Dustin Gee

Gerald Harrison (24 June 1942 – 3 January 1986), who performed under the name Dustin Gee, was a British impressionist and comedian, best known for his double act with Les Dennis.

Early life and career Born Gerald Harrison in York, on Wednesday, 24 June 1942, Gee left school at 15 and studied at art college. He took a job as an artist, working with stained glass, including at York Minster. He played in a rock band in the evenings called the Dare Devils, later 'Gerry B and the Hornets' and then 'Gerry B and the Rockafellas'. When the group disbanded, Gee became a compère, then a comedian. Gee was openly gay.

On 7 April 1984 Gee and Dennis began their own TV comedy show, The Laughter Show (retitled, Les & Dustin's Laughter Show for the third series). The first episode of a third series aired on Saturday 28 December 1985, the second episode was postponed two weeks after Gee died. The BBC cancelled the rest of the series, but it was resumed on request of Gee's family, on Saturday 18 January 1986.

Illness and death On 24 May 1985, Gee felt ill whilst on stage at the opening night of a summer season at the North Pier in Blackpool. He carried on, but after the show he was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital where a minor heart attack was diagnosed. Gee was told that he had dilated cardiomyopathy. He was discharged from hospital on 30 May and returned to the stage on 24 June, his birthday, to complete the run until the end of September, ignoring the doctors at the hospital who told him to rest for six months. That autumn, Gee and Dennis recorded the third series of their Laughter Show.

From 20 December 1985, Gee and Dennis appeared in pantomime at the Southport Theatre, Merseyside. At 8.15pm on 1 January 1986, Gee suffered a massive heart attack, while playing one of the ugly sisters in Cinderella, a role they had played two years before in Bradford. At the end of a scene, Gee clutched his left arm and when they reached their dressing room he said to Dennis "I think I am dying", collapsed and lost consciousness. Basil Soper, the show's company manager, was successful in reviving him. Gee was accompanied to Southport General Hospital, but on arrival, collapsed and fell unconscious.

The following day Dennis and Roger Edwards (Gee's PA) were by his bedside, Gee was unconscious and they both urged him to keep fighting and he raised a finger. Gee woke up at 7.50am the following day, asked for a cup of tea and some ice cream. According to his family members who were with him, he was "quite chatty", thanked them for coming, said they must see him in pantomime and asked where his watch was. He was sitting up for a while and it appeared as if he was going to recover. and Russ Abbot.