Larry Grayson

Larry Grayson, born William Sulley White, was an English comedian and television presenter. He is best remembered for hosting the BBC’s popular series The Generation Game and for his high camp and English music hall humour. Grayson is often cited as one of the first gay entertainers to have enjoyed mass appeal, although he never made any reference to his sexuality.

About Larry Grayson in brief

Larry Grayson, born William Sulley White, was an English comedian and television presenter. He is best remembered for hosting the BBC’s popular series The Generation Game and for his high camp and English music hall humour. His camp stand-up act consisted mainly of anecdotes about a cast of imaginary friends; the most frequently mentioned were Everard and Slack Alice. Grayson is often cited as one of the first gay entertainers to have enjoyed mass appeal, although he never made any reference to his sexuality. Grayson left school at the age of 14 and began working professionally as a supporting drag act on the comedy club circuit. He initially used the stage-name Billy Breen, but changed it to Larry Grayson in the 1950s on the advice of his agent.

In 1974 he released the Single’Am I Just a Pretty Face ‘, on Pye Records. He also made two cameo appearances in the Midlands-based soap opera Crossroads, as a flouncing, difficult customer at the Crossroads Motel and as the chauur at the wedding of Meg Richardson, played by his close friend Noele Gordon. Grayson’s popularity peaked when he was hired by the BBC to present the Saturday night show The Saturday Night Game in 1978, attracting audiences of 25 million at its peak. Grayson decided to leave The Game in 1982 while it was still successful, still in the expectation that the BBC would offer it a second season. He died of a heart attack in a car crash in 2003. He was buried in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

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