Cyril Fletcher (June 25, 1913 – January 2, 2005) was an English comedian. He was most famous for his Odd Odes, which was a section of the popular TV show That’s Life. Fletcher had first begun performing the Odd Odes in 1937, long before they first appeared on television. He came up with the idea when he was short of material for a radio show. The first Odd Ode was a comic, yet sentimental, reading of Edgar Wallace’s war poem Dreaming of Thee. Following this broadcast he was given a regular programme on Radio Luxembourg; it was this show that brought him to national attention.
Fletcher, who was born in Watford, was a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He was also a successful businessman, believing it to be important to diversify in such a fickle business as show business. He was the founder of Associated Speakers, an agency for after-dinner speakers, on whose books were the likes of the Duke of Bedford and Lord Longford, as well as himself.
Personally I used to love listening to Cyril’s wonderful voice as he related the story of ‘Sonia Snell to whom an accident befell’ on That’s Life. However he was a great favourite and has left a store of amusing odes still to be chuckled over. To end with here’s Cyril relating ‘Eliza Tweet’ which he himself is the hero of……clever?
ELIZA TWEET
by
Cyril Fletcher
This is the tale of Eliza Tweet
Who strolled one night along the street
Picking with dainty fingertips
A fourpenny plaice and two of chips,
Wrapped in a sheet of news which seemed
Had pictures which were most refined.
Then suddenly in such a flutter
She threw her chips out in the gutter,
For on that greasy paper there
Was the answer to a maidens prayer,
‘Cos underneath her piece of plaice
Was Cyril Fletcher’s smiling face.
So where the vinegar had trickled
His features were a trifle pickled
But ‘Liza loved it just the same
And put it in a photo frame,
And now at bedtime has to pause
For Cyril’s on her chest of drawers.
She turns his face round to the wall
While she takes off her wear an’ all
Then dons her nighty, neat and plain
And shyly turns him round again.
Then she murmers, “Good night, Duck!”
And kisses where a chip has stuck
Which mars his classic lips so chaste
And gives them such a funny taste.
And then she tells him she’ll be true
And swears he answers, “Thanking you!”
Then jumps in bed to take her rest
With Cyril clutched against her chest
And whispers,”Now I hope to be…
Dreaming oh my love of thee!”
Thanking-yew 1945 Cyril Fletcher & Peter Fettes
And an opportunity to listen again to a few gems….. click on link below for free downloads
