Editing Ray Alan (section)

==Entertainment career==
Aged 13, Alan became a [[call boy (theatre)|call-boy]] at the Hippodrome Theatre in [[Lewisham]], where he started to do magic sets on stage between acts. He then started to entertain private functions, introducing ventriloquism into his act, along with playing the [[ukulele]].<ref name = Young/> He soon left school to begin performing full-time.<ref name = Young/>

Alan toured in [[cabaret]] all over the world and performed once with [[Laurel and Hardy]] in 1954.<ref name=Lewis/> Laurel had provided inspiration for the look of Alan's most famous creation, Lord Charles,<ref name="Lewis">{{Cite news |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/content/articles/2006/10/09/ray_alan_interview_feature.shtml |title=Read his lips! There's no place like "A" home! |last=Lewis |first=Katy |date=9 October 2006 |work=Entertainment |access-date=11 October 2007 |publisher=BBC Beds, Herts and Bucks}}</ref> who first appeared at a charity show in [[Wormwood Scrubs Prison]], London.<ref name=who/>

Alan made his television debut with Lord Charles on the [[BBC]] programme ''[[The Good Old Days (UK TV series)|The Good Old Days]]'' in the 1960s<ref name= Barker/> and the pair regularly re-appeared on the programme. In the 1960s he also appeared on a children's programme ''Tich and Quackers'' with Tich, a small boy, and his pet duck Quackers. He created the puppet character ''Ali Cat'' for the [[ITV Wales & West|HTV]] series ''Magic Circle'' (1977). He was also the presenter for two years of the BBC show ''Ice Show''. In 1985 he was a special guest for [[Bob Hope]]'s birthday show at London's [[Lyric Theatre (London)|Lyric Theatre]]. In 1986 he presented a show on Channel 4 on ventriloquism, called ''A Gottle of Geer'', which he later adapted into a book.<ref name = Young/>

Alan continued to perform into his seventies, doing tours, performing in plays, and undertaking conference and corporate events.<ref name = Young/> In 1998/1999 he entertained guests on the ''[[Queen Elizabeth 2|QE2]]''. He took a break from stage work due to ill health but he did not rule out a return, if his health had permitted. His last stage appearance was in November 2008 when he performed at a special charity concert in [[Bridlington]] organised by his friend [[Greg Knight]] who was [[Member of Parliament|MP]] for the town. At the end of his performance he received a standing ovation.