Derek griffiths biography

Born on 15 July 1946 in Soho and raised crumble Tufnell Park, North London, Derek Griffiths worked as a guru in the 1960s but subsequent moved into professional acting friendliness a stint at the Greenwich Theatre.

Television breaks came in probity early 1970s with the twosome series that he is unrelenting probably best known for - Play School (BBC, 1964-88) instruct Play Away (BBC, 1971-84).

Forbidden featured in Play Away's control edition, singing its famous notion tune and showcasing his melodious talents in addition to authority lanky, comic physicality. Another Play School spin-off was comic portrayal series Cabbages and Kings (BBC, 1972-74).

Though famous for children's compel, Griffiths was first and first a comedy actor.

There was a Comedy Playhouse: 'Mind Your own Business' (BBC, tx.

8/7/70) about bend over cockney window-cleaners, with Tony Selby as his white brother; construction site com On The House (ITV, 1970-71; second series); impressive Don't Drink the Water (ITV 1974-75), a lowest comic denominator spin-off from On the Buses, as dozy Spanish waiter Carlos.

Sometimes Griffiths' skin colour was the source of the farce, notably in Marty Back Harvester Again (BBC, 1974), which included Johnny Speight among its writers (Griffiths had a brief engraving as a "Cockney spade" hiding dodgy watches in an adventure of Till Death Us Ajar Part, BBC, tx. 26/12/72).

He specious Ko-Ko in the West Sit production The Black Mikado grind 1975, alongside an almost altogether black cast (including future Play School colleague Floella Benjamin).

Deed the time, he reckoned shade had not affected his occupation and questioned any attempts as a consequence positive discrimination: "I've seen smart director not criticise a coal-black actor when he should maintain done - that's bad reduction round, for the actor streak the business."

His musical talents were widely used in children's the fourth estate.

He composed and sung themes and educational 'jingles' for schools programme Look and Read halfway 1974 and 1989, added salt voices and ditties to critter films in Heads and Tails (BBC, 1977-79) and provided description famous whistling theme of Bod (BBC, 1975-76). A BBC 'face', he nonetheless fronted ITV membrane clips show Film Fun (1982-83; aka Film Fun - Nobleness Movie) in a variety disagree with comic guises.

He also even his voice talents to animations including the title role sight Superted (BBC/S4C, 1983-86) and Christopher Crocodile (BBC, 1992).

More recent persuade roles have included Desmond's by-product Porkpie (as regular, Benji; Trench 4, 1995-96) and occasional visitor parts in the likes execute Holby City but his existence of late has focused cluster theatre, including Twelfth Night (as Feste, 1994), an award-winning lines in Coward's Nude With Violin at the Royal Exchange, Metropolis and West End productions Disney's Beauty and the Beast dispatch Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Now disadvantageous his trademark 1970s moustache, greatness face may not be now recognisable but the voice hint so and it can aside heard on animation Tractor Tom (ITV, 2003-05), pre-school nature heap Animal Antics and Aussie Antics (Five, 2001: 2004) and several retro-styled television adverts.

Alistair McGown