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2 hours ago, loppylugs said:

I've always liked L and H.  I often think they were best in their silent film days, though.  Their sight gags were hilarious.  I still enjoy watching them once in a while.  In my opinion they did not do quite so well when the talkies came along.

They were great together... I particularly loved Hardy's expressions and the look he used to give ...straight into the camera....pure genius.

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Good picture. Yes, the door with 'Theatre' over it is the one I mentioned in #50. I've scanned this plan of the ground floors of the two theatres (the bold lines showing the Theatre Royal). It sh

Love B&B pudding. My inlaws were amazed when I said not to throw the bread away. Its become a " can't remember how you make that B&B pudding" its never been forgotten. When we were at the rest

On 1/21/2013 at 8:07 PM, nottinghamite said:

I remember seeing Laurel & Hardy at the Empire who were about the most famous stars I saw there. Also remember Lucan and McShane ( Old Mother Riley and her Daughter Kitty), The Ice shows were quite good too Barrel Jumping and badminton on ice etc.

also the circuses that seemed to pay an annual visit. Other names recalled are, Kalanag a magician, Cavan O'Conner, Joseph Locke, Phylis Dixey and Jane of the Daily Mirror who were strip shows, Wilson Keppel and Betty, Ronnie Ronalde, Vic Oliver, The Billy Cotton Band show, Troise and his Mandoliers, Eric Delaney, Two Ton Tessie O'Shea and many others whose names at the moment escape me. We too also used to patronise the Gods, the cheapest seats. Used to go into the Empire Cafe Forman St. and The Robin Hood Milk Bar Sherwood St. have I got the right name? the one that used to have many photographs of of the acts that appeared at The Royal and The Empire.

Dennis

That's interesting, did you go to one of the Laurel & Hardy Christmas parties?

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My late Father in Law was a music hall 'artiste'.  Self taught as a young man in Everton.. Liverpool.   He worked on the Moss Empires circuit from the 1930s until the 1960s when 'Variety' pretty much died.  Even then he did occasional work in 'Olde Tyme Music Hall' shows put on by 'impresarios' such as Don Ellis , who organised 'Old Tyme' shows well into the 1970s.. maybe later..  Don would do the same sort of 'interlocution' that Andrew Sachs did at the Leeds Variety Theatre.... his favourite being to introduce the next act 'At enoooooormous expense..'.  Father in Law also did some TV work... mostly non speaking parts.  He was in 'Domby and Son', 'The Boys From the Blackstuff' and a play called 'Somewhere More Central', as I recall.

 

Father in Law's first act was as 'Peter Raynor' ventriloquist.  He had two black dolls called Coffee and Esmerelda.  We still have them in our loft.  Very 'un PC' now.  Coffee was a boy, who was raucous, uncouth and mischeivous, to Esmerelda's 'Sweet Little Girl' foil.  He later developed a second act.. 'Bill Giles' 'Rustic Comedian'.  He always claimed that Bernard Miles stole that for his country bumpkin act.  It wasn't uncommon for Father in Law to be allocated two dressing rooms as they didn't realise both acts were the same man.  Bill Giles was a country gravedigger who would come on to the strains of 'Uncle Tom Cobley' and lean on a shovel before a backdrop of gravestones. 

 

He usually opened with:

 

"Evenin' all.. how you all be?" 

Then.  "I seen old Softy Simpkins cummin' through 'ere t'other day". 

"I sez 'Ow old you be now Softy?"

"Eee sez 'Oim nointy three.' "

" I sez 'It's 'ardly worth your while goin 'ome ez et?' " :laugh::laugh:

 

Just a string of gentle gags like that.  But delivered with impeccable timing.  I last saw him do that at one of the Southport Theatre's.  Also on the bill was Adelaide Hall, who originally found fame in the late 1920's early 1930s, working with Duke Ellington at the Cotton Club in Harlem and recording 'Creole Love Call'.

 

Anyway.. to the point...  :laugh:...  Father in Law also worked on the bill with Laurel and Hardy at a number of Empire Theatres.  This would be 1952/3, when Mrs Col was born.  Somewhere in the family is a signed photo of Laurel and Hardy, with a dedication to my father and mother in law and the new baby...

 

 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7537498/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm

 

Also found these from the Empire Sheffield..

 

Below.  As Peter Raynor.  Third on the first half.

 

05 - Running Order (First Half)

 

And here as Bill Giles, second only to top of the bill Russ Hamilto.. famous for his only big hit .We Will Make Love.

 

06 - Running Order (Second Half)

 

Great to find these, even though they aren't really Nottingham stuff.

 

Col

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5 hours ago, AfferGorritt said:

Oo-er! Just seen your location. Different Ron Roper I think! Welcome to the forum anyway. Best finds were a Mary and Philip groat and a Roman brooch. Nothing of value, but very interesting.

That`s strange I found a Mary Groat date 1553 I think? ...it is in quite good condition.....thanks for the welcome....I thought you were "pulling my leg" ha ha

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Not sure where from but I remember the name Ronald Roper .

Marshall Hill Drive ? Fernleigh Avenue ? 

I lived on Gardenia Grove up to the mid 60s.

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4 hours ago, AfferGorritt said:

Now THAT’S my Ron Roper!

Us Ron Ropers get around.....I currently live in North London. I do my detecting around Harlow, Essex.....I joined a club about 10 years ago.....it gets you away Smokey and into the country air....it looks nice in Nottingham...have you always lived there?

 

I got into this Forum to try and find where the photo I recently purchased was take.....the window behind Oliver Hardy look like those at the Theatre Royal.

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My brother took me to one of their Christmas shows, which must have been 1953 but sadly all that I can remember were children being invited up onto the stage and we couldn't because we were up in the gods.

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6 hours ago, IAN123. said:

Yes Rog..plantfit: i posted some photos..but they have disappeared.4077003.jpgLaurel & Hardy Xmas 1951 at The Bull Pub, Bottesford.

My Uncle thinks he saw these two at Butlins in Skeggy in 1947..he has a box brownie snap of them!

Wow ...how lucky for your uncle to have met them!

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2 hours ago, Commo said:

My brother took me to one of their Christmas shows, which must have been 1953 but sadly all that I can remember were children being invited up onto the stage and we couldn't because we were up in the gods.

Thank you.....What a memory....In that case I think my photo may have been taken a New Years Eve party.....I have emailed the Theatre Royal but they can establish if the photo was taken there. I`m waiting for a response from a Museum in Nottingham be see if they have any photos. Thanks again Ron.

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I have a vague memory of being taken to the Empire when I was very young...early 60s...to see a pantomime. For some reason, the name Snow White sticks in my mind and Ruby Murray, the Irish singer.  I have always detested pantomime and Snow White isn't really a typical panto storyline but I'm sure that's what it was.

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I often used to get L & H mixed up with Abbott & Costello - who were the most unfunny people ever to appear on the music hall stage (or in films). I've a vague memory of seeing them on stage but Google doesn't give any reference to them ever appearing in Nottingham (where it would have been) so that seems a figment.

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On October 12, 2018 at 4:40 AM, Jill Sparrow said:

Didn't realise that Oliver Hardy was born in Georgia...Loppy country. My father was an avid fan of Laurel and Hardy having grown up with their films.

 

I didn't know that, Jill.  Yer learns summat new every day on here. :)

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On 3/3/2016 at 1:13 PM, Merthyr Imp said:

Good picture. Yes, the door with 'Theatre' over it is the one I mentioned in #50.

Untitled-Scanned-01_zpsxvuqgyqe.jpg

 

Hi Does this document contain a plan of the upper floor, also are there any photographs of the internal first floor front windows, facing the portico area? If it does would it be possible for you to upload these?

Best regards

Ron

 

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  • 1 year later...

Thanks Albert. I've been in long queues under those canopies many a time. Sometimes right around the corner. My dad could only afford seats up in the Gods. Scared me the first time up there. I still have dreams about flying around inside that Theatre, when leaving my wooden seat of a perch up near the roof.

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