Keith Harris, the beloved children's TV star known for Orville the Duck, revealed he had lost his entire £7million fortune just a year before his death in 2015. The ventriloquist, puppeteer, and voice actor attributed his financial downfall to his dyslexia, which left him unable to read or write contracts.
A Career Spanning Decades
Harris made his television debut in 1965 on the series Let's Laugh, launching a lucrative career that made him a staple on variety shows. He later hosted his own program, Cuddles and Company, and became a regular on BBC's The Good Old Days.
His most famous creation, Orville the Duck, earned him a UK singles chart number 4 hit with 'Orville's Song' in 1983, which sold 400,000 copies. His popularity peaked with The Keith Harris Show (1982-1986) and The Quack Chat Show (1989-1990), both on BBC 1.
Financial Struggles and Health Battles
By 2013, Harris had been married four times and had three children. At 65, he underwent chemotherapy for cancer. After recovering, he made a startling admission: "I've made about £7 million throughout my career, but I've lost it all too," he told the Daily Mail.
Harris explained, "I can't read or write. Reading contracts? I didn't, I just signed them. I got into trouble many times. I signed myself away for 14 years to someone once - 25 per cent I was paying. I had no idea." He noted that from an early age, he was taught to trust others, but later learned "you have to be very careful," as "people want to see if they can make money out of you."
Continuing to Work and Legacy
Despite these setbacks, Harris continued working. "You can't just sit around feeling sorry for yourself," he said. "There's nothing for kids to laugh at now, but I'm not complaining. I've done very well, and I still do very well. I'm one of the highest-paid people at Butlin's." He had ideas for a TV show with Cuddles and Orville to teach children manners, but noted, "The TV people don't like to back an old horse."
Just 12 months later, in 2014, his cancer returned, and he died at Blackpool Victoria Hospital in 2015, aged 67. He is now remembered as one of Britain's greatest children's entertainment personalities.
