| Biography | Davy Kaye MBE (25 March 1916 in London - 3 February 1998, Paradise Island in the Bahamas), born as David Kodeish, was a British comedy actor and entertainer.
From 1954 to 1968 Kaye presented a new show each month at London's Embassy Club. He also starred in Androcles and the Lion and The Bishop's Bonfire at the Mermaid Theatre and appeared in many films including The Wrong Arm of the Law, The Biggest Bundle of Them All, The Pot Carriers, Crooks in Cloisters, Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Alice in Wonderland, Carry On Cowboy, Carry on Regardless, Carry On at Your Convenience, A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square, The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins and many more. On television he appeared in Sapphire and Steel. He also appeared in pantomime. Kaye's last British television appearance was on the Barrymore Show where he performed his famous One Man Band act.
In 1985 the Variety Club of Great Britain gave a lunch for Kaye at London's Hilton Hotel in celebration of his 50 years in show business. Noted for his charity work, over the years Kaye raised more than one million pounds for a number of charities, including the Bud Flanagan Leukaemia Fund, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, the Prince Philip Trust Fund, the Nightingale House home for elderly Jews and the Ealing Jewish Youth Club.
He was a Past King Rat of the Grand Order of Water Rats (1984), and later was Preceptor. Kaye was awarded the Badge of Merit and Bar, the highest honour that the Order can award.
Kaye was awarded the MBE in Her Majesty The Queen's 1995 New Year Honours for his services to charity. He died in Paradise Island in the Bahamas.
He is the father of entertainers Kaplan Kaye and Melody Kaye. |