Les Lye was born on November 18, 1924, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. After completing his high school education, he served in the armed forces before attending the University of Toronto, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then enrolled in Lorne Greene's Academy of Radio Arts.
In 1948, Les moved to Ottawa to join Frank Ryan's CFRA team as a radio announcer. He worked with the station's popular groups and was in high demand as an MC at their live appearances. After a brief stint at CKEY in Toronto, he returned to Ottawa and CFRA, where he created his alter ego, Abercrombie.
Les became one of radio's top personalities before transitioning to television in 1958. His first television job was as a co-host on the talk show "Contact," which he held for three years. In 1961, CJOH-TV launched, and Les joined as a freelance writer and performer.
Les soon began creating comic characters for local entertainer Bill Luxton's morning show. When puppeteer John Conway left the CJOH kids' show "Cartoonerville" in 1966, Les and Bill teamed up to take over the show, renaming it "Uncle Willy & Floyd." Over the years, the show featured surprise guest appearances from personalities such as Alanis Morissette, Klea Scott, Bruno Gerussi, and Margaret Trudeau.
Les has worked with a variety of notable individuals, including Don Harron, Ruth Buzzi, and Orson Bean. He has also worked for the CBC, CTV, and Global networks. "Uncle Willy & Floyd" ran for 22 years in syndication across Canada, and "You Can't Do That on Television" enjoyed a 10-season run and international acclaim.
Among his many accomplishments, Les has appeared in several stage shows and was a major contributor to Rich Little's career. In 2003, Les and Bill were honored with lifetime achievement awards from the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) for their work on "Willy & Floyd." Now retired, Les remains an active member of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and is writing a book of his memoirs.
