-- Reviews by the Famous and well Known
I was a young agent in the late ‘60s helping my partner, the legendary Billy Marsh, manage Morecambe and Wise, Bruce Forsyth, Frankie Vaughan, Harry Worth, Tony Hancock and more. I built up a client list of my own and was always on the lookout for new talent.
Through my client, Leslie Crowther, I got to know Peter Dulay who was writing gags and sketches for the Crackerjack star. Peter rang me one day to ask me to see a comedian he had signed as manager. That was the good news. The bad news was he was appearing very late one Sunday night at the Stork Club, in London’s West End —what an end to the week! But I respected Peter's judgement and trudged up west. To my surprise, the cabaret was a drag show, and Peter's discovery was given a couple of short spots to enable the ‘ladies’ to change costume. It didn't matter. After two minutes I knew Peter had found a rare talent.
I met Larry after the show and could see that he lived for showbiz and had taken many false dawns in his stride. I signed up as his agent the next morning and set to work. Billy and I were planning variety weeks at the Palladium and I persuaded him to give Larry a ten minute slot on a bill. I was worried ahead of opening that Larry's innuendo and double (single?) entendres might get him the wrong reputation so we carefully edited his material. He was an instant hit with the audience. They loved him, the chair, Everard Farquharson, the marrow et al. He never looked back. TV spots followed and the rest is history.
I adored Larry. His stories of variety, his generous temperament, his surprise at his 'late' success and his appreciation marked him out as special, and I am not in the least surprised, that as the public got to know him as I did, they took him to their heart. A true original, Larry earned his place in the entertainment hall of fame the hard way. What a grey day when he left us.
Lord Michael Grade CBE, Television Executive (Written the Foreword)
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-- Newspaper and Website Reviews
BOOK TELLS HOW TV FAVOURITE BECAME 'AN OVERNIGHT STAR'
Coventry Telegraph
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SEEMS LIKE A NICE BOY
www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk
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JOURNALIST PENS BOOK ON 1970s ICON LARRY GRAYSON
The true story behind the life and rise to fame of The Generation Game favourite Larry Grayson is revealed in a new book by his great-nephew and journalist Mike Malyon.
The former Nuneaton Tribune editor, who inherited precious family memorabilia, including photographs which appear in the book, has written Seems Like a Nice Boy as a tribute to his famous relative.
His catchphrase “Shut that door” was a household phrase in the 1970s but it took the popular frontman years to gain national recognition.
Handed over as a baby to a Nuneaton miner’s family, Larry was brought up by his beloved foster sister, Flo, who was to become his lifelong companion.
He grew up entertaining people around him and loved the attention.
Performing under the stage name Billy Breen and incorporating a drag act into his stage routine, he worked the midlands club circuit before eventually being spotted by a big-time agent who set him on the road to stardom.
As host of BBC TV’s The Generation Game he helped to attract weekly audiences of around 20 million, achieving the level of fame he had always dreamed of.
He knew he had made it when he became the guest on This Is Your Life.
Author Mike Malyon said: “My uncle remains very much a showbiz icon.
“Despite it being almost 21 years since his sudden death, at the age of 71, Larry is still fondly remembered and often recalled, in TV clips or through YouTube replays.
“I am proud to pay tribute to a uniquely talented, very warm, honest, gentle man who overcame lots of obstacles to achieve his dream.
“The book contains reminiscences from people who knew him in the early days, who appeared with him on stage and screen and who enjoyed his company right to the end.
“It tells what he went through, every step of the way and the sadness at losing the person closest to him, leaving him to spend his final days living alone.”
With a foreword by Lord Michael Grade CBE, the book is published by Apex Publishing, priced £9.99 and is available in bookshops and from Amazon.
For more information call Chris Cowlin on 01255 428500 or email chris.cowlin@apexpublishing.co.uk
The Hinckley Times
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THE STORY OF A COMIC CALLED LARRY WHO PUT A SMILE ON ALL OUR FACES
LARRY Grayson, the man who put Nuneaton on the showbiz map, has a laugh with his devoted foster sister Flo in Everard Street, the name of one of his famous fictitious characters.
The life of the entertainer, who became one of Britain's biggest stars, is remembered in a book by his nephew, Nuneaton journalist Mike Malyon, which has recently been published.
Seems Like a Nice Boy tells the story of his rise to fame – from the adopted son of a Nuneaton collier to top of the bill at the London Palladium and the most watched man on television.
One of the many anecdotes in the book explains how Larry came up with the character 'Everard Farquharson.'
Evidently he was staying in theatrical digs in Bradford one Sunday night and the landlady offered him a cup of tea and a fairy cake.
A young lad came through the door bouncing a football: "Is that you, Everard?" she shouted from the kitchen."
He was about 11 years old and Larry thought: "I bet he's going to bless you when he's 18!"
But the name stuck and he used it in his act, just like the other characters he collected on his travels.
The Farquharson surname came from Charlie Farquharson, one-time landlord of the old Engine pub in King Street, Bedworth.
Charlie converted the cellar into the first pub restaurant in the area, serving succulent steaks. He also played the violin and he and a woman pianist would entertain the customers with classical music.
Larry used to drink at the nearby British Queen pub when Mirri Marshall, a great personal friend, was the licensee and often popped next door to the Engine where he got to know Charlie.
Mike Malyon's Seems Like a Nice Boy is a warm tribute and moving tribute to his uncle and highlights the lifelong bond between Larry and Flo and their deep devotion to each other.
● For the full story see centre pages.
Nuneaton News
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LARRY GRAYSON'S RISE TO STARDOM TOLD BY HIS NEPHEW MIKE MALYON
A BUS and a pub which carry his name and a few items in a museum showcase are the only reminders in the town he loved of a man who put Nuneaton on the showbiz map.
Suggestions for a statue failed to materialise and there is not even a street named after Larry Grayson, once the most watched man on television.
But his nephew, retired Nuneaton journalist Mike Malyon, has now released the first definitive biography of the entertainer - a project that has taken him ten long years.
A fascinating and compelling read, 'Seems Like a Nice Boy' traces Larry's rise to stardom from the pubs and clubs of Nuneaton and Bedworth to the dizzy heights of the London Palladium.
Mike said: "Larry Grayson remains very much a showbiz icon.
"Despite it being almost 21 years since his death, he is still fondly remembered and often recalled in television clips or through YouTube replays.
"The book has taken me many years to produce, but I am proud to finally pay tribute to a uniquely talented, very warm, honest, gentle man, who overcame lots of obstacles to achieve his dream."
He added: "It contains reminiscences from people who knew him in the early days, those who appeared with him on stage and screen and others who enjoyed his company right to the end."
Larry Grayson's pathway to stardom was far from smooth.
It was long and arduous with many setbacks along the way – but he had an unshakeable belief that one day he would be a star.
His nephew said: "My book tells what Larry went through each step of the way and his sadness at losing the person closest to him, leaving him to spend his final days living alone.
"Also included are photographs from his personal collection which spotlight the life of someone who was always 'a nice boy'."
'Seems Like a Nice Boy' tells the story of how Larry, born William Sully White, was handed over as a baby to a Nuneaton miner and his family under mysterious circumstances.
He was brought up by his beloved foster sister Flo, who encouraged him to entertain and perform comedy routines for his school pals.
Mike Malyon was close to his uncle and first saw him performing on stage in the local clubs as drag artist Billy Breen and followed his dramatic rise to stardom.
At the height of his fame Larry Grayson was adored by his army of fans and a staggering 20 million viewers tuned in to watch him host 'Larry Grayson's Generation Game.'
Priced at £9.99, 'Seems Like a Nice Boy' is on sale now at Waterstone's in Queen's Road in Nuneaton, where Mike Malyon will be conducting a book signing at 3pm on Wednesday afternoon.
The book is also available at W H Smith stores as well as on Amazon and in all eBook formats at £4.99.
Nuneaton News
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-- Radio and TV
22 December 2015 - Mike Malyon was interviewed on K107 FM. Mike answered questions about his book 'Seems Like a Nice Boy'. Mike was interviewed on 'The Graeme Logan Show'.
K107 FM
15 January 2016 - Mike Malyon was interviewed on BBC West Midlands 95.6 FM. Mike answered questions about his book 'Seems Like a Nice Boy'.
BBC West Midlands 95.6 FM
15 January 2016 - Mike Malyon was interviewed on Midlands Today. Mike answered questions about his book 'Seems Like a Nice Boy'.
Midlands Today
16 January 2016 - Mike Malyon was interviewed on BBC Hereford and Worcester 104 FM. Mike answered questions about his book 'Seems Like a Nice Boy'.
BBC Hereford and Worcester 104 FM
18 January 2016 - Mike Malyon was interviewed on Wolverhampton City Radio 101.8 FM. Mike answered questions about his book 'Seems Like a Nice Boy'.
Wolverhampton City Radio 101.8 FM
21 January 2016 - Mike Malyon was interviewed on BBC Coventry & Warwickshire 94.8 FM. Mike answered questions about his book 'Seems Like a Nice Boy'.
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire 94.8 FM
29 June 2016 - Mike Malyon was interviewed on Talk Radio Europe. Mike answered questions about his book 'Seems Like a Nice Boy'. Mike was interviewed on the drive time show, 'The Daily with Sid Olivera'.
Talk Radio Europe
-- Book Signings and Events
18 December 2015 - Mike Malyon held his book launch at the Civic Hall, Bedworth. The Mayor of Nuneaton and Bedworth (Councillor Barry Longden) attended.
Book Launch: Civic Hall, Bedworth
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