Dustin Gee

Dustin Gee
Dustin Gee performing an impersonation
Birth name	Gerald Harrison
Born	24 June 1942(1942-06-24) York, England
Died	January 3, 1986(1986-01-03) (aged 43) Southport, Merseyside, England
Medium	Television comedian
Nationality	English

Dustin Gee (24 June 1942 - 3 January 1986) was an English impressionist and comedian most famous for his double act with fellow comic, Les Dennis.

Born Gerald Harrison in York, Gee lived in Manchester, where he studied at art college. He later took a job as an artist - working mainly with stained glass and for a while worked on the famous stained glass windows at York Minster. He played in a rock band in the evenings. The group were called 'Gerry B and the Hornets' before they altered the name to 'Gerry B and the Rockafellas'. When the group disbanded, Gee became a compere, then later a comedian.

After 20 years in show business, he got his television break on Who Do You Do?, an ITV showcase for impressionists, where they impersonated a host of stars, including Robert Mitchum and Mick Jagger. He went on to appear on Russ Abbot's Madhouse, which debuted in 1980.

Dustin also appeared on ITV's talent show, Success, alongside a sixteen year old Lisa Stansfield making her TV debut. He became a huge cabaret star in the UK selling out nightclubs across the land by word of mouth alone. His impressions were almost uncanny. In the medium he worked he went far beyond the impression and almost became the person he was emulating. He had a unique talent for actually looking just like the people he was trying to be. His take on John Cleese as eccentic hotel owner Basil Fawlty was acclaimed by the great man himself as the 'best he'd seen'. When he perfected his brand of Larry Grayson (comedy star of the 70's /80's) he was to be joined by him on stage and a friendship grew, so good was the 'impression'.

However, he made his biggest impact on Russ Abbott's Madhouse from 1980 onwards. This was the show that included his most famous impression, as Coronation Street's Vera Duckworth in two-handers with Mavis Riley (played by Les Dennis).

Les and Dustin were also the act that had to follow Tommy Cooper, when he collapsed and died onstage on ITV's Live From Her Majesty's in April 1984.^[1] In the summer of 1985 Dustin had a heart attack while on stage on the opening night of a six month run at the North Pier in Blackpool. He returned one month later, on his birthday, to complete the run.

On New Year's Eve, 1985, he had a second heart attack whilst working in pantomime with Les Dennis in Southport, Merseyside. Basil Soper, the show's company manager, revived him and Roger Edwards (his PA) accompanied him to Southport General Hospital where he died three days later, surrounded by his family. It was later revealed that he had had a heart condition all his life, and had been born with an enlarged heart.

References

1. ^ http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/04/12/tommy-cooper-s-last-act-fooled-us-all-says-jimmy-tarbuck-91466-23367910/

External links

• Dustin Gee at the Internet Movie Database
• Article on British Saturday night television, has some information on Success

Persondata
Name	Gee, Dustin
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	24 June 1942
Place of birth	York, England
Date of death	3 January 1986
Place of death	Southport, Merseyside, England