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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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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490 posts
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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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Post by Deleted 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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490 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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490 posts
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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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Post by Deleted 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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19,793 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 24, 2019 19:01:10 GMT
I lived in Chesterfield for a while (usual story, don’t ask!) and saw a few things at what was then and presumably still is The Pomegranate Theatre. One of which I remember very vividly was Spiders Webb, an Agatha Christie thriller starring none other than Pat Phoenix. I think much of the budget had been blown in Miss Phoenix’s wardrobe because there was a different outfit for every entrance, each which got a an appreciative round of applause. On the way out I saw Tony Booth propping up the bar, waiting for the missus.
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Post by Dawnstar on Feb 24, 2019 19:03:27 GMT
Programme has some interesting details on how ticket booking worked! Imagine being able to pay for your reserved tickets only half an hour before the performance. Not like nowadays, where next year's pantos seem to go on sale as soon as the previous year's ones have finished so many people are paying 11+ months in advance. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2019 19:09:17 GMT
I lived in Chesterfield for a while (usual story, don’t ask!) and saw a few things at what was then and presumably still is The Pomegranate Theatre. One of which I remember very vividly was Spiders Webb, an Agatha Christie thriller starring none other than Pat Phoenix. Looks like that was around 1985 which was about the time I left for University The Civic was renamed to the Pomegranate in 1982 amid some controversy at the time ... from www.chesterfieldtheatrefriends.co.uk/theatre-history.aspxTopically enough, I saw "Equus" there when I was about 12 as part of one of the rep seasons. Bit of an eye opener at that age. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2019 19:22:30 GMT
Imagine being able to pay for your reserved tickets only half an hour before the performance. Not like nowadays, where next year's pantos seem to go on sale as soon as the previous year's ones have finished so many people are paying 11+ months in advance. Indeed! Was confused by why it was done that way for phone bookings till I realised nobody would have a credit or debit card The thing about "permanent seat reservations" is interesting - sounds like you could say "I'll have seat B17 in the stalls for the first Tuesday of every show" and then swan in 30 minutes before the show to pay for the ticket if you felt like coming! |
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Post by Dawnstar on Feb 24, 2019 21:01:09 GMT
Indeed! Was confused by why it was done that way for phone bookings till I realised nobody would have a credit or debit card The thing about "permanent seat reservations" is interesting - sounds like you could say "I'll have seat B17 in the stalls for the first Tuesday of every show" and then swan in 30 minutes before the show to pay for the ticket if you felt like coming! I can think of at least 1 show that I'd love to be able to do that for! |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2019 22:04:02 GMT
I lived in Chesterfield for a while (usual story, don’t ask!) and saw a few things at what was then and presumably still is The Pomegranate Theatre. One of which I remember very vividly was Spiders Webb, an Agatha Christie thriller starring none other than Pat Phoenix. I think much of the budget had been blown in Miss Phoenix’s wardrobe because there was a different outfit for every entrance, each which got a an appreciative round of applause. On the way out I saw Tony Booth propping up the bar, waiting for the missus.
Bloody hell, where are all these ex Chessie residents coming from??
Yes, the Pomegranate is still there. I see quite a few cinema screenings there. They do have plays on regularly, although I haven't been yet. In fact my friend has been going every week recently - they're having a 60th (?) anniversary celebration with a different play from each decade every week, with a little rep company. They had Billy Liar, and an Alan Ayckbourn, and an Ealing comedy. My friend says they've been fun.
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Post by peggysue on Feb 24, 2019 22:37:55 GMT
I was born and lived just outside Chesterfield and also worked for a while in the town before going down South in the early 70s. My first theatre visit was to see the panto Goody Two Shoes with Les Dawson and Peter Goodwright at Leeds Grand Theatre
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2019 13:56:56 GMT
This week's find from my clearout of boxes of crap ... map of Central London theatres and cinemas from a 1984 diary. I've spoiler protected it as it's quite a big photo. Things to note ... The Playhouse theatre is missing! It was used as a BBC Studio till 1976 then was disused and apparently under threat of demolition until 1987 when it reopened as a theatre. I had no idea it was empty for so long. Also no mention of the Players Theatre (ie the Charing Cross Theatre) which as far as I can tell would have been open at that point? The Dominion is still a cinema at this point The Donmar Warehouse appears to be just called The Warehouse Arrow pointing "To The Old Vic", no mention of the Young Vic No mention of the Barbican which is surprising - would have expected an arrow pointing to that as its a major venue. Opened in 1982 so possibly the map dates from a few years before the diary was printed. There were a lot more cinemas! |
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Post by learfan on Mar 17, 2019 14:19:40 GMT
No shock about the Barbican, it had only just opened and of course wasnt in the, WE covered. No arrow pointing to the two big Victoria theatres either. I remember when they reopened the Playhouse, lots of people myself included were not even aware of it! So far as i recall the Players under Charing X was a touristy music hall and was i think used as a tv venue. Sadly a lot of the cinemas have gone but then this was well over 30 years ago.
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Post by lynette on Mar 17, 2019 14:30:58 GMT
Nobody could find the Barbican 😂
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