Fred Yule

Frederick Robert Yule (7 October 1893 – 11 December 1982)[1] was an English character actor, comedian, and singer, mainly known for his appearances in post-war BBC Radio programmes such as ITMA, Ray's a Laugh, Band Waggon (1947 era), and The Archers. His distinct voice and versatile performances made him a familiar presence on the British airwaves, where he appeared in numerous episodes of ITMA starting in 1939 and featured in other productions such as Down Mangel Street, Whack-O!, The Men from The Ministry, and Three Men in a Boat.[2]

Career

Born in Norfolk, Yule began his stage career as a singer in pantomime, West End musicals, and music hall. He first broadcast in 1925 as the vocalist with Herman Darewski's orchestra. After that, he became a prolific broadcaster with a wide range, including variety, drama, features, talks, and programmes for young listeners. His voice was well known to a generation of radio listeners as the one that stopped "the mighty roar of London's traffic" at the start of each episode of In Town Tonight.[3] Yule also provided more than one voice in a radio adaptation of Three Men in a Boat by Hubert Gregg. This was repeated, after many years in the archives, on BBC Radio 4 Extra. Yule's sole film appearance was in The Charcoal-Burner's Son (1939).[4]

Personal life and death

He was married to the music hall actress Doreen Monte. Yule died in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, on 11 December 1982, aged 89.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
  2. ^ Guide, British Comedy. "Fred Yule". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 24 March 2026.
  3. ^ "Mr Fred Yule", The Times, 13 December 1982, p. 14
  4. ^ "Personally Speaking" BBC radio interview 1978


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