474 posts
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Post by bimse on Sept 16, 2017 16:46:37 GMT
...........Must be the most touching post we've had on Theatreboard. Brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much, from seeing Jack Tripp, in my youth (with my late brother) with Jimmy Clitheroe and the amazing Anita Harris as principal boy, in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Manchester Palace, to the anecdote I posted , I have wonderful memories of Jack .
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2017 17:02:15 GMT
I remember watching TV as a child and into my teenage years, seeing people like Bruce Forsyth, Anita Harris, Brian Rix, David Nixon and the like, and at the end of the programme, while the credits were still rolling, and usually while the applause was still going on, the volume would be taken down while an announcer told us that Bruce Forsyth (or whoever) was now appearing at the Strand/Whitehall/Adelphi Theatre, London in Whatever the show was. The Victoria Palace also seemed to feature quite a lot, as did the Prince of Wales, I think. I used to be really impressed, thinking that being in something in a theatre up in the West End was really posh. Then those announcements got phased out for some reason.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2017 17:15:56 GMT
David Nixon that's a blast from the past before my time, must be nearly 40 years since he passed away.
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721 posts
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Post by hulmeman on Sept 16, 2017 17:29:45 GMT
Ah! The innocence of youth ! Allen Christie was the perfect stooge for Jack Tripp , and I'm told they were devoted to each other . My late brother was a very keen theatre fan and loved pantomime . He corresponded with Jack Tripp for several years while he (my brother) was compiling details of all Jack's pantomime appearances. My brother died suddenly , and I informed Jack . He sent me a lovely letter saying how much he appreciated corresponding and reminiscing with my brother , although they never met, and Jack later sent a last Christmas card for my brother , asking me to place it in his room so he would know Jack was thinking of him. So unexpectedly thoughtful, a delightful man and one of the finest performers this country has produced . Must be the most touching post we've had on Theatreboard. Brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing. I am all ready to go out for dinner and read this post and I too, have tears in my eyes. I'll have to rise me face!! What a lovely memory to have of both your brother and Jack Tripp.
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474 posts
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Post by bimse on Sept 16, 2017 17:36:16 GMT
I remember watching TV as a child and into my teenage years, seeing people like Bruce Forsyth, Anita Harris, Brian Rix, David Nixon and the like, and at the end of the programme, while the credits were still rolling, and usually while the applause was still going on, the volume would be taken down while an announcer told us that Bruce Forsyth (or whoever) was now appearing at the Strand/Whitehall/Adelphi Theatre, London in Whatever the show was. The Victoria Palace also seemed to feature quite a lot, as did the Prince of Wales, I think. I used to be really impressed, thinking that being in something in a theatre up in the West End was really posh. Then those announcements got phased out for some reason. Well remembered! Yes .... up here in the far north on Saturday evenings after watching The Clitheroe Kid , the announcer would say Jimmy Clitheroe is now appearing in Tom Thumb at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool . I think they used to have a written announcement later on , with the credits?
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1,315 posts
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Post by tmesis on Sept 16, 2017 17:36:41 GMT
I remember watching TV as a child and into my teenage years, seeing people like Bruce Forsyth, Anita Harris, Brian Rix, David Nixon and the like, and at the end of the programme, while the credits were still rolling, and usually while the applause was still going on, the volume would be taken down while an announcer told us that Bruce Forsyth (or whoever) was now appearing at the Strand/Whitehall/Adelphi Theatre, London in Whatever the show was. The Victoria Palace also seemed to feature quite a lot, as did the Prince of Wales, I think. I used to be really impressed, thinking that being in something in a theatre up in the West End was really posh. Then those announcements got phased out for some reason. I used to love those announcements, very nostalgic and 'of their time' and to me, living in Derbyshire at the time, they sounded impossibly glamorous.
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2,302 posts
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Post by Tibidabo on Sept 16, 2017 19:32:41 GMT
while the credits were still rolling, and usually while the applause was still going on, the volume would be taken down while an announcer told us that Bruce Forsyth (or whoever) was now appearing at the Strand/Whitehall/Adelphi Theatre, London in Whatever the show was. the announcer would say Jimmy Clitheroe is now appearing in Tom Thumb at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool . Oh I remember at the end of The Good Life for ages the announcer saying "Penelope Keith is currently starring in Donkey's Ears at the Somethingorother Theatre," and spent a long time trying (and failing) to imagine her dressed in a Bottom costume.... It was many, many years later that I realised my immature ears had misheard somewhat! Presumably they had to stop as it constituted advertising?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2017 19:54:33 GMT
while the credits were still rolling, and usually while the applause was still going on, the volume would be taken down while an announcer told us that Bruce Forsyth (or whoever) was now appearing at the Strand/Whitehall/Adelphi Theatre, London in Whatever the show was. the announcer would say Jimmy Clitheroe is now appearing in Tom Thumb at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool . Oh I remember at the end of The Good Life for ages the announcer saying "Penelope Keith is currently starring in Donkey's Ears at the Somethingorother Theatre," and spent a long time trying (and failing) to imagine her dressed in a Bottom costume.... It was many, many years later that I realised my immature ears had misheard somewhat! Presumably they had to stop as it constituted advertising? Haha! I've just Googled and seen that it would have been the Globe (now Gielgud) Theatre mid 70s... Yes, I remember that too. You've prompted another memory- that of staying up late (after mum and dad had gone up to bed!) to watch some awards ceremony or other featuring excerpts of West End shows. I'm sure Donkeys' Years was one such excerpt. If I'm being really honest, the excerpts were always really, really boring, and I thought you must have to be really really clever to understand why they'd got nominated. I always liked the musical excerpts best, like 'Bubbling Brown Sugar'. Oh, and then there were the really quick 'flash' ads between ads for stuff like 'Ipi Tombi', delivered in an X Factor-type voice!
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721 posts
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Post by hulmeman on Sept 16, 2017 21:47:13 GMT
Does anyone remember being allowed to stay up late for the top of the bill on "Sunday night at the London Palladium". I was when Shirley Bassey was on. I was only 35!!!!!! (joke)
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5,582 posts
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Post by lynette on Sept 16, 2017 23:16:19 GMT
Talking of Brian Rix, did anyone watch the Whitehall farces on the telly, black and white and filmed very basically from back of the stalls I reckon?
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721 posts
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Post by hulmeman on Sept 16, 2017 23:24:58 GMT
Talking of Brian Rix, did anyone watch the Whitehall farces on the telly, black and white and filmed very basically from back of the stalls I reckon? Oh do I!!! Always with Elspeth Grey and Robertson Hare!!! One of the few times we all sat round as a family to watch.
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Post by Mr Snow on Sept 17, 2017 6:48:50 GMT
I remember watching TV as a child and into my teenage years, seeing people like Bruce Forsyth, Anita Harris, Brian Rix, David Nixon and the like, and at the end of the programme, while the credits were still rolling, and usually while the applause was still going on, the volume would be taken down while an announcer told us that Bruce Forsyth (or whoever) was now appearing at the Strand/Whitehall/Adelphi Theatre, London in Whatever the show was. The Victoria Palace also seemed to feature quite a lot, as did the Prince of Wales, I think. I used to be really impressed, thinking that being in something in a theatre up in the West End was really posh. Then those announcements got phased out for some reason. Yes it seemed by announcing it that TV was giving itself Kudos for using actors/stars from and older and more respected medium of Theatre. For years those days Hollywood wanted Broadway performers, not the other way round. It made me want to see plays in "London's West End". These days the TV companies know they have the power.
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1,315 posts
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Post by tmesis on Sept 17, 2017 18:20:52 GMT
I seem to recall this West End advertising malarkey after radio shows too. So after Round the Horne you would get:
Kenneth Williams is now appearing in 'One over the eight' at the Duke of York's Theatre.
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Sept 17, 2017 18:27:48 GMT
I read somewhere (possibly on the old whatsonstage board during a similar discussion?) that the reason for these announcements was the actors worried that the viewing public might not understand that the actors could be appearing simultaneously on a TV show and live on stage.
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Post by Jan on Sept 17, 2017 19:12:56 GMT
I read somewhere (possibly on the old whatsonstage board during a similar discussion?) that the reason for these announcements was the actors worried that the viewing public might not understand that the actors could be appearing simultaneously on a TV show and live on stage. At the end of early episodes of "Are You Being Served" they used to announce "Frank Thornton is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company". Don't know when the RSC stopped requiring them to do that. Probably right then.
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617 posts
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Post by loureviews on Sept 17, 2017 19:29:41 GMT
David Nixon that's a blast from the past before my time, must be nearly 40 years since he passed away. Back in the days when they used to have a slide up after showing their last taped appearance, and a v/o saying they'd died. Remember the one for Nixon very clearly, really upset me as I was scared of dead people (I was about four).
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2017 19:40:26 GMT
Father Christmas brought me his Magic Set when I was about six, leaving it at the end of my bed. I can still feel the tingle of excitement even now.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2017 20:41:23 GMT
It was 40 years yesterday since Marc Bolan passed away, I can remember his TV Show, it followed the Sooty Show or was advertised after that and it was very sad when the final two episodes were shown after Marc had died. I was only 6 at the time and didn't know his music but his curly hair always stuck in my mind.
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1,089 posts
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Post by tonyloco on Sept 18, 2017 11:11:56 GMT
I was hoping...and maybe I have seen you. I went twice to Brick Lane but have never been to the later Docklands place. I remember a good looking chap who sang a number with his hands in white gloves and with each successive verse his reach to the audience 'extended'. He had a smile as broad as yours. Yes, that was Kent Baker. I often played for him doing the 'arms' number: 'South of the Mason Dixon Line' which I think he had written himself. He was a very versatile performer, being an excellent Music Hall chairman as well as a solo performer and in one of the Pindar pantomimes he was an hilarous dame, ('I work my fingers to the bone and what do I get? Bony fingers!') doing a parody version of 'Roxie' from 'Chicago' as: 'They're gonna stand outside in line to get to see...Twanky!' with bumps and grinds in places that would have surprised Kander and Ebb! Mr Snow, I found a picture of Kent Baker taken in the bar at Theatre Royal, Stratford East, with Toni Palmer doing the bar entertainment in the days when Ken Hill and Caroline Eves were running the theatre after Joan Littlewood had left. The handsome devil playing the piano is of course yours truly. As I can't seem to get jpegs from my computer into my posts I will use the pic as my avatar for a while.
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1,315 posts
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Post by tmesis on Sept 18, 2017 14:38:56 GMT
I read somewhere (possibly on the old whatsonstage board during a similar discussion?) that the reason for these announcements was the actors worried that the viewing public might not understand that the actors could be appearing simultaneously on a TV show and live on stage. At the end of early episodes of "Are You Being Served" they used to announce "Frank Thornton is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company". Don't know when the RSC stopped requiring them to do that. Probably right then. Yes I remember that. Did they ever do it for NT as well?
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Post by Mr Snow on Sept 18, 2017 21:01:44 GMT
Yes, that was Kent Baker. I often played for him doing the 'arms' number: 'South of the Mason Dixon Line' which I think he had written himself. He was a very versatile performer, being an excellent Music Hall chairman as well as a solo performer and in one of the Pindar pantomimes he was an hilarous dame, ('I work my fingers to the bone and what do I get? Bony fingers!') doing a parody version of 'Roxie' from 'Chicago' as: 'They're gonna stand outside in line to get to see...Twanky!' with bumps and grinds in places that would have surprised Kander and Ebb! Mr Snow, I found a picture of Kent Baker taken in the bar at Theatre Royal, Stratford East, with Toni Palmer doing the bar entertainment in the days when Ken Hill and Caroline Eves were running the theatre after Joan Littlewood had left. The handsome devil playing the piano is of course yours truly. As I can't seem to get jpegs from my computer into my posts I will use the pic as my avatar for a while. Love the photo and the story, thank you. Here's another memory of Brick Lane. I remember Vincent Hayes the 'owner'/MC as a diminutive (slightly) camp Irishman who told some of the funniest and filthiest jokes I've ever heard. You may have to set the following memory straight with a few facts but this is how I recall it. The first time went the comedy act were an ancient pair of identical twins and their female assistant. She too had been an identical twin but sadly her sister had died. The twins had married each pair! The performed a deliberately inept Sand dance and went down pretty well. A few years later friends moved to Prebend St Islington where the surviving 3 were neighbours!
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1,089 posts
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Post by tonyloco on Sept 18, 2017 22:16:47 GMT
Here's another memory of Brick Lane. I remember Vincent Hayes the 'owner'/MC as a diminutive (slightly) camp Irishman who told some of the funniest and filthiest jokes I've ever heard. You may have to set the following memory straight with a few facts but this is how I recall it. The first time went the comedy act were an ancient pair of identical twins and their female assistant. She too had been an identical twin but sadly her sister had died. The twins had married each pair! The performed a deliberately inept Sand dance and went down pretty well. A few years later friends moved to Prebend St Islington where the surviving 3 were neighbours! I can't really help you on that one. I know exactly who you are talking about (the two sets of twins) because I used to see them in the street around the Baker Street area where I lived and worked for some years, but I can't remember their names and I have no memory of ever working with them so it must have been another pianist at Brick Lane when you saw them in a show there. When Vincent Hayes first opened the Brick Lane Music Hall in what was the canteen of Truman's Brewery, I played for most of the shows for the first year or so but there were occasionally other pianists. I will change my avatar to what I think was an early show at Brick Lane. That's Vincent Hayes on the right in the formal outfit with the rose in his buttonhole. The blonde is of course Barbara Windsor.
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Post by bimse on Sept 20, 2017 20:09:06 GMT
Sheila Steafel as Popsy Wopsy , and as a posh lady singing "twiddly bits". Glorious ! Perfect timing !
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Feb 26, 2018 15:20:44 GMT
"What A Crazy World!" gets another outing on Talking Pictures TV this evening at 8PM. Worth a watch!
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474 posts
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Post by bimse on Feb 27, 2018 0:38:01 GMT
Here's another memory of Brick Lane. I remember Vincent Hayes the 'owner'/MC as a diminutive (slightly) camp Irishman who told some of the funniest and filthiest jokes I've ever heard. You may have to set the following memory straight with a few facts but this is how I recall it. The first time went the comedy act were an ancient pair of identical twins and their female assistant. She too had been an identical twin but sadly her sister had died. The twins had married each pair! The performed a deliberately inept Sand dance and went down pretty well. A few years later friends moved to Prebend St Islington where the surviving 3 were neighbours! I can't really help you on that one. I know exactly who you are talking about (the two sets of twins) because I used to see them in the street around the Baker Street area where I lived and worked for some years, but I can't remember their names and I have no memory of ever working with them so it must have been another pianist at Brick Lane when you saw them in a show there. When Vincent Hayes first opened the Brick Lane Music Hall in what was the canteen of Truman's Brewery, I played for most of the shows for the first year or so but there were occasionally other pianists. I will change my avatar to what I think was an early show at Brick Lane. That's Vincent Hayes on the right in the formal outfit with the rose in his buttonhole. The blonde is of course Barbara Windsor. Could they have been the Cox and Miles Twins?
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Post by tonyloco on Feb 27, 2018 0:54:08 GMT
Could they have been the Cox and Miles Twins? I really don't know, but from what I have just researched of the Cox and Miles twins I would say it is unlikely to have been anybody else!
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Post by bimse on Feb 27, 2018 1:01:37 GMT
Could they have been the Cox and Miles Twins? I really don't know, but from what I have just researched of the Cox and Miles twins I would say it is unlikely to have been anybody else! I never saw them perform, but I know of them from pantomime flyers I have in my collection , and I don’t know of any other pairs of twins who married twins.
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Post by tonyloco on Feb 27, 2018 1:11:46 GMT
I never saw them perform, but I know of them from pantomime flyers I have in my collection , and I don’t know of any other pairs of twins who married twins. Precisely! I certainly remember seeing them in the Baker Street area back in the 1960s although whether there were two women or just one I can't say. I have just looked at photos on the internet and there is no doubt that it was the Cox Twins I used to see, always dressed identically. And it is just possible that I played for them at Brick Lane but I have no memory of them and I usually remember the acts I have played for over the years, especially the ones who are a little bit out of the ordinary!
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Post by bimse on Feb 27, 2018 1:30:39 GMT
I never saw them perform, but I know of them from pantomime flyers I have in my collection , and I don’t know of any other pairs of twins who married twins. Precisely! I certainly remember seeing them in the Baker Street area back in the 1960s although whether there were two women or just one I can't say. I have just looked at photos on the internet and there is no doubt that it was the Cox Twins I used to see, always dressed identically. And it is just possible that I played for them at Brick Lane but I have no memory of them and I usually remember the acts I have played for over the years, especially the ones who are a little bit out of the ordinary! An internet search shows that Estelle died in 1984 during rehearsals for the pantomime Cinderella, at the Theatre Royal, Hanley (with Lewis Collins, Clodagh Rodgers , Paul Squire, Robert Young) but Frank, Fred and Pauline nevertheless completed the engagement despite their loss. They continued to perform as The Cox Twins and Pauline . Pauline was the last remaining member of the quartet , she was still alive in 2014 but I can’t find anything more about her.
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Feb 24, 2019 18:30:19 GMT
Seemed like an appropriate thread for this. Found the ticket and programme for what I think must have been my first visit to a proper theatre - "Cinderella" in 1970 at Chesterfield Civic Theatre. I was 2 and a half Cast included John "Boycie" Challis who also wrote a song for the show! Should have got him to do the OFAH musical score. Ticket was 8 shillings (suspect this was one of my parents' tickets rather than mine which would have been cheaper). The fact that my theatregoing predates decimalisation is pretty depressing TBH. Programme has some interesting details on how ticket booking worked!
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