David Graham said his inspiration for the voice of Aloysius Parker from the British television series Thunderbirds came from an unexpected source: the pub.
The actor, who died on Friday at the age of 99, played the voice of Aloysius Parker, the butler on the beloved 1960s series.
Since his passing, David’s 2019 appearance on Good Morning Britain has resurfaced, where he explained the astonishing story behind the character’s voice to Susanna Reid (53), Ben Shephard (49) and Kate Garraway (57).
Susanna started the segment by asking David, “You’ve been doing Parker for a while, right?”
To which David replied, “Since the early 60s, when I first started working with Gerry Anderson.”
David Graham revealed that his inspiration for the voice of Aloysius Parker in the British television series Thunderbirds came from an unexpected source: the pub
The actor, who sadly passed away on Friday at the age of 99, played the voice of Aloysius Parker, the butler in 1960s Thunderbirds (pictured in 2017)
Susanna then asked him how the show came about: ‘How did it come about?’
David admitted: ‘I was doing a TV movie, with a pretty shaky script, and during the shooting he said to me he wanted to do children’s movies. I said, ‘Well, I’m not bad at voices and accents.’
TV presenter Ben then discussed Parker’s voice and asked David if he and Gerry had worked on it together.
He said, ‘Parker’s voice is so distinctive too, did you and Jerry collaborate on that? Was it your idea?’
David said: ‘He took me to a pub and there was an old man waiting tables. He came up to me and said, “Would you like to see the wine list, sir?”‘
David laughed and added, “So that was the birth of Parker. I kind of enriched the voice. That was the birth of him.”
Besides Thunderbirds, David also played Grandpa Pig in the popular children’s series Peppa Pig.
And in the 60s and 70s he was used as the voice behind the evil Daleks in Doctor Who.
Following his death, David’s appearance on Good Morning Britain has resurfaced, where he told the astonishing story behind the character’s voice
Taking to X, the profile of late Thunderbirds creator Gerry, believed to be run by his son Jamie, confirmed his passing on Friday, posting the following: “We are incredibly sad to confirm the passing of the legendary David Graham.”
“The voice of Parker, Gordon Tracy, Brains and so many more. David was always a great friend to us here at Anderson Entertainment. We will miss you terribly, David. Our thoughts are with David’s friends and family.”
The cause of death has not been released.
David’s distinctive Cockney accent and loyal yet mischievous nature became some of Thunderbird’s most beloved elements.
Although Graham is best known for his voice work, he has also appeared on screen in several British television series. He has had roles in dramas, comedies and crime series such as The Saint and The Avengers.
Before his role as Grandpa Pig, his TV character was married to Granny Pig and was the father of Mummy Pig and Aunt Dottie.
David continued to work into old age.
He reprised his role as Parker in Thunderbirds, the CGI-animated reboot of the classic series that premiered in 2015.
Besides Thunderbirds, David also played Grandpa Pig in the popular children’s TV series Peppa Pig
He was also used in the 1960s and 70s as the voice behind the evil Daleks in Doctor Who
David’s distinctive Cockney accent and loyal yet mischievous nature became one of the series’ most beloved elements
He also voiced other key characters in the legendary series, including Brains, the technical genius behind International Rescue.
His continued involvement in production after several decades underscores the enduring impact of his iconic characters.
Following the announcement of his death, online tributes and condolences poured in.
A fan wrote about X: ‘Rest in peace David Graham, the voice of Parker in Thunderbirds and one of the original voices of The Daleks in Doctor Who. I had the privilege of meeting him 9 years ago at Blackpool Comic Con and I will miss him terribly’
“Unbelievably sad news. RIP David Graham, and thanks for all the memories. Parker was always one of my favorite characters.”
Taking to X, the profile of late Thunderbirds founder Gerry, believed to be headed by his son Jamie, confirmed his death on Friday (Pictured: L: Jamie Anderson R: David Graham)
Following the announcement of his passing, online tributes and condolences poured in
“David Graham. A great actor and a great voice. The legend will live on; isn’t that right? ‘Yus. m’Lady’. Thank you for filling all our childhoods with joy.”
‘Parker from ‘Thunderbirds’ was always one of my absolute favorite characters growing up. David Graham was perfect, so much so that when they brought him back to voice the character in the recent TB reboot, he was *seamless*. I adored him.’
‘David Graham was a true pillar of British entertainment. He provided so many iconic voices over the decades that it’s fair to say this industry wouldn’t be where it is today without him. From Doctor Who to Thunderbirds, with vocals as comforting as a bowl of hot soup, he will be missed’
Graham was also a member of Lawrence Olivier’s company at the National Theatre.
His successful career also included providing the voices of Wise Old Elf and Mr Gnome for Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom, which aired in the UK on Channel 5.
He also made brief appearances in ITV’s Coronation Street, The Bill and London’s Burning and the BBC dramas Doctors and Casualty.
Gerry Anderson died in 2012 at the age of 69 after a long illness.