedy’s calypso star Lance Percival dies at 81
ENTERTAINER Lance Percival has died at the age of 81.
The actor was renowned for his comic renditions of calypso songs on the 1960s satirical television show That Was The Week That Was, hosted by David Frost.
He was later given two series of his own, The Lance Percival Show and Lance at Large, a 1964 sitcom which featured Bernard Bresslaw, Gladys Bacon and Eric Barker.
He appeared in films such as Carry On Cruising, Up Pompeii, Postman’s Knock and the 1970 musical Darling Lili, with Julie Andrews.
His other TV credits include 1970s shows Shoestring and Citizen James, and he provided the voices of both Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr in the 1960s cartoon The Beatles. His version of the song Shame and Scandal in the Family was a top 40 hit in October 1965, and he appeared on BBC radio throughout the 1980s.
In 1970, he was involved in a fatal car crash while reportedly racing in his Jaguar XJ. He agreed to pay damages after driver Paul Young died. Born John Lancelot Blades Percival in Sevenoaks, Kent, he died on January 6 after a long illness.
His son Jamie said yesterday: ‘He was an amazing dad. He was loved by all his family and will be very much missed.’
His funeral will be held on January 20 at Putney Vale Crematorium, south-west London.