Slim De Grey was born near Blackpool in England and moved to Australia with his family at the age of six. De Grey served in the army during World War II, was captured in Singapore and sent to Changi. De Grey wrote songs and sketches for the concert parties that entertained his fellow prisoners. After the war, De Grey worked on military bases in the United Kingdom before returning to Australia in 1956. He was a producer on Australia's first television variety show, Cafe Continental, from 1958 to 1961.
De Grey later worked on the club circuit and finally broke into acting in the mid-1960s. He appeared in many television series and on films such as Wake in Fright and Newsfront. He also played a small role in the 2001 mini-series Changi, the only Changi survivor to do so. Over the course of his career, De Grey won four Mo Awards for entertainment.
Source: Harriet Vietch, 'From Changi to the Screen', Sydney Morning Herald, 2-3 June 2007.
