116:; 28 August 1925 – 25 January 2022), known affectionately as "The Clown Prince of Wales" and "The Welsh Prince of Laughter", was a Welsh comedian, pantomime dame, television and theatre actor, radio personality, television chat show host, after-dinner speaker, lecturer, philanthropist and newspaper columnist. He worked with numerous stars within the entertainment industry including
725:
42:
718:
207:. With war still raging he toured camps in Britain and a few weeks later, on 14 May, six days after fighting in Europe ended, his troupe sailed to France to entertain allied soldiers in newly liberated France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
359:
Calvin was a founding member and trustee of the Noah's Ark
Children's Hospital Charity. He married Carole Calvin, a former dancer from Tenby, in 1985. At a special event in 2021, he celebrated 75 years in show business.
557:
820:
176:. His father John Calvin-Thomas felt there would be a better chance of employment there. Calvin was a pupil of Kitchener Road School and Radnor Road School before attending
815:
805:
292:
on 47 separate occasions from 1951 to 1964 and on Midday Music Hall on 13 occasions from 1953 to 1964 as well as many other programmes. He was a columnist in the
810:
462:
825:
693:
288:
485:
326:
279:
421:
218:
touring Great
Britain, and found his forte as a comedian. His first big break on stage came in the 1960s in the guise of
800:
790:
306:
343:
In 1994, he was awarded a
Fellowship of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. He became Vice President of both the
177:
741:
318:
106:
28:
336:
events all over the world. He lectured on the subject 'Laughter - The
Antidote to Stress'. He appeared in Malaysia,
344:
535:
302:
196:
47:
795:
185:
363:
Calvin was also
President of Narberth Civic Week and was a regular supporter of the event in his home town.
172:, he was the seventh of eight children in the Calvin-Thomas family. At the age of four, the family left for
169:
73:
348:
322:
310:
249:
where he was referred to as "Blackpool's favourite Welsh comedian"). He was particularly well known for
439:
191:
Having left the army, he went straight into entertainment, breaking the family tradition of producing
785:
780:
301:
He supported many charities. In 1991 he became the first
Welshman ever to be elected King Rat of the
294:
188:
aged 17. He collapsed during training and, when a heart condition was diagnosed, was invalided out.
719:
Paul Evans, "A life dedicated to show-business: Narberth born entertainer Wyn Calvin passes away",
383:
283:
125:
633:
153:
628:
333:
253:. Appearing annually in over 50 pantomimes, he achieved the status of one of Britain's premier
765:
667:
215:
411:
The incredibly colourful life of the
Welshman celebrating 75 years in showbiz - Wales Online
227:
729:
238:
133:
314:
254:
203:(Entertainments National Service Association), the forces entertainment service during
129:
774:
258:
223:
219:
117:
268:
204:
192:
141:
305:, a show business fraternity and charity, and was also the Welsh chairman of the
583:
231:
137:
510:
250:
246:
242:
149:
157:
145:
121:
422:"Wyn Calvin celebrates 90th birthday and 70th year being an entertainer"
761:
337:
272:
263:
181:
173:
41:
694:"Wyn Calvin's 75 years in showbiz feted by British Music Hall Society"
278:
He broke into radio in the 1950s as Tommy
Trotter in the radio show
605:"Chairman of the Welsh Regional Committee". The Stage. 5 June 1980.
340:
and
Vietnam in the Far East and many American states in the West.
211:
200:
109:
31:
433:
431:
275:
production (2004 and 2005), he contacted Calvin for guidance.
742:"One of Wales’ greatest entertainers Wyn Calvin has died",
384:"'The longest six months of my life': Wyn Calvin MBE"
241:
around the country including summer shows (seven in
93:
81:
55:
23:
332:An accomplished after-dinner speaker, he spoke at
584:"Past King Rats of The Grand Order of Water Rats"
616:"Executive member". The Stage. 26 February 1976.
184:. In 1944 he was called up and enlisted in the
536:"My Christmas: confessions of a pantomime dame"
230:. Wyn took the show on the road from London to
366:He died on 25 January 2022, at the age of 96.
8:
463:"Ex-pupils are set to reunite for centenary"
407:
405:
505:
503:
821:Members of the Order of the British Empire
40:
20:
319:Member of the Order of the British Empire
97:Comedian, entertainer, actor, broadcaster
637:(Supplement). 16 June 1989. p. 12.
375:
816:People educated at Cardiff High School
806:British Army personnel of World War II
321:(MBE) for charitable services in the
317:charity. Calvin-Thomas was appointed
267:which he played until 2011. Prior to
237:As a comedy performer he appeared in
7:
438:Sinclair, Bruce (1 November 2020).
461:Sharkey, Moira (13 October 2007).
327:Officer of the Order of Saint John
14:
811:Royal Army Service Corps soldiers
424:. Wales Online. 1 September 2015.
282:on BBC Wales. He appeared on the
257:especially renowned as a classic
826:Officers of the Order of St John
484:Jenkins, Gareth (9 March 1995).
195:preachers. He auditioned at the
440:"Longest Six Months of my Life"
486:"Heydays: A man of many faces"
1:
307:Variety Club of Great Britain
586:. Gowr.net. 12 December 2013
114:Joseph Wyndham Calvin-Thomas
60:Joseph Wyndham Calvin-Thomas
748:. Retrieved 25 January 2022
732:. Retrieved 25 January 2022
178:Canton High School for Boys
842:
345:British Music Hall Society
309:, executive member of The
222:in a part written for Sir
16:Welsh comedian (1925–2022)
303:Grand Order of Water Rats
197:Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
48:Grand Order of Water Rats
39:
226:who performed it at the
186:Royal Army Service Corps
728:25 January 2022 at the
538:. BBC. 19 December 2013
355:Personal life and death
271:playing the role in an
214:he spent five years in
170:Narberth, Pembrokeshire
74:Narberth, Pembrokeshire
656:: 5136. 22 March 1993.
351:Appreciation Society.
626:United Kingdom list:
562:Radio Times 1923-2008
323:1989 Birthday Honours
311:Royal Variety Charity
199:, for he served with
801:People from Narberth
791:Welsh male comedians
674:. Noah's Ark Charity
558:"BBC Genome Project"
442:. Western Telegraph
284:BBC Light Programme
126:Christopher Biggins
668:"Founding members"
650:The London Gazette
634:The London Gazette
465:. South Wales Echo
313:and supported the
154:Morecambe and Wise
746:, 25 January 2022
723:, 25 January 2022
721:Pembroke Observer
698:Western Telegraph
388:Western Telegraph
329:(OStJ) in 1993.
289:Workers’ Playtime
216:repertory theatre
101:
100:
34:
833:
749:
739:
733:
716:
710:
709:
707:
705:
700:. 3 October 2021
690:
684:
683:
681:
679:
664:
658:
657:
645:
639:
638:
624:
618:
617:
613:
607:
606:
602:
596:
595:
593:
591:
580:
574:
573:
571:
569:
554:
548:
547:
545:
543:
532:
526:
525:
523:
521:
507:
498:
497:
495:
493:
481:
475:
474:
472:
470:
458:
452:
451:
449:
447:
435:
426:
425:
418:
412:
409:
400:
399:
397:
395:
380:
298:for many years.
239:variety theatres
228:London Palladium
88:
69:
67:
44:
27:
21:
841:
840:
836:
835:
834:
832:
831:
830:
796:Pantomime dames
771:
770:
758:
753:
752:
740:
736:
730:Wayback Machine
717:
713:
703:
701:
692:
691:
687:
677:
675:
666:
665:
661:
647:
646:
642:
627:
625:
621:
615:
614:
610:
604:
603:
599:
589:
587:
582:
581:
577:
567:
565:
556:
555:
551:
541:
539:
534:
533:
529:
519:
517:
511:"Past King Rat"
509:
508:
501:
491:
489:
483:
482:
478:
468:
466:
460:
459:
455:
445:
443:
437:
436:
429:
420:
419:
415:
410:
403:
393:
391:
390:. November 2020
382:
381:
377:
372:
357:
334:St. David's Day
255:pantomime dames
166:
164:Life and career
134:Frankie Vaughan
86:
85:25 January 2022
77:
71:
65:
63:
62:
61:
51:
35:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
839:
837:
829:
828:
823:
818:
813:
808:
803:
798:
793:
788:
783:
773:
772:
769:
768:
757:
756:External links
754:
751:
750:
734:
711:
685:
659:
640:
619:
608:
597:
575:
549:
527:
499:
476:
453:
427:
413:
401:
374:
373:
371:
368:
356:
353:
315:Cerebral Palsy
210:After leaving
165:
162:
130:Shirley Bassey
99:
98:
95:
91:
90:
89:(aged 96)
83:
79:
78:
72:
70:28 August 1925
59:
57:
53:
52:
46:Calvin at the
45:
37:
36:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
838:
827:
824:
822:
819:
817:
814:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
799:
797:
794:
792:
789:
787:
784:
782:
779:
778:
776:
767:
763:
760:
759:
755:
747:
745:
738:
735:
731:
727:
724:
722:
715:
712:
699:
695:
689:
686:
673:
669:
663:
660:
655:
651:
644:
641:
636:
635:
630:
623:
620:
612:
609:
601:
598:
585:
579:
576:
563:
559:
553:
550:
537:
531:
528:
516:
512:
506:
504:
500:
487:
480:
477:
464:
457:
454:
441:
434:
432:
428:
423:
417:
414:
408:
406:
402:
389:
385:
379:
376:
369:
367:
364:
361:
354:
352:
350:
346:
341:
339:
335:
330:
328:
324:
320:
316:
312:
308:
304:
299:
297:
296:
291:
290:
285:
281:
280:Welsh Rarebit
276:
274:
270:
266:
265:
260:
259:Widow Twankey
256:
252:
248:
244:
240:
235:
233:
229:
225:
224:Harry Secombe
221:
220:Humpty Dumpty
217:
213:
208:
206:
202:
198:
194:
189:
187:
183:
179:
175:
171:
163:
161:
159:
155:
151:
147:
143:
139:
135:
131:
127:
123:
119:
118:Harry Secombe
115:
111:
108:
105:
96:
94:Occupation(s)
92:
84:
80:
75:
58:
54:
49:
43:
38:
33:
30:
22:
19:
744:Nation.Cymru
743:
737:
720:
714:
702:. Retrieved
697:
688:
676:. Retrieved
671:
662:
653:
649:
643:
632:
622:
611:
600:
588:. Retrieved
578:
566:. Retrieved
561:
552:
540:. Retrieved
530:
518:. Retrieved
514:
490:. Retrieved
479:
467:. Retrieved
456:
444:. Retrieved
416:
392:. Retrieved
387:
378:
365:
362:
358:
342:
331:
300:
295:Western Mail
293:
287:
277:
269:Ian McKellen
262:
245:and four in
236:
209:
205:World War II
193:Presbyterian
190:
167:
142:Bud Flanagan
113:
103:
102:
87:(2022-01-25)
18:
786:2022 deaths
781:1925 births
629:"No. 51772"
542:22 February
488:. The Stage
775:Categories
762:Wyn Calvin
704:26 January
672:Noah's Ark
370:References
349:Max Miller
232:Manchester
138:Vic Morrow
104:Wyn Calvin
66:1925-08-28
25:Wyn Calvin
590:17 August
251:pantomime
247:Blackpool
243:Llandudno
150:Max Boyce
726:Archived
678:10 March
648:"OStJ".
568:10 March
520:12 March
492:10 March
446:10 March
347:and the
325:and the
168:Born in
158:Ken Dodd
146:Roy Hudd
122:Bob Hope
338:Jakarta
273:Old Vic
264:Aladdin
182:Cardiff
174:Cardiff
76:, Wales
50:in 2014
469:8 June
394:2 July
112:(born
654:53253
564:. BBC
766:IMDb
706:2022
680:2021
592:2015
570:2021
544:2019
522:2021
515:GOWR
494:2021
471:2012
448:2021
396:2021
212:ENSA
201:ENSA
156:and
110:OStJ
82:Died
56:Born
32:OStJ
764:at
286:'s
261:in
180:in
107:MBE
29:MBE
777::
696:.
670:.
652:.
631:.
560:.
513:.
502:^
430:^
404:^
386:.
234:.
160:.
152:,
148:,
144:,
140:,
136:,
132:,
128:,
124:,
120:,
708:.
682:.
594:.
572:.
546:.
524:.
496:.
473:.
450:.
398:.
68:)
64:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
