Ugly Dave Gray

Australian comedian

Graham David Taylor (born 26 December 1933), known better as Ugly Dave Gray, is an English Australian comedian, television personality, game show host and radio host. He featured briefly in the TV serial The Young Doctors as publican Bunny Howard.

Born Graham David Taylor, he transposed his first and middle names to come up with "Dave Gray". The "Ugly" part came from his first wife, Gail Gray, who joked that Gray was so ugly, he made her look attractive. He became active as a comedian in his native England in the 1960s, before arriving in Australia.

His first television gig in Australia was in 1972, when he hosted a version of the American television game show Beat the Clock. Although still working as a stand up comedian, by 1976, Gray had taken a straight dramatic role as publican Bunny Howard in the early episodes of soap opera The Young Doctors. The following year, however, Gray appeared in his most popular role, as a regular panelist on the game show Blankety Blanks. He proceeded to leave his role in The Young Doctors after his initial 13 week contract expired to work on Blankety Blanks, with Graham Kennedy himself convincing Gray to do the game show. Gray had been receiving $100 a day for The Young Doctors; with Blankety Blanks paying $45 an episode, this represented a pay cut. Later, Gray signed with agent Harry M Miller, who negotiated the increased pay rate of $75 per episode, which remained until the series ended. Gray was appointed Court Jester to 1977 King of Moomba Mickey Mouse (a controversial choice with some Melburnians, who preferred 'home grown' Blinky Bill). With his ever present cigar, Gray became one of the most popular comedians on Australian TV. He became a game show host in his own right, helming Celebrity Tattle Tales in 1980, and Play Your Cards Right from 1984 to 1985. Gray also appeared in a series of commercials for Half Case supermarkets in the 1980s, as well as spots for other products, including an erectile dysfunction nasal spray in 2003. In the 1980s, Gray also presented a drive time radio program on 3UZ, with Mary Hardy.

Ugly Dave Gray has two children, a daughter and a son. His son, also called Dave Gray, is following in his father's footsteps as a comedian. Gray released an autobiography in 2005, titled It's Funny Being Ugly, in which he stated he was not invited to speak at the service, nor even told about where Graham Kennedy's funeral was being held, and had to ask Phillip Brady for details. In 1999, Gray announced that he wished to be cryogenically frozen after death.