Quick Facts
Biography
David LeggeMBE (1947 – 16 January 2012), known as Dave Lee, was a British comedian known for his work in pantomimes around Kent and his work on television. Lee also founded his own charity to help disadvantaged children.
Career
Lee was born in Broadstairs. At the age of five he suffered a bout of tuberculosis and later on, Lee also suffered from a burst appendix, peritonitis, pleurisy, double pneumonia and had his tonsils and adenoids out. Subsequently Lee was sent to a convalescent home in Margate and disliked the idea.
He began his career as a drummer at the Chartham Secondary Modern School at the age of 13. He worked as a warm-up man for Michael Parkinson, Michael Aspel and Jimmy Tarbuck. He also appeared on television on the shows The Generation Game, Celebrity Squares, Live from the Palladum and had his own golfing series. Lee was also a non-executive director of Gillingham F.C., having been a fan of the club.
In 1994, Lee founded the Dave Lee Happy Holidays Charity. During his lifetime, it raised £2 million for many of Kent's sick, disabled and under-privileged children to enjoy holidays and outings with their families. In the 2003 New Year Honours, Lee was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), for services to the community in Kent.
Illness and death
On 9 November 2011, it was announced that Lee had pulled out of the pantomime for Cinderella due to his ailing health days before the rehearsals began. In his absence Lee's role was rewritten and filled by Sion Tudor Owen.
On 10 January 2012, the Canterbury announced that Lee would be given the Freedom of the City. Lee died six days later of pancreatic cancer, age 64. His funeral was held at Canterbury Cathedral on 30 January 2012 with fellow comedians Jim Davidson, Richard Digance, and the Lord Mayor of Canterbury in attendance.
He received the Freedom of the City posthumously.
Legacy
A bronze statue of Lee was unveiled outside the Marlowe Theatre in May 2014.