Davy Jones
|
Davy Jones is known most for his role in the Monkees, but when he was sixteen (in 1964) he got his big break as the Artful Dodger in a production of Oliver!
He played the Dodger again in 1976, starring opposite Ron Moody!! (yeah, we love Ron!)- and again in the early ninties as Fagin himself.
I also found it interesting to know that Davy was offered to play the Artful Dodger in the movie version of Oliver!- but was to busy with the Monkees at that time to do it. Good thing for us- we would have missed Jack Wild! *sniff*
Another interesting fact for me, was that he also played Sam Weller in the play 'Pickwick'. It has been said that Sam Weller and the Artful Dodger are very similar characters, although I have much to say on the matter.However, this is Davy's spot, so I won't take up space.
There are obviously alot of youngsters who made the Artfuls character their own- and Davy Jones has been proven to be one of the originals. I wish I could have seen him!! --------------------------------------------------- The rest of the words on this page were written, or qouted, by Jan Chilton, a dedicated fan of Davy's who was gracious enough to let me know about Davy's envolvment with the Dodger. Also, all the pictures found on this page, were donated by Jan- thanks you so much Jan!!  Davy Jones' website, Davy's Dream Web, had the following summary of Davy's "Oliver!" days. David Thomas Jones was born in Manchester, England, in 1945, and began playing the Artful Dodger about 1960. "Although perhaps best known as one of The Monkees, Davy was wowing audiences on Broadway long before television anointed him America's 'dream prom date'. 
It was in the BBC Radio Studios of Manchester, England, that Davy's career began at the age of eleven. As Ena Sharples' grandson on the still-running soap opera "Coronation Street", Davy made such an impression that theatrical agents found him three years later (working as an apprentice jockey in Newmarket) and brought him to London. There he would appear as The Artful dodger in the smash hit West End production of Oliver!
Davy also originated the role on Broadway, and at age sixteen, found himself the toast of New York, complete with a Tony Award nomination.
Davy was soon offered a contract with Columbia Pictures/Screen Gems Television, and the rest is history. The Monkees television series won the Emmy Award for Outstanding television Series of 1966, and was an international smash, reaching millions of viewers. Album sales surpassed all records and continued to be best sellers 30 years later. It is the theatre, however, that remains Davy's first love. Since the 70's, Davy has appeared in national touring companies of Oliver!, reprising the role of the Artful Dodger, and later appearing as Fagin, which received rave reviews. He has starred in productions of The Boyfriend, Harry Nillson's The Point (in London's West End), and Godspell." The information below was taken from Davy's autobiography, "Daydream Believin'", available thru his website. It is for the most part a summary of his own words....... 
After being in school plays and various other performances as a very young child, Davy was working for a stable owner named Basil Foster as a stableboy. The love of horses would always be a part of his life. At age 14, he was still only four foot five inches tall. Basil introduced Davy to an owner of a theatrical agency, named Colonel "A". The Colonel took Davy to London to audition for a new musical, "Oliver!" at the New Theatre, now known as the Albery. The agents were impressed, but would
not offer him the part as the Artful Dodger until he had learned to talk with a "cockney" accent. Says Davy;
"I did the song in cockney, but words like "hook", "look", and "cook" came out all Manchester.".....They said if I could get my cockney better, I had the part." Davy then did a short stint in production of 'Peter Pan", and mastered the accent. When he went back to the Oliver! show, he landed the part. After performing as the Dodger in that production for 4 months, an American producer, David Merrick, came along, and his life was soon changed forever. Merrick was taking British productions to the states, touring with them 5 or 6 months, and then bringing them to New York, and Broadway. Davy was one month shy of sixteen when he left for America. 
He first acted in the Canadian version, (some rule that was abided by) replacing Michael Goodman, who had outgrown the part. At this time, David's natural Manchester accent actually became an assett instead of a problem.
In order to present a cockney one, he had to speak more slowly than others, and when he came to New York a week later, the audiences loved him because they could understand his lines better.
Still not quite 16 years old, Davy found himself on Broadway, looking down on the front row at Judy Garland and Sammy Davis, Jr. Later, he recalls Judy Garland putting her arm around him and whispering, "After tonight, this city is yours." And she was right. For a whole year or more, Oliver! was a box office smash. In 1963, a Screen Gems executive, Ward Sylvester, saw David in the production, and whisked him off to California for a screen test. He then came back to New York in time to attend the "Tony Awards" as a nominee for Best Supporting Actor. He didn't get the award, but shortly afterwards appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show with Georgia Brown, who played Nancy. Davy continued to play the Dodger until the show closed in 1965. He then went with a production of "Pickwick" which toured in California. Screen Gems again showed an interest in him, and eventually, the idea of a tv show called "The Monkees" was born. Davy became one of the most loved Teen Idols of all time, and continues to tour and capture the ladie's hearts even now. He also still pursues his jockey career, and won his first race 4 years ago at the age of 50. 
www.davyjones.net Jan's Davy Jones Site |
Davy singing 'I'd Do Anything' at the Ed Sullivan Show!
back