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Ventriliquist's Dyslexia Led to £7M Ruin
21 Oct
Summary
- Keith Harris lost his entire £7 million career fortune due to dyslexia.
- He signed contracts without reading, resulting in significant financial losses.
- Despite his financial struggles, he continued working until his death.
Children's television legend Keith Harris, best known as the voice of Orville the Duck, revealed he lost his entire £7 million fortune just one year before his death in 2015. Harris, who debuted on television in 1965, achieved massive success with his puppets, even scoring a UK Top 4 hit with 'Orville's Song' in 1983.
His popularity led to The Keith Harris Show and The Quack Chat Show, and he even entertained at the third birthday parties of Princes William and Harry. However, after undergoing chemotherapy for cancer in 2013, Harris disclosed that his dyslexia had led to the squandering of his £7 million earnings.
He explained that an inability to read or write meant he often signed contracts without comprehension, leading to severe financial exploitation. Despite these difficulties and ongoing health concerns, Harris continued to work, performing at venues like Butlin's and seeking further television opportunities. Sadly, his cancer returned, and he passed away in 2015 at the age of 67.
