Chubby Oates

Who was Chubby Oates?

Chubby Oates born Arthur Oates was a Cockney clubland comic and character actor.

Born in Bermondsey South London Oates started out as a reporter for the South London Observer, he shared an office with future editor of The Sun, Kelvin MacKenzie.

In the evenings Oates began to perform as a comic and by the early sixties he'd turned professional. He was also a noted pantomime performer usually appearing as the dame. In this capacity he played "Mum" to some of the biggest and best names in showbusiness. He also claimed the record for the heaviest Ugly Sisters when his co-star in a production of "Cinderella" at Yeovil's Octagon Theatre was Steve King. Their combined weight was in excess of 30 stone!

In 1969 he co-starred with Fiona Richmond in Pajama Tops, a long running Paul Raymond comedy at the Whitehall Theatre. As a character actor Oates appeared in shows such as Doctor Who and Dixon of Dock Green.

He died aged 63 from diabetic complications and a heart attack after giving a performance at a showbusiness luncheon. Appropriately, one of the last pictures taken of Chubby showed veteran comedy legends Roy Hudd and June Whitfield laughing at a joke Chubby had just cracked.