Shenanigans with Dave Gray, By Tracey Vale

Ugly Dave Gray, whose real name is Graham David Taylor, was a professional comedian and part-time prankster. We worked with Dave in summer reviews and laughed often at his on-stage as well as off-stage antics.

Staying in theatrical digs he would incense the owner with his frequent pranks. On one memorable night, around midnight, he yelled out, “Paul! Joan! Come to my room—I’ve stolen eggs from the kitchen!” This was followed shortly by the owner bellowing, "Who took the eggs?"

On another occasion we were staying in rooms that were freezing. It was a seaside town where winter guests were a rarity. There was a heater in the downstairs hallway, but nothing at all to keep us warm in our rooms. Dave charged downstairs once the owner had turned in and unplugged the heater from the wall before lugging it noisily upstairs. “Here we go,” he announced, at the top of the stairs. “Let’s get some warmth up here!” But, before long and having heard the less than conspicuous commotion, the landlord was charging up the stairs, his dressing-gown billowing behind him.

“Watcha think you’re doing? Get that back downstairs!” Before waiting for him to do as he’d demanded, the landlord wrenched the heater from Dave and carried it awkwardly back downstairs, huffing and muttering as he went.

“Okay, what now?” Dave looked around for inspiration, then returned to his room as though an idea had suddenly come to him. Following him and wondering what his next antic was, we witnessed him wrestling the timber drawers out of the wardrobe. Walking to his open door, he banged them loudly together before yelling out down the hallway, “It’s okay! I’m lighting a fire in my room with this old wardrobe!” Again, the landlord came running…

While performing with another company, Dave contacted my mother, asking if he could call in for a ‘cuppa’ as he was travelling nearby. Mum said she’d love to see him and, before long, there was a knock on the door. There stood Dave, along with the entire bus load of actors walking towards her.

We heard about this latest antic while on another Combined Services tour—this time to Germany.