Author: Roy Hudd
Publisher: Robson Books Limited
ISBN:
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 224
Book Description
Comedian and actor Roy Hudd has had a lifelong affair with show business and has here written the most complete Who's Who of British Variety Theatre ever published. As a paid performer, he just caught the tail end of this rich and colorful entertainment before it was ousted in many people's lives by television. In this marvellous book Roy Hudd recounts virtually every act he saw in the Variety Theatre, from the obscure and unknown, to the acts that emerged from it to remain with audiences for decades, inluding Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Norman Wisdom and Cliff Richard. This is an invaluable guide to the world of Variety Theatre.
Roy Hudd's Cavalcade of Variety Acts
Author: Roy Hudd
Publisher: Robson Books Limited
ISBN:
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 224
Book Description
Comedian and actor Roy Hudd has had a lifelong affair with show business and has here written the most complete Who's Who of British Variety Theatre ever published. As a paid performer, he just caught the tail end of this rich and colorful entertainment before it was ousted in many people's lives by television. In this marvellous book Roy Hudd recounts virtually every act he saw in the Variety Theatre, from the obscure and unknown, to the acts that emerged from it to remain with audiences for decades, inluding Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Norman Wisdom and Cliff Richard. This is an invaluable guide to the world of Variety Theatre.
Publisher: Robson Books Limited
ISBN:
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 224
Book Description
Comedian and actor Roy Hudd has had a lifelong affair with show business and has here written the most complete Who's Who of British Variety Theatre ever published. As a paid performer, he just caught the tail end of this rich and colorful entertainment before it was ousted in many people's lives by television. In this marvellous book Roy Hudd recounts virtually every act he saw in the Variety Theatre, from the obscure and unknown, to the acts that emerged from it to remain with audiences for decades, inluding Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan, Norman Wisdom and Cliff Richard. This is an invaluable guide to the world of Variety Theatre.
Old Time Variety
Author: Richard Anthony Baker
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
ISBN: 1783408839
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 378
Book Description
“An illustrated history of good old-fashioned entertainment from names like Tessie O’Shea, George Formby, and the early days of Bruce Forsyth.” —Yours As one of the richest sources of diversion for the people of Britain between the end of the First World War and the 1960s, the variety theater emerged from the embers of music hall, a vulgar and rambunctious entertainment that had held the working classes in thrall since the 1840s. Music hall bosses decided they would do better business if a man going to theaters on his own could take his wife and children with him, knowing they would see or hear nothing that would scandalize them. So variety, a gentler, less red-blooded entertainment was gradually established. At the top of the profession were Gracie Fields, a peerless singer and comedienne, and Max Miller, a comic who was renowned for being risqué, but who, in fact, never cracked a dirty joke. They were supported by acts that matched the word variety: ventriloquists, drag artists, animal acts, acrobats, jugglers, magicians and many more. But the variety theater was constantly under threat, first from revue, then radio, the cinema, girlie shows, the birth of rock ’n’ roll and finally television. By the end of the 1950s, the variety business seemed to have given up, but the recent and extraordinary popularity of talent shows on television has proved the public appetite is still there. Variety could be about to start all over again. “A priceless record of the people who entertained several generations between the wars and, for a brief time, after WWII . . . thoroughly entertaining.” —Books Monthly
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
ISBN: 1783408839
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 378
Book Description
“An illustrated history of good old-fashioned entertainment from names like Tessie O’Shea, George Formby, and the early days of Bruce Forsyth.” —Yours As one of the richest sources of diversion for the people of Britain between the end of the First World War and the 1960s, the variety theater emerged from the embers of music hall, a vulgar and rambunctious entertainment that had held the working classes in thrall since the 1840s. Music hall bosses decided they would do better business if a man going to theaters on his own could take his wife and children with him, knowing they would see or hear nothing that would scandalize them. So variety, a gentler, less red-blooded entertainment was gradually established. At the top of the profession were Gracie Fields, a peerless singer and comedienne, and Max Miller, a comic who was renowned for being risqué, but who, in fact, never cracked a dirty joke. They were supported by acts that matched the word variety: ventriloquists, drag artists, animal acts, acrobats, jugglers, magicians and many more. But the variety theater was constantly under threat, first from revue, then radio, the cinema, girlie shows, the birth of rock ’n’ roll and finally television. By the end of the 1950s, the variety business seemed to have given up, but the recent and extraordinary popularity of talent shows on television has proved the public appetite is still there. Variety could be about to start all over again. “A priceless record of the people who entertained several generations between the wars and, for a brief time, after WWII . . . thoroughly entertaining.” —Books Monthly
Vaudeville old & new
Author: Frank Cullen
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 0415938538
Category : Entertainers
Languages : en
Pages : 1362
Book Description
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 0415938538
Category : Entertainers
Languages : en
Pages : 1362
Book Description
Adult Responses to Popular Music and Intergenerational Relations in Britain, c. 19551975
Author: Gillian A. M. Mitchell
Publisher: Anthem Press
ISBN: 1783089024
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 346
Book Description
‘Adult Reactions to Popular Music and Inter-generational Relations in Britain, 1955–1975’ challenges stereotypes concerning a post-war ‘generation gap’, exacerbated by rebellion-inducing popular music styles, by demonstrating the considerable variety which frequently characterized adult responses to the music, whilst also highlighting that the impact of the music on inter-generational relations was more complex than is often assumed. [NP] Utilizing extensive primary evidence, from first-person accounts to newspapers, television programmes, surveys and archive collections, the book adopts a thematic approach, identifying three key arenas of British society in which adult responses to popular music, and the impact of such reactions upon relations between generations, seem particularly revealing and significant. The book examines in detail the place of popular music within family life and Christian churches and their engagement with popular music, particularly within youth clubs. It also explores ‘encounters’ between the worlds of traditional Variety entertainment and popular music while providing broader perspectives on this most dynamic and turbulent of periods.
Publisher: Anthem Press
ISBN: 1783089024
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 346
Book Description
‘Adult Reactions to Popular Music and Inter-generational Relations in Britain, 1955–1975’ challenges stereotypes concerning a post-war ‘generation gap’, exacerbated by rebellion-inducing popular music styles, by demonstrating the considerable variety which frequently characterized adult responses to the music, whilst also highlighting that the impact of the music on inter-generational relations was more complex than is often assumed. [NP] Utilizing extensive primary evidence, from first-person accounts to newspapers, television programmes, surveys and archive collections, the book adopts a thematic approach, identifying three key arenas of British society in which adult responses to popular music, and the impact of such reactions upon relations between generations, seem particularly revealing and significant. The book examines in detail the place of popular music within family life and Christian churches and their engagement with popular music, particularly within youth clubs. It also explores ‘encounters’ between the worlds of traditional Variety entertainment and popular music while providing broader perspectives on this most dynamic and turbulent of periods.
The Double Act
Author: Andrew Roberts
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0750990295
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 317
Book Description
The double act has been at the heart of the British entertainment scene for over 150 years: from its start in the music halls, through radio shows such as Hancock's Half Hour playing in virtually every household and on cinema and television, from Carry On films to Withnail and I. Explore the influence of comedy duos on their audience and how their performances evolved over time, the importance of the subtle art of the straight man next to the comic and discover some acts who might have passed you by. This book is a tribute to the comedians who have entertained the public for so long, dedicating their lives to adding a bit of laughter to the mundane everyday. The Double Act will appeal to all lovers of British comedy as it takes them through the golden moments of its history.
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0750990295
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 317
Book Description
The double act has been at the heart of the British entertainment scene for over 150 years: from its start in the music halls, through radio shows such as Hancock's Half Hour playing in virtually every household and on cinema and television, from Carry On films to Withnail and I. Explore the influence of comedy duos on their audience and how their performances evolved over time, the importance of the subtle art of the straight man next to the comic and discover some acts who might have passed you by. This book is a tribute to the comedians who have entertained the public for so long, dedicating their lives to adding a bit of laughter to the mundane everyday. The Double Act will appeal to all lovers of British comedy as it takes them through the golden moments of its history.
The Continuum Companion to Twentieth Century Theatre
Author: Colin Chambers
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 1847146120
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 892
Book Description
International in scope, this book is designed to be the pre-eminent reference work on the English-speaking theatre in the twentieth century. Arranged alphabetically, it consists of some 2500 entries written by 280 contributors from 20 countries which include not only top-level experts, but, uniquely, leading professionals from the world of theatre. A fascinating resource for anyone interested in theatre, it includes: - Overviews of major concepts, topics and issues; - Surveys of theatre institutions, countries, and genres; - Biographical entries on key performers, playwrights, directors, designers, choreographers and composers; - Articles by leading professionals on crafts, skills and disciplines including acting, design, directing, lighting, sound and voice.
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 1847146120
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 892
Book Description
International in scope, this book is designed to be the pre-eminent reference work on the English-speaking theatre in the twentieth century. Arranged alphabetically, it consists of some 2500 entries written by 280 contributors from 20 countries which include not only top-level experts, but, uniquely, leading professionals from the world of theatre. A fascinating resource for anyone interested in theatre, it includes: - Overviews of major concepts, topics and issues; - Surveys of theatre institutions, countries, and genres; - Biographical entries on key performers, playwrights, directors, designers, choreographers and composers; - Articles by leading professionals on crafts, skills and disciplines including acting, design, directing, lighting, sound and voice.
High Buildings, Low Morals
Author: Rob Baker
Publisher: Amberley Publishing Limited
ISBN: 144566626X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 423
Book Description
Twenty-five more strange and fascinating true-life tales featuring the greatest city in the world.
Publisher: Amberley Publishing Limited
ISBN: 144566626X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 423
Book Description
Twenty-five more strange and fascinating true-life tales featuring the greatest city in the world.
A National Joke
Author: Andy Medhurst
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1134702558
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 268
Book Description
Comedy is crucial to how the English see themselves. This book considers that proposition through a series of case studies of popular English comedies and comedians in the twentieth century, ranging from the Carry On films to the work of Mike Leigh and contemporary sitcoms such as The Royle Family, and from George Formby to Alan Bennett and Roy 'Chubby' Brown. Relating comic traditions to questions of class, gender, sexuality and geography, A National Joke looks at how comedy is a cultural thermometer, taking the temperature of its times. It asks why vulgarity has always delighted English audiences, why camp is such a strong thread in English humour, why class influences what we laugh at and why comedy has been so neglected in most theoretical writing about cultural identity. Part history and part polemic, it argues that the English urgently need to reflect on who they are, who they have been and who they might become, and insists that comedy offers a particularly illuminating location for undertaking those reflections.
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1134702558
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 268
Book Description
Comedy is crucial to how the English see themselves. This book considers that proposition through a series of case studies of popular English comedies and comedians in the twentieth century, ranging from the Carry On films to the work of Mike Leigh and contemporary sitcoms such as The Royle Family, and from George Formby to Alan Bennett and Roy 'Chubby' Brown. Relating comic traditions to questions of class, gender, sexuality and geography, A National Joke looks at how comedy is a cultural thermometer, taking the temperature of its times. It asks why vulgarity has always delighted English audiences, why camp is such a strong thread in English humour, why class influences what we laugh at and why comedy has been so neglected in most theoretical writing about cultural identity. Part history and part polemic, it argues that the English urgently need to reflect on who they are, who they have been and who they might become, and insists that comedy offers a particularly illuminating location for undertaking those reflections.
Turned Out Nice Again
Author: Louis Barfe
Publisher: Atlantic Books
ISBN: 1848877579
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 505
Book Description
With a cast of thousands, including Peter Cook, Ken Dodd, Dusty Springfield, Spike Milligan, Rolf Harris, Bruce Forsyth, and Reeves and Mortimer, this book reveals a world of comedians and cavorters, dancing girls, and crooners. From the early days of vaudeville, via the golden age of radio, live television spectaculars, the rise of the chat show, and alternative comedy, Louis Barfe pulls back the curtain of variety to reveal the world of light entertainment in all its glory.
Publisher: Atlantic Books
ISBN: 1848877579
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 505
Book Description
With a cast of thousands, including Peter Cook, Ken Dodd, Dusty Springfield, Spike Milligan, Rolf Harris, Bruce Forsyth, and Reeves and Mortimer, this book reveals a world of comedians and cavorters, dancing girls, and crooners. From the early days of vaudeville, via the golden age of radio, live television spectaculars, the rise of the chat show, and alternative comedy, Louis Barfe pulls back the curtain of variety to reveal the world of light entertainment in all its glory.
The Trials and Triumphs of Les Dawson
Author: Louis Barfe
Publisher: Atlantic Books
ISBN: 0857896709
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 460
Book Description
STRONGThe first ever narrative biography of a towering figure in British comedy Les Dawson, more than any other comedian, spoke for the phlegmatic, pessimistic British way of life. A Northern lad who climbed out of the slums thanks to an uncommonly brilliant mind, he was always the underdog, but his bark was funnier and more incisive than many comics who claimed to bite. Married twice in real life, he had a third wife in his comic world—a fictional ogre built from spare parts left by fleeing Nazis at the end of World War II—and an equally frightening mother-in-law. He was down to earth, yet given to eloquent, absurd flights of fancy. He was endlessly generous with his time, but slow to buy a round of drinks. He was a mass of contradictions. In short, he was human, he was genuine, and that's why audiences loved him. This is his story.
Publisher: Atlantic Books
ISBN: 0857896709
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 460
Book Description
STRONGThe first ever narrative biography of a towering figure in British comedy Les Dawson, more than any other comedian, spoke for the phlegmatic, pessimistic British way of life. A Northern lad who climbed out of the slums thanks to an uncommonly brilliant mind, he was always the underdog, but his bark was funnier and more incisive than many comics who claimed to bite. Married twice in real life, he had a third wife in his comic world—a fictional ogre built from spare parts left by fleeing Nazis at the end of World War II—and an equally frightening mother-in-law. He was down to earth, yet given to eloquent, absurd flights of fancy. He was endlessly generous with his time, but slow to buy a round of drinks. He was a mass of contradictions. In short, he was human, he was genuine, and that's why audiences loved him. This is his story.