Days Of Variety

[susanxx]

I am trying to complie a list of variety artists that have appeared at seaside theatres in the heyday of the British coastal towns, in particular the Winter Gardens in Morecambe. I have some names but am unable to find any info about them and I was wondering if anyone out there in answerbank land knows any of the following and what their act was.
Bob 'Poker Face' Dixon, The Valdettes, Wally Stewart, The Gaunt Brothers, Downey and Dave or Guy Fielding. There is no info on the dedicated website so its up to you folks! Thanks

[Mamyalynne]

Site here mentions The Valdettes

///I was a Hanley Babe during the ’40s and appeared in many pantomimes, such as Goldilocks, which was in 1943. I taught dancing in Stoke under the name The Valdette Studio. Following the death of Eileen Kelly and the retirement of Beryl Cooper, I took over the Hanley Babes for two years prior to my leaving for South Africa. I also danced professionally at the Theatre Royal in variety with my dance act “The Valettes”. It would be good to be notified of any pupil or past dancing friends respond to this comment.//

Betty


and a couple more references

http://stokieboy.wordpress.com/memories-of-the-theatre-royal-hanley/

[Mamyalynne]

No info, but here are the Gaunt Brothers, Fred and Bert

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Obv5GVWTg4

[Mamyalynne]

There was a comedy actor named Wally Stewart, starred in a couple of films.


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1282223/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm

[andy-hughes]

Hi Mamyalynne

I didn't know you were a Stoke!

You can almost see the Theatre Royal building from where i am sitting - it's a nightclub now.

Do you still live here?

[Mamyalynne]

Oh no Andy, I obviously didn't make my post clear - the quote above is from the website I linked to - the words of 'Betty' from Stoke. I was hoping it may have given Susan some information she required.


Lynne, Bolton born and bred - sorry for the confusion.

[susanxx]

Thanks everyone. Hey Mamyalynne I'm Bury born and bred but now live i Morecambe.

[andy-hughes]

Mamyalynne - thanks for clarifying x.

[Mamyalynne]

Sorry the info was so sparse Susan - it is a small world. I almost ended up going to live in Morecambe in my teens, but a love affair didn't last.



Sorry for confusion Andy ,Stoke sounds great.