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One of the greats. As has been said, a true professional. He always came across as the most likeable person - as viewer you felt like you knew him.

RIP Des.

Des was one of the nicest guys I've ever had the privilege of working with when we shared a week at Batley variety club in the 70s.
He was professional through and through and one of our top entertainers. Add to that he worked with Buddy Holly on tour in the UK, how cool is that?
RIP Des.

Slightly off-topic, the band I was in circa 1985, had the pleasure of backing Mr Dennis Lotis (ex Ted Heath band and many others).

Like Mr O"Connor, Mr Lotis was also a real professional, which came across in the polite way he treated people he met.

According to what I can find online, he (born 08/03/1925 in South Africa) is still alive, albeit long retired.

Kindest regards,
Christopher

I've only just realised than Des O'Connor was on the Stars In Your Eyes bill - along with Russ Conway, Joan Regan and David Kossoff. That was the show where the Palladium management wouldn't let The Shadows play Apache - even though it was no.1 at the time! Tried (and failed!) to upload a copy of the poster...sorry.

(For Christopher) Here's a lovely YouTube clip of Dennis Lotis at home in Mill Hill in the late '50s.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrMoj_SyW3o

I'm a Ted Heath fan, as well as a Shadows fan.

dave robinson wrote:Add to that he worked with Buddy Holly on tour in the UK, how cool is that?
RIP Des.

Apparently, part of his responsibilities required him to drag Mr Holly out of bed by his feet to ensure he arrived at the theatre on time!

Bill

Ah yes Dennis Lotis and his family in Pathe Technicolour!!!
What a lovely reminder of a lazy possible Sunday in the 1950s.
Fast forward ten years and there is a knock on the front door, hey
its Jimi Hendrix with a sunday joint for everybody and it ain't roast beef!!!!

Mike

Ha Ha, Mr Dennis Lotis in the 1960"s? - and his collection of famous pipes!!. But he could afford to buy his sons a Hornby Dublo trainset - I only had a plastic Triang train.

Reminds me of the "Look at Life" short films they used to show as part of the program at the cinema about 60 years ago.

Kindest regards,
Christopher

PS back to Mr O'Connor - on Ken Bruce this morning Radio 2 he played a clip of Des saying:-

"I was a compere /comedian on the early rock and roll tours - trouble was the audience threw real rocks".

Yes, the good old Hornby Dublo 3-rail set reminds me of the one I inherited from my older brother, now stowed safely away somewhere in a corner of the loft!

In about 1962, I recall seeing the young, unknown Dave Allen performing the comedian/compere role on a one-nighter package show at my local Granada cinema.

Bill

I Saw the first tour at Wigan ABC. Des and Cliff and The Shads were both in their early days.
turned 80 now so memory isn't good enough to recall it in detail.
RIP Des.

Des was also the compere of Duane Eddy's first UK tour at the top of the bill.
I was there, Finsbury Park Empire, 13th April 1960, first house.
Ray