Issue 44 : Spring 2008
We still value brief articles on 78's and the artistes who made them. If you would be interested in contributing, do please email me.
CONTENTS
Next issue around midsummer's day
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LOU
ABELARDO
Lou had a very pleasant voice and his records are well worth obtaining.
Most are not worth a lot, which makes it even more pleasant! Expect to pay no
more than one UK pound or so for most in reasonable condition, though I would
say the Decca M records by Ambrose would set you back 2-5 UK pounds. The two
records where he is nominal bandleader are typical of the hot dance music that
appeared on Decca at this period and as a buyer I would pay at least 5 UK
pounds for a good copy.
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WHAT ARE MY 78'S WORTH?
Zonophone - single sided, 10 inch. (An X prefixes each catalogue number.)
Ben Albert : What is Work? ~~~ Zon41013 £6.50
Mark Sheridan : A Political Speech ~~~ Zon41037 £32.50
Albert Whelan : Arkansaw Whistler ~~~ Zon42184 £3.50
Alf Gibson : Frozen meat ~~~ Zon42190 £4.00
Peter Dawson : Calvary ~~~ Zon42250 £3.00
Hamilton Hill : Dick my Soldier Boy ~~~ Zon42257 £5.00
JH Scotland : King's Prayer ~~~ Zon42277 £3.50
Burt Shepard : Lindy ~~~ Zon42343 £6.00
Mark Sheridan : Parody on Bull and Bush ~~~ Zon42352 £27.50
Mark Sheridan : They all come out in the Summertime ~~~ Zon42371 £25.00
Hamilton Hill : My Irish Daisy ~~~ Zon42396 £5.00
Arthur Gilbert : We close at 2 on Thursdays ~~~ Zon42409 £5.00
Ernest Shand : Look at the Weather ~~~ Zon42433 £17.50
Will Terry : Fishing ~~~ Zon42445 £4.50
Albert Whelan : Cheyenne ~~~ Zon42493 £5.00
Alf Gordon : That's what a Man can't do ~~~ Zon42495 £4.50
Burt Shepard : Hello old girl ~~~ Zon42536 £5.50
Albert Whelan : Old Trombone ~~~ Zon42560 £6.50
George Lashwood : Twilight ~~~ Zon42616 £15.00
J Wakefield : Put me amongst the Girls ~~~ Zon42653 £4.00
Stanley Kirkby(+T May) : I'll tell Tilly on the Telephone ~~~ Zon42661 £4.00
George Lashwood : The Serpentine ~~~ Zon42670 £15.00
Stanley Kirkby : If the Man in the Moon were a Coon ~~~ Zon42695 £3.50
Johnny Wakefield : Oh the Merry Widow ~~~ Zon42703 £4.00
Ben Albert : Faces ~~~ Zon42721 £7.50
Billy Williams : Put a Bit of Powder on it Father ~~~ Zon42767 £3.00
Will Evans : Keeping Bees ~~~ Zon42787 £4.00
George Lashwood : Shall I Meet you on the Bois de Boulogne? ~~~ Zon42816 £22.50
Billy Williams : I'll meet you one dark Night ~~~ Zon42828 £2.50
JC Scatter : The Orange Lass ~~~ Zon42866 £15.00
Harry Fay : I don't care if there's a Girl there ~~~ Zon42876 £3.00
George Claff : I used to sigh for the Silv'ry Moon ~~~ Zon42942 £3.00
Harry Fay : Don't take me Home ~~~ Zon42965 £2.50
Mark Sheridan : You don't know you're alive ~~~ Zon2-42021 £35.00
Whit Cunliffe : He's all right ~~~ Zon2-42022 £18.00
Jack Lorimer : MacGregor I'm him ~~~ Zon2-42023 £6.00
Whit Cunliffe : You can't do without each other ~~~ Zon2-42040 £17.50
Mark Sheridan : Who's who ~~~ Zon2-42055 £22.50
Jack Lorimer : Jock McGraith ~~~ Zon2-42061 £5.50
Lil Hawthorne : Mamie May ~~~ Zon43069 £95.00
Florrie Forde : What the Curate saw ~~~ Zon43113 £7.00
Victoria Monks : Ain't I no use Mr.Jackson ~~~ Zon43120 £32.50
Florence Smithson : Pansy Pansy ~~~ Zon43128 £7.00
Victoria Monks : I wish I had a Pal like you ~~~ Zon43139 £20.00
Florrie Forde : Poor John ~~~ Zon43143 £5.00
Florrie Forde : She's a Lassie from Lancashire ~~~ Zon43147 £5.00
Florrie Forde : Up to one of your Tricks again ~~~ Zon43149 £5.00
Florrie Forde : Riding home on a Load of Hay ~~~ Zon43156 £5.00
Florrie Forde : Has anybody here seen Kelly? ~~~ Zon43195 £7.50
Florrie Forde : One of the Girls ~~~ Zon43202 £5.00
Florrie Forde : If you should see a little Soldier ~~~ Zon43203 £5.00
Florrie Forde : Flanagan ~~~ Zon43209 £5.00
Florrie Forde : Rip van Winkle ~~~ Zon43212 £5.00
Florrie Forde : You taught me how to love you ~~~ Zon43225 £6.00
Forde and Kirkby : If the World were ruled by girls ~~~ Zon44063 £4.50
Collins and Harlan : Yip I adee I ay ~~~ Zon44128 £5.00
Charles Alexander : Glory Song/ Bootmaker ~~~ Zon44756 £3.00
Charles Alexander : Tell Mother I'll be there ~~~ Zon44757 £3.00
Olly Oakley : La Mattchiche ~~~ Zon46269 £4.50
Van Biene : The Broken Melody ~~~ Zon47852 £7.50
Prof Ranzato : Intermezzo (Cav) ~~~ Zon47906 £6.50
Ranzato : Canzonetta ~~~ Zon47907 £7.50
Eli Hudson : Old Nick ~~~ Zon49009 £7.00
Church Bells : New Year Chimes ~~~ Zon49255 £2.50
Garde Republicaine : Real Cake Walk ~~~ Zon80023 £2.50
Garde Republicaine : La Fille du Tambour Major ~~~ Zon80024 £2.50
L'Incognita : Ah fors e lui ~~~ Zon93135 £3.50
Menu
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I find it quite surprising that Columbia issued a 10 inch record of this Brian Rix farce. True, Dry Rot was a huge stage success, and the film was popular with 1950's audiences, including me. But I don't believe this souvenir of the play sold at all well, I have seen very few copies in my years of collecting.
The record, shown at the top of this page consists of Dry Rot excerpts (2 sides), Columbia DB3543, matrices: CA23017-2A and CA23018-2A. Hear an excerpt here.
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Variety Acts Still Going - in November 1959
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JACK CHARMAN (1887-1953)
This is the introduction to this early recording artist that we printed in 2005. Sadly this is now out of print along with his extensive discography.
Who was the "Mystery Man?" This was the title of an article in a record magazine called Gunn Report No.66 in 1978. Information was sought about a prolific baritone Jack Charman. The writer listed some of the labels on which this artist appears starting with Indestructible Cylinders. That summer editor John Gunn published readers responses which noted that he appeared on the bill of the Metropole Edgware Road in April 1906 (from reader Edward S Walker).
An Article in Popular Music and Dancing Weekly for May 3rd 1924 says "I should think that he holds a record, for Jack Charman has recorded for Columbia, Pathe, the Edison Bell, the Zonophone, the Guardsman, the Popular and the Aco. As a matter of fact, it would be difficult to find a gramophone company that this popular singer has not made records for" (details from Mark Beresford and Rod Whyte). Well, perhaps there were a few, but this claim that he "holds a record" might well be correct.
So what is known of him?
John Lewis Charman (otherwise known as Jack Charman) was born on 9th June 1887 at 29 Portnall Road Paddington, and was a younger brother to Annie Lewis Charman (known as Nancy Charman) who had been born in early 1885 in Marylebone.
Neither of their parents appear to have been musical, his father was a fireman, possibly with the Great Western Railway, who later trained to be an electrician. Jack's mother, who originally came from Bristol, was a servant before she married. It appears the family lived in rented accommodation and moved about frequently.
It soon became apparent that from a very young age Jack had a good treble singing voice. Attending the London Training School for Choristers under the direction of James Bates, he made so much progress, that by the time he was 12 Jack was engaged by Lord George Hamilton as one of the solo boys in the Henry VII Chapel Westminster Abbey. Later he would sing solos at the Chapel Royal, where he had the distinction of appearing before members of the Royal Family including King Edward VII.
When young Jack decided he wanted to go on stage, his parents opposed his plans, though eventually they relented and by the time he was 14 in 1901 he had blacked his face and joined the Mohawk, Moore and Burgess Minstrels, which at that time were based at Islington. He found himself sitting next to the interlocutor Harry Hunter (of the well known music publishers Francis Day and Hunter). Jack made rapid progress with this troupe and was soon promoted to take the lead as solo boy. In 1902 Jack was asked to visit the Columbia recording studios. What he recorded is unknown, as cylinders were anonymous at this period - but it must have been a cylinder as this company did not make records at this time.
After several months with the Mohawk Minstrels, whilst singing at a philanthropic cocnert, Jack was approached by the secretary of a Henry Gras with a view to engaging him on the halls. He made his first bow to the variety public at the Metropolitan Edgware Road London. Initially the engagement was for one week only, but Jack did so well that he continued there for well over a month. His turn consisted of the ballad The Blind Boy made famous by the White-Eyed Kaffir G.H.Chirgwin, who had personally given young Jack permission to sing his song. Chirgwin was so impressed with Jack that he was instrumental in obtaining for Jack further bookings.
About 1904 Jack signed a deal for 4 years engagement with the Moss and Stoll empire. They had theatres throughout the country from Dublin to Glasgow, Cardiff to Nottingham. Jack was billed as The Boy Vocalist. Here are some of his reviews from this era:
It was a pretty hectic schedule with a week spent at each theatre! When he had spare weeks he returned either to the Metropolitan or the Chelsea Palace. Appearing on the same bill were such famous names as Charles Coborn, Marie Lloyd, George Robey and George Formby Sr.
Jack re-entered the recording studios in 1906. Again he sang for Columbia, his first record made c August 1906 was titled 'May I Come Home Once more' issued on Columbia 26021. He seems to have been an exclusive artist for this company until 1910, in which year he also recorded for Favorite, Pathe and Edison Bell. By the next year he was making records for almost all companies, under a bewildering variety of pseudonyms. However he ceased to work for Favorite, rather curiously, and it may be that he had some dispute with them. It was in 1911 that Jack introduced his sister, known as Nancy, to the studios, initially to partner Jack in duets, but she did then go on to make some solo recordings. However she made no records after 1913. Like Jack she used pseudonyms - some are Sadie Johnson, Ida Hamilton, Clarice Doreen and Mabel Ford. Little is known about her. In 1904 she married a Henry Washington Harding who was a clerk in Kensington. The marriage certificate states she was 21, though in fact she was 19, so possibly she got married without her parents' approval. Neither the 1901 census nor her marriage certificate shows any profession, which would suggest that it was indeed her brother who introduced her to the stage. She did appear in 1913 at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith in The Fairy Queen. There is a photo of her on some sheet music c1912 singing 'Please let mother come home again'.
In early 1912 Jack signed a contract with Walter Gibbons, a popular music hall magnate, to tour his circuit. He started on 5th January 1912 at the Hammersmith Palace, followed by the Holborn, before going to the suburbs and then the rest of the country. This was arranged by well known variety agent Charles Read.
The period 1911-13 was Jack's most productive recording period with over 240 sides cut in 1911, over 480 in 1912 and 460 in 1913. He teamed up with Harry Cove in 1912 and the recordings for Beka were the first duet recordings made of ragtime. They were issued as 'Cook and Carpenter'. Later Cove teamed up with Will Thompson on record and stage.
In June 1915 Jack was appearing in the provinces in Walter Reynold's review 'Odds On'. He had the part of the 'swell character type'. It was mentioned in Talking Machine News that W Denville Simons of the Diamond Disc Co was compelled to release Jack from his contract to enable him to fulfil this engagement. (This can't have been a great hardship for the owner of Diamond Discs as most of their records at this time came from Pathe!)
The First World War was now raging, and Jack joined the army some time in 1916. He appears to have spent most of his service life in France where he did do some entertainment. He was demobbed in early 1919, apparently unscathed, and soon resumed his recording activities with the Popular, Guardsman and Winner companies.
In October 1919 he married his first wife the 23 year old Valerie Helene Buffy in the Parish Church Barnes. Probably Jack had met her in France during the war. Jack was now 32 and his profession on the certificate is given as 'Music Hall Artiste'.
Around 1922 he teamed up with Billy Chapman as Chapman and Charman. This partnership lasted until 1925 and included at least one recording for Winner.
During the 20's Jack signed a recording contract with Pathe as he recorded prolifically for them from 1925-7, sharing the main vocalist spot with John Thorne on many of their house band recordings, as well as his own solos, again under his own name and under pseudonyms.
Early in 1926 he had a new partner, Austin Gray, whose real name was Cyril Austin Trickett. This duo made Aco and Pathe records. By 1929 this partnership had also dissolved. Certainly by this date Charman had separated from his wife because she was having an affair with Gray. This had started in 1927 and in October 1928 she had his child who was named Gloria Valerie Charman. Now Jack was living in Blackpool where he was to spend the rest of his days. In 1930 he started divorce proceedings against Valeire who was now living in Longueville par Clairac in SW France. Whether her daughter was living with her or was adopted is not known. Austin Gray vanished from the scene.
In Liverpool, Jack was remarried in 1934 to Sarah Crombie who was 18 years younger than him. They had no children. It was in this year that Jack cut his last discs, as a vocalist with Bertini's Blackpool Band.
He died on 17th November 1953 aged 66 at Blackpool's Victoria Hospital, his death certificate describing him as a musical entertainer so we can assume he had been active up to the end.
Jack Charman's recording career spanned 28 years with over 2,000 recordings using over 200 pseudonyms. His second name of Lewis (shared by Nancy), was obviously a family name as his grandfather (on his mother's side), was one of the witnesses at his first wedding, and he gives his middle name as Lewis. Jack's second wife lived to the great age of 89 dying in 1994. The death certificate names her late husband as a professional singer. What a story those two words hid!
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1 - The Gramophone Company, later HMV
Back to Quiz . . . Menu
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To Menu
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~~ DRY ROT - a 1950's farce on record
~~ WHERE WERE THEY THEN? - Variety
~~ GERTIE MILLAR - in Court
~~ EFFIE ATHERTON ... - a forgotten comedienne
~~ GEORGE CROWTHER - a forgotten comic
~~ JACK CHARMAN - A prolific recording star
~~ LOU ABELARDO - A fine vocalist
~~ ARIEL RECORDS - Zonophone issues
~~ WHAT ARE 78'S WORTH? - some Zonophones
~~ QUIZ On Zonophone (plus Answers!)
was one of the greatest stars on the London Musical Comedy scene in the years before the First War. Her recordings on HMV and Columbia stand the test of time, a hundred years on.
In January 1907 she was starring for The Guv'nor, George Edwardes, at the Gaiety, when she faced one of those much more difficult appearances, that in the courtroom.
She has the support of her manager, and her famous husband, composer Lionel Monckton. Crowds flocked to see her. Yet she was not the guilty party, rather she was in court to seek redress for an insult to her character.
Miss Millar was much in demand for Edwardian postcards, and examples of her posing in various pleasing attitudes can still be found today. However, she was here to object to the issue of postcards of herself, or rather her face, to which this villainous publisher had added a different photo of a female body, wearing little. One depicted her bursting from an egg, another showed her as a nymph, whilst a third showed her retiring in a nightgown. The star is in court to prosecute this purveyor of indecency.
In the witness box she faced a tough examination. Defending counsel asks Miss Millar:
You have been photographed, Miss Millar, a great deal?"
Answer: "Yes, I have."
Counsel: "You don't always insist that your head should appear exactly where it was when the photograph was taken?"
Miss Millar returns to the point: "I always insist that my head should be on my own body." And although the publisers have apologised, she wants more....
"I want the public to know that I did not sit for them."
But precisely that justice, she did not receive. Perhaps the jury were swayed by the warning that they, rightly, should not be swayed by the presence of the star. The jury accepted the defence that there is a difference between an actress and a private individual, and that the former cannot be harmed if she is represented in a costume that she might possibly wear in her work upon the stage. And that Gertie had admitted.
It only proves that often justice is not done. Though she quite unfairly lost her case, Gertie Millar graciously conceded defeat, writing afterwards to the press that "an actress has as good a claim to consider herself defamed by the publication of an unseemly and fictitious photograph of herself as any other woman."
Such a woman could surely have handled the excesses of today's press!
Lou
Abelardo was active in the UK recording studios from July 1929 until October
1930. During that time he made only two records with his "band" - which
appears to be in effect the Decca Studio Band. These were issued as "Lou
Abelardo and His Band" in the Decca F series and were recorded in October
1930:
With my Guitar and You / I don't mind walking in the Rain - Decca
F1996
Living a Life of Dreams / Nobody cares if I'm blue - Decca F2032
However he also appears as a vocalist on some earlier Decca issues:
Gotta feeling for you (piano acc.)/ Love is a Dreamer (with orch.) - Decca F1592
(recorded Sept/Nov 1929)
Singing a Vagabond Song / Good for Nothing but Love - Decca F1778
(recorded April 1930) with piano acc. by Claude Ivy
Blue Melody / Should
I? - Decca F1827 (May 1930) with orchestral acc.
When it's Springtime in
the Rockies / It happened in Monterey - Decca F1855 (June 1930) orchestral
acc.
He was also a vocalist with these bands:
July/Aug 1929: Jay Wilbur:
Mean to Me / My Sin - Dominion A 174
Honey / Precious little Thing called
Love - Dominon A 175
When Tomorrow comes / I'm thirsty for Kisses -
Dominion A176
Used to you / Little Pal - Dominon A 178
January 1930 :
With Ambrose: Decca M96, 101, 109, 110 (Tiptoe through the Tulips/Painting the
Clouds), 111, 112 ,113 115,and 117. Apart from the item noted, none are common
being issued in the expensive Decca Magenta series.
Dec 1929 to April
1930, also August 1930: with Harry Bidgood's studio band on Broadcast
Dec
29 to June 1930 : with Ray Starita Band on Columbia
February 1930 to
October 1930: with various groups lead by Van Phillips on Columbia - (Four
Bright Sparks, The Buckingham Players)
May 1930: With Debroy Somers Band
Columbia CB83
Menu
This is always a difficult question, for 78's are worth what someone is prepared to pay. And that depends on demand, rarity and condition.
So, with this proviso, here is our opinion of the sale value of some 78's as at April 2008. This is the sort of price we might sell records in good condition (not mint, not worn, 2.2 ie average) for. None of these records are for sale, nor are these prices we ourselves would pay for individual 78's.
Dry Rot
The scenes include the one you can hear here, Alfred Tubb (John Slater) arriving at the inn with his gormless valet Fred (Brian Rix).
The second scene is one hiding the horse, as pictured, whilst friends Susan and John bid each other goodnight.
The second side contains but one sketch, the funniest, as Alfred attempts to teach Fred French so he can pose as a French jockey: "Silver plate. Je knee comprens pass."
Snippets relating to those on 78rpm records from the trade paper The Stage
On the front page was to be found news of veteran Dorothy Ward, who was flying to New York to appear at the Morosco in Silent Night Lonely Night alongside Henry Fonda.
Her son Peter Glenville was directing the play. Her plans also include a television appearance with Peter.
Also on the front page is the announcement of Val Parnell's forthcoming panto at the London Palladium, Humpty Dumpty. Typecast in the title role was Harry Secombe, whilst
"the recording and broadcasting singer" Gary Miller played Tommy Tucker.
A few trade cards were lucky enough to make it on to the front page also, including Elton Hayes ("he sings to a small guitar")- you can get hold of him at Upper Montague Street London W1,
and Naunton Wayne (phone PROspect 1808).
John Hanson, starring in The Student Prince in Scotland is remembered by one Scottish journalist. He says he knew John at the Dumfries Academy where he was boy soprano Jackie Watts.
He used to travel to Glasgow to sing on the radio. His next role is to be The Vagabond King- "this kind of family musical play will never die." John made 78's on HMV and Embassy.
There's a nice picture of Teddy Beverley, of the Sisters fame, with her fiance, a 35 year old dental surgeon and British water ski champion.
A full page advert announces the "fabulous" Luton Girls Choir are on a twelve week "record-breaking" tour of Australia and New Zealand. "Audiences and critics down under acclaim this tour as the year's outstanding attraction."
The picture shows them at Sydney Airport. Such is transitory fame, their 78's are but junk these days.
Tommy Trinder returned to variety for the first time in five years, he said. At the Finsbury Park Empire he was received warmly- "he seemed to revel in the warmhearted response he evoked with his foolery -
Tomfoolery if you like... most of the second half is taken up with Beat the Band in which volunteer contestants have a chance to win prizes and it is in this session that Tommy's famous ad libs make their biggest impact.
One contestant turned out to be an author, Jean Montgomery, so Tommy obligingly advertised her forthcoming book."
The Concert Artists Association held regular concerts, one on Nov 16th included Leslie Sarony, and amongst the accompanying pianists was Hilda Bertram, who had made Guardsman 78's some 40 years previously.
The following week Les Brown and His Band played for half an hour selections from Novello and Coward musicals.
Another band, that of Joss Loss was announced to replace Lou Preager's at the Hammersmith- "it will mean a five year contract for Mr Loss, who will feature his 16 piece orchestra."
Sadder news was the death of Leslie Jiver Hutchinson whose car had smashed into a telegraph pole near Brandon in Suffolk. He had been making for a US Air Force Base with his seven piece group.
Magazine Menu
by Mike Langridge and David Moore
'Jack Charman submits a good vocal turn'.
'Jack Charman sings unhackneyed songs well'.
'A sweet voiced youth'.
'A talented boy vocalist'.
He must have spent some of his declining years as an entertainer in the Lancashire area, and he appeared from July to August 1942 in The Regal Revue at the Regal Theatre Blackpool and from July to August 1944 in Tinker Taylor at the South Pier. In January 1945 he obtained a last minute engagement as The Grand Vizier in Aladdin at Hulme Hippodrome Manchester.
(Thanks to Donald Auty for wartime theatre dates)
If you can add any biographical details, we'd love to hear from you.
Mag Menu
For the answers - when you've tried the questions!
Even if you don't know all the answers, we hope the quiz will prove educational.
1... This label in the 1900's was bought up by which large British record company?
2... Initially this company issued Zonophone records as a cheap subsidiary on single sided issues only. What was the name of the label that issued the first double sided issues, that was later given the Zonophone logo?
3... What was the trademark of Zonophone that was embossed on the back of the single sided discs?
4... There was no question of cheapskate artists appearing on this label. One of the great music hall stars made several records on Zonophone, including the best selling Every Little Movement Has a Meaning of Its Own. Name the singer.
5.. Sadly gassed during the first war, who was the star melodeon player from Scotland who recorded numerous sides?
6... Another solo instrumentalist went under the magnificent name of Signor Tapiero. What unusual instrument did he record with?
7... What was unusual about Zonophone 598 which was by The Black Diamonds Band? One side included Coronation March.
8... One of the first major dance bands to record for the label in 1921 was whose? He was under contract to the parent company.
9... In which year were the last Zonophone records issued in Britain?
10... However the name didn't quite die with the demise of the label, for it resurfaced as part of another label, issued by the new parent company EMI. What label?
Finished? Well click here for QUIZ ANSWERS
. . . To Menu
They're printed rather faint in case you are tempted to cheat!!
2 - Twin
3 - It was Zonophone written twice once horizontally, once vertically, with the names intersecting with the middle letter (P), the whole enclosed with circles to represent a record.The four quadrants were shaded.
4 - Marie Lloyd
5- Jas Brown
6- ocarina
7- It was a double track disc, ie two tunes each side, four in total. Alternatively, you could say the King and Queen were pictured on the label.
8 - Jack Hylton
9 - 1932 - the label continued to be used in India
10 - Regal Zonophone
made one
wonderful recording of "My young Man's ever so nice" which is coupled with
"Dennis the Menace from Venice" on HMV BD287. She did also appear with Bobbie
Comber and Leonard Henry in Cinderella (HMV C2798).
I know
she appeared in radio variety frequently but did she make any other records? It
would seem a great loss that she didn't record much. I have a little
information on her:
She made a name for herself in a Radio show in 1935
called "Five's Company". But before then this Scottish lass had, like so many,
been in one of Charlot's Revues. Her first chance came in Cochran's 1931 Revue
which was an unusual flop.However she had been, as they say, noticed, and got
a part in Noel Coward's Words and Music. She also did well in cabaret in an
act called "The Three of Us" with Edward Cooper and Queenie Leonard. However
as this had some saucy moments it was deemed unsuitable for wireless! She also
had walk-on roles in several films including Bitter Sweet which was recently
revived on British TV.
Her first radio appearance was in 1933 in "Castle
on the Hill" and then the following year came a series "Air-do-Well". Her
success in this lead to a series of 45 minute shows titled "Me and my Boy
Friends" and from this to "Five's Company" with Brian Lawrence, Ronald Hill,
Jack Lorimer and Clive Erard.
Her record of "My Young Man" was made at the
height of her fame in 1935, but what happened to her? It's over to you....!
