How old is Bernie Clifton, what is the Last Laugh in Vegas comedian’s ostrich act and when was he in Crackerjack?
BERNIE Clifton and Oswald the ostrich were loved and feared in equal measure by children of the 1970s and 1980s.
But how old is he and what's he doing now? We have the answers.
How old is Bernie Clifton?
Bernie Clifton was born on 20 April 1936.
He is currently 81 years old.
Bernie was a big name in entertainment in the 1970s and 1980s and he and a group of veteran entertainers are back on primetime telly in ITV’s Last Laugh in Vegas.
The show follows a group of British showbiz legends in the twilight of their careers as they are let loose in Sin City. It also features Canon & Ball and Su Pollard.
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When was Bernie Clifton in Crackerjack?
Bernie was with Crackerjack for four series from 1976 to 1978.
The long-running children’s TV show was voted number ten in a list of the greatest children’s programmes of all time compiled by a panel of TV experts including Noel Edmonds, David Walliams and the Chuckle Brothers in January 2018.
Bernie was seen on BBC show The Voice in 2016 when he auditioned, singing The Impossible Dream.
Sadly, no-one turned around and he didn’t progress in the show.
What is Bernie Clifton’s ostrich act?
Bernie’s ostrich act sees him ‘riding’ puppet bird Oswald, with hilarious consequences.
He described how the act came about, telling : “I met Les Dawson, who thought my act was OK but felt it needed more of a niche to stand out.
“He said, ‘Do what you enjoy,’ and, for me, that was visual, slapstick comedy with props – I danced with biscuit tins, 12-foot sharks and even a cat on my shoulder until Oswald the ostrich was made for me in 1974. I ran out on to the streets creating bedlam with him.
“Oswald appeared on my debut TV show, The Good Old Days, and then we did Crackerjack together."