“cherishing the jewels of the past and actively supporting the interests of the future”
The Society is for everyone who is a fan of Music hall and Variety. We publish a four times a year “bible” of music hall and variety topics The Call Boy and we have all sorts of events, monthly concerts, a Celebrity Lunch and an Annual Ball.Leave me a message or drop me a line at Roy Hudd Enterprises, PO Box 604, Ipswich, IP6 9WZ, with a S.A.E. andI’ll send you all the details.
Posted in
Hello Mr Hudd (Roy) gentle nudge, I am the author of the “Learn to Bellydance Book” and as a REdcoat at Clacton centuries ago (l963??) met you at the Chinese restaurant address. (Not her again I hear you say.)
Simply, please I would like some advice:
I have been writing music hall comedy and burlesque comedy for the past five years and have cut my teeth on performing a dance/comedy act writtenby myself. I present Burlesque Poetry and Dance and have performed attheatres in Eastbourne, mainly the Hippodrome for the Eastbourne Arts Festival.
I have had such a good response to my act and can go professional as I have an Equity card but frankly I am a happy family person and although I have an agent for “extra work” I have no ambition to be well known.
The advice I would like is, altho I have contacted the BBC writing departments, I seem to be bogged down with adverts of people wishing to teach me to write. As a published writer learning my trade from Picture Post, Eagle comics and SHE magazine and a music magazine, I wonder if there is a direct person I could send my scripts to for them to peruse or put in the bin?? Can you help please? Kindest regards Ann Allan, Seaford, Sussex.
Roy
I know you have a great interest in music hall. I well remember the enjoyable series on the subject you had on the television some years ago.
Our society (Heswall Operatic) is producing the show (first performed 15 tears ago0 about the famous Argylle Theatre in Birkenhead.
This famous music hall in Birkenhead played host to all the great artists including Stan Laurel, oliver Hardy, Charlie Chaplin, Marie Lloyd etc etc. It was destroyed by a direct hit bomb in the blitz.
Can you help in any way – an article for the programme ? Anthing ?
David
For the attention of Roy Hudd
Hello Roy
I am attempting to write a work of fiction set in 1881 in which music hall characters appear as small part of the plot. My three characters are a trio i am calling “Threes a Crowd” who are a roustabout comedy turn and (in my book) are one of the acts that open the Royal Comedy Theatre on October 10th 1881. If you could help me with a couple of questions?
(1) Was there a comedy trio (three men)working at that time.
(2) What acts did open the Royal Comedy Theatre on that night? I have tried various sources but without luck and apart from traipsing down to Collindale, I am stuck. I know it fiction but I like to get my detail right.
My only connection with the theatre & showbiz are:
My sister who knows your wife. Her name is Marilyn and she worked as a dresser at the Theatre Royal Nottingham.
A Great grandmother who was from a showmans family (Proctors) who in old age gave all her money away to her three sons with the intention that the parish should bury her! and they did.
I enjoyed reading your Book of Music Hall Anecdootes. They were some real characters similar to when I worked on the railway masters of the put down and one liner.
Regards
Jim Perkins
Nottingham
Hi Roy, I have got an interesting item which I bought many years ago which is from the 1940s and has autographs from many variety acts from the 1940s which were embroidered onto a large cloth made from flour bags by a performer called Hilda Gregory of ‘Gay and Gregory’ (with Jimmy Gay). The names on there include Douglas ‘cardew’ Robinson, George Elrick, Jack Doyle, Maudie Edwards,Ray (Roy?) Baker (eye, eye), George Williams with the words ‘I’m not well’ and many, many more. It has a letter,photo and a publicity paper of Gay and Gregory to accompany it saying that she got the people to sign it then sewed it as she travelled from town to town on tour. I was thinking of putting it onto ebay as we are moving soon and need the space and extra money, but it would seem more fitting for it to go somewhere where it would be loved and cherished by those who love variety- can you think of where we could take it, or who might like it? I have some photos I can send you of it
Best regards
Katie
I’m hoping you can help me with some family research.
My grandfather Charles Henry Grant was a variety entertainer the turn of the 20th century, appearing on stage with his brother.
They were know as ‘the Grant Brothers’, and apparently billed as such for shows at the Standard Theatre Company, later to change its name to the Victoria Palace theatre in London, in 1903.
His act evolved into a two man performing horse act, and the name changed to Grant & Alan. They appeared at the Victoria Palace c1907-9 with Gertie Getana (spelling?).
In 1915 my grandfather played Harrowgate in Jack and the Beanstalk.
According to family legend, he also played the London Palladium at some point
He later left the stage to general manage the Consolidated Cinematograph Company which operated four cinemas, one each in Henley, Newcastle, Deansgate Sunderland, and Homerton London. He died in 1943, and the CCC wound up in the 60s.
My question is – where would I look in order to uncover as much information as possible in relation to his stage career?
Any assistance you can provide would be most appreciated.
Thank you.
Derek Complin
Kingston, Canada.
Hi Roy,
I wonder if you are able to help.
We are a not for profit theatrical company based in the North East and are preforming an Old Time Music Hall event to celebrate 100 years of the spansih city dome. This will be mixture of professional and amateur performers. I would like to source a magician, mentalism act, sword swallower or Knife Thrower that would replicate the act 100 years ago. Do you have any suggestions?
Kind regards
Claire
Dear Mr Hudd
My father used ti sing a party piece called FIFTEEN PENCE at family get-togethers. Have never heard it sung by anyone else. The second line is oysters by the score ..
Have you ever heard of it and if so where could I get the sheet music?
Many thanks
KRs
Gerald Ryalls
Hi Roy
It is great to see you on the web now with your own website. Well we are now into 2010 and it is wonderful that the British Music Hall Society, The Scottish Music Hall & Variety Theatre Society and all the other Music Hall Societies around the UK are keeping the memory of British Music Hall and Variety Theatre Alive.
Please reply back by e mail, want to ask you a question about something.
Kindest regards
Derek Green
Chairman
Scottish Music Hall & Variety Theatre Society.
I may like to subscribe to The Call Boy? I have only just heard of it and would like to see what the magazine contains. Can anyone help?
Thanks
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