Music hall and variety Page 11

Born and brought up in Wimbledon, Wimbledon Theatre was naturally my family's go-to theatre for pantomimes and other shows. I saw Tommy Steele (a favourite of my 9 year old self) in Half A Sixpence there in 1963 before it went on to success in the West End. I saw Big Bad Mouse there with Jimmy Edwards & Eric Sykes. And I saw Morecambe and Wise there (to celebrate my grandparents' wedding anniversary).

The first pantomime I remember attending was Robin Hood in 1960 with Adam Faith:

I recall him asking for children to accompany him on stage for a song but, as we were in the circle, I wasn't in a position to join him. I have always blamed that on my failure to make a career as a pop singer (as they were called then).

Other notable pantomimes I saw at Wimbledon Theatre in the sixties included:

Aladdin in 1963 with Tommy Cooper and Hylda Baker:

Little Red Riding Hood in 1965 with Cilla Black, Jon Pertwee & Jack Haig:

Babes in the Wood in 1966 with Arthur Askey, Roy Castle & Lulu:

And, in1968, Terry Scott, Hugh Lloyd, Dickie Henderson & Peter Gilmore in Robin Hood (again):

In 1982, which was after my time as far as Wimbledon Theatre pantomimes were concerned unfortunately, there was a rather splendid line-up there of Eric Sykes, Brian Murphy, Roy Kinnear and Michael Robbins (Arthur from On the Buses who lived locally) in Dick Whittington:

Billy Cotton When Santa got Stuck up the Chimney:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rklP7NOT9_Y&list=RDrklP7NOT9_Y&start_radio=1

Ernie Mayne - I do like a bit of turkey at Christmastime:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8E1CVIHYk8

Born in Topsham, Devon on 17 March 1871 as Percy Ernest Barratt, Ernie Mayne was an English music hall performer who weighed about 20 stone. Mayne used his size as part of his act, singing songs such as Fried Fruit Fritters and making fun of his size. He was one of the first music hall stars to broadcast on radio on 11 October 1922.

Lonnie Donegan's My Old Man's a Dustman was arguably inspired by Mayne's What D'yer Think of That:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hggUqj-vy_g

and his song An N'Egg and Some N'Ham and Some N'Onion featured in the early life of entertainer Tessie O'Shea:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYviRZtdcS8

Interestingly, in view of the apparent "My Old Man's a Dustman" connection, a song titled Ham'n'Eggs was the B side of Lonnie Donegan's 1957 hit Jack of Diamonds.

Mayne died on 15 March 1937 in Brighton aged 66.

Gracie Fields The Fairy on the Christmas Tree:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GewrYK4Q3Y

Billy Williams - Why don't Santa Claus Bring Something to Me? from 1912;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWauULJi6pw

Born Richard Isaac Banks in Melbourne, Australia on 3 March 1978, the son of an Irish-born draper, he was the brother of Richard and Rowley Banks, two of Australia's earliest professional golfers, who were foundation members of the Australian Professional Golfers Association in 1911.

Williams worked in a racing stable and as a golf instructor before joining a small touring variety company in 1895. Back in Melbourne he was heard by the entertainer Tom Woottwell, and met Harry Rickards (see my post of 4 December), who gave him a letter of introduction to contacts in England.
He arrived in England in late 1899, and made his London debut the following March, as Will Williams. He wore a velvet suit, usually blue in colour, which distinguished him from other performers and led to his description as "The Man in the Velvet Suit". He was one of the first recording stars whose records sold in their thousands and his most popular recording was When Father Papered the Parlour, written by R. P. Weston and Fred J. Barnes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce0Ue5xEjG8

He was also a popular pantomime performer.

In 1910, he returned to his native Australia for an extended tour, returning to England later that year. In 1912 he appeared in the first Royal Command Performance and achieved glowing reviews in the national press.

He became ill in late 1914 and died at the age of 37 at Shoreham-by-Sea near Brighton on 13 March 1915 of a septic prostatitis and consequent complications after an operation. He was buried in Mill Lane Cemetery, Shoreham-by-Sea in Sussex and his headstone is in a family plot. He had married Amy Robinson in 1901 and she survived her husband by some 61 years.

Jack Pleasants I'm Learning a Song for Christmas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmF0349cSLo

Jack Pleasants was born in Bradford on 27 August 1874. He had his first music hall appearances in Leeds after entering a talent contest there. He made his London debut in 1901 but was not an immediate success and returned to provincial theatres for several years, gradually increasing his popularity in the north of England. In 1907, he appeared in pantomime in Bradford.

From then his status as one of the top Northern dialect comedians grew. He typically played the part of a "bashful fool", whose ostensible lack of experience with women could turn out to reveal hidden purpose. He wore a black frock coat, trousers, and a bowler hat, and sported a large marguerite flower. And his most popular, and most enduring, songs were I'm Twenty-One Today and I'm Shy, Mary Ellen, I'm Shy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpaLM5xmGLc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaOsOW3327E

He died on 2 January 1924 of a perforated appendix after an evening pantomime performance of "Little Red Riding Hood" at the Prince's Theatre, Bradford.

A seasonal offering from Max:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd0JwKpaK3o

There'll never be another - subtle smut I calls it. 😊

The Good Old Days from Boxing Day 1959:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9UwqlMkQYM

Watched their 1971 Christmas show, which has to be one of the best they did. The Grieg concerto with Andre Preview still makes me laugh out loud, and that sketch was made even more remarkable when you consider there was no rehearsal to speak of as AP read and learnt the script on the plane flying over from the States - Eric was very nervous about this, and you could see the relief on his face when he realised all would be well as AP hit his marks spot on.

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 26th December 2023, 11:08 AM

Watched their 1971 Christmas show, which has to be one of the best they did. The Grieg concerto with Andre Preview still makes me laugh out loud, and that sketch was made even more remarkable when you consider there was no rehearsal to speak of as AP read and learnt the script on the plane flying over from the States - Eric was very nervous about this, and you could see the relief on his face when he realised all would be well as AP hit his marks spot on.

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My retirement gift from my office colleagues was a framed presentation, signed by André Previn, of photos of that sketch with the script underneath:

Born on Boxing Day 1895, George Harold Birkenhead (known as Harry) was one half, with his brother Frank (born 3 February 1898), of double act Morris and Cowley, popular in the 1930s and 1940s. Both brothers were both born in Darlaston, near Walsall and first performed with another brother, their mother, and two girls, at the Palace Theatre, Oldbury, in 1911. They toured as 'The Birkenhead Family' until 1914, when all three brothers joined the army.

After the war, Harry and Frank Birkenhead formed their double act, initially as 'The Vesta Brothers'. They changed their stage name to 'Morris and Cowley' in 1923 after the car of that name and toured in Britain alongside ventriloquist Johnson Clark with their own show, The Squire's Party. From the late 1930s, through to post-2nd World War, they appeared regularly on BBC wireless programmes such as The Happidrome and Palace of Varieties. As part of their act, they appeared as ancient Chelsea Pensioners, reminiscing about their days in the Boer War.

They retired in the early 1960s and Harry ("Morris") died in Camberwell, London, in 1972, aged 76 while Frank ("Cowley") died at Brinsworth House, Twickenham in 1985 at the age of 87.

I just caught up with your posts BIlly. They are a great read and thanks for them.
I especially enjoyed the pantomime ones.

Quote: Stephen Goodlad @ 28th December 2023, 7:40 AM

I just caught up with your posts BIlly. They are a great read and thanks for them.
I especially enjoyed the pantomime ones.

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Thanks for the feedback.

Born on this day in 1880 in Holloway, London: Arthur Carlton Phelps (known as Carlton the "Human Hairpin"), comedy magician. Still remembered today via The Magic Circle Carlton Award to a performer for outstanding comedy in magic, instigated by his daughter, Marie, in 1989. Recipients include Paul Daniels, Paul Zenon, and Pete Firman.

One of the best comedy magicians and card manipulators of the early 20th century and certainly one of the highest paid, earning the equivalent of over £50,000 a week at the height of his fame, he was tall and thin and accentuated his height with a wig to make his head appear elongated. He wore black tights and would speak in a falsetto voice. His nickname came about as he used to ask the audience, "How would you like me for a hairpin?"

He died on 27 June 1942 impoverished following the decline of the music halls and is buried in Highgate Cemetery in London.