KEITH HARRIS, the Entertainer Keith Shenton Harris was born on the 21st September 1949 at the Fenwick Cottage Hospital at Lyndhurst. His parents Norman and Lila (Lilian) were living in Cadnam at the time.
Left: Photograph of Keith Harris, aged 5 dressed as a clown
Right: Photograph of Keith Harris with Cuddles and Orville
Norman had been in the Army during the war and had spent some time camped in the Castle Lane area of North Baddesley and late in 1949 moved into the newly built house, No. 7 Brownhill Road.
Norman was one of the Founder Members of the post war Cricket Team, he was also the village Scoutmaster and managed a village general store. Lila ran three dance schools at Baddesley, Cadnam and Romsey. Both had a show business background, touring the country with their Variety Show.
About 1953 the family moved to Chilworth to run the village shop and at the age of five, Keith started his education at North Baddesley School. His first teacher was the highly regarded Mrs Dowding. Keith's first show was playing a clown in the school play, when, after playing his first part, went back to his classroom and fell fast asleep and had to be aroused by his teacher for the second part and then had the audience in stitches with his antics.
The family moved to Chester when Keith was six where they developed the acts for which he became famous on stage and TV. In his career Keith has performed in seven Royal Variety Shows and was asked to do his act at Highgrove House to entertain both Prince William and Prince Harry on their third birthdays.
The Harris family still keep in contact and visit friends in the area, and their oldest friends Julia and Gordon Brewer have recently related how the famous "Orville" was conceived, and how the construction was started by Keith at his Sycamore Close home. Keith still has a very busy showbiz career, but because of changing times and tastes his shows are now mainly aimed at adult audiences.
Ray Cobern August 2003