Mabel Berra (1886-1928), American prima donna and vaudeville star, as she appeared at the London Coliseum ‘in operatic excerpts and other songs’ in August 1910.
(photo: Hana, London, probably 1910)
Mabel Berra was accidentally killed on 28 December 1928 when she was hit by a motor car on Park Avenue, New York City. She was buried with her mother and sister in the Vermillion Cemetery, Haesville, Ashland County in her home state of Ohio.
The Revilos (active early 1920s), English dance band, as they appeared at the Princes’ Hotel and Restaurant, Jermyn Street, Piccadilly, London, in 1922
(photo: Hana, London, 1922)
‘A First Class English Band at Prince’s.
‘The Revilos, who came to the fore at our ”Tango Ball” [in May 1922], are now playing at Prince’s [sic]. They have a first class combination, including two French horns, and are featuring the Lawrence Wright productions, especially ”Caravan” [a fox-trot by Gene McCarthy and Gene Williams]. As will be seen from the photograph [above], they can put their usual instruments on one side and give a delightful Hawaiian interlude.’
(The Dancing Times, London, November 1922, p. 147)
Wray and Wricks (Harry Wray and Len Wricks, active 1913-1915), English boy comedians
(photo: Hana, London, circa 1913)
Clive Watts (1865?-1932), English comedian and eccentric dancer, who appeared at music halls and in pantomime, revue and other popular entertainments
(photo: Hana, London, circa 1910)
The Bedford music hall, London, week beginning Monday, 20 July 1908
‘Clive Watts scores heavily with ”Please, Mr. Manager” and some excellent patter. Smartly dressed, he also executes a neat and clever eccentric dance, which is loudly applauded.’ (The Stage, London, Thursday, 23 July 1908, p. 11e)
‘Clive Watts is a comedian who can tell funny stories and sing comic absurdities with equal ability. He made a great hit with his stories, and the audience appreciated his efforts. His dancing was really marvellous and he introduced many new steps into his whirlwind dancing.’
(Weymouth and Portland Standard, Weymouth, Dorset, England, Tuesday, 10 March 1914)
Lily Harold (née Lillie Nesta Morris Watkins, 1870-1952), English Gaiety Girl and music hall singer
(photo: possibly Hana, London, circa 1895)
‘The London Pavilion, which remains entirely unaffected by the [Music Hall] strike, is now presenting Miss Lily Harold in a striking song-scena entitled Snowflakes, which has been specially arranged and produced by Mr. Newman Maurice. New and elaborate scenery is employed, and Miss Harold is assisted by a chorus of twenty-four ladies.’
(The Encore, London, Thursday, 31 January 1907, p.8b)
Lily Harold (née Lillie Nesta Morris Watkins, 1870-1952), English Gaiety Girl and music hall singer
(photo: possibly Hana, London, circa 1895)
‘The London Pavilion, which remains entirely unaffected by the [Music Hall] strike, is now presenting Miss Lily Harold in a striking song-scena entitled Snowflakes, which has been specially arranged and produced by Mr. Newman Maurice. New and elaborate scenery is employed, and Miss Harold is assisted by a chorus of twenty-four ladies.’
(The Encore, London, Thursday, 31 January 1907, p.8b)
Lily Harold (née Lillie Nesta Morris Watkins, 1870-1952), English Gaiety Girl and music hall singer
(photo: possibly Hana, London, circa 1895)
‘The London Pavilion, which remains entirely unaffected by the [Music Hall] strike, is now presenting Miss Lily Harold in a striking song-scena entitled Snowflakes, which has been specially arranged and produced by Mr. Newman Maurice. New and elaborate scenery is employed, and Miss Harold is assisted by a chorus of twenty-four ladies.’
(The Encore, London, Thursday, 31 January 1907, p.8b)
Philip Braham’s ‘The March Hares’ (fl. Circa 1910񮕉), English concert party
top to bottom, G. Davy Burnaby, Sybil Clare, Eric Blore, Byon Dreno, Bernard Ansell, and Faith Lonnen (Mrs Philip Braham)
(photo: Hana, London, 1913)
The March Hares concert party was the brainchild of Philip Braham (1881-1934), the composer who wrote a large number of songs for West End musicals and revues between 1913 and the mid 1920s. Perhaps his best remembered number is ‘Limehouse Blues’ which has been recorded many times.
Two members of The March Hares went on to enjoy very successful careers: Davy Burnaby (1881-1949) and Eric Blore (1887/88-1959). Burnaby appeared in a string of West End productions as well as in films, while Blore, following a similar path, found even greater success on Broadway and in Hollywood where his bumbling bulter/valet character earned him lasting popularity.
Bert Terrell (fl. early 20th Century), British music hall entertainer and yodeller, billed as ‘The Dutch comedian’
(photos: Hana Studios Ltd, London, circa 1912)
The reverse of the above photograph is inscribed as follows: ‘Bert Terrell, The Dutch Comedian. Hair, Very fair. Eyes, Blue. Blouse, Claret. Muffler, Red with white spots. Cap, Claret brown, Navy Blue Peak. Buttons, Pearl. Belt, Navy Blue, Nickel Buckle. Trousers, Navy Blue. Socks, Scarlet. Sabots, Wood.’
Terrell, who appeared in the United States and Australia in 1910, is known to have made a number of disc and cylinder recordings, including ‘Silvery Moonbeams,’Aloha,’ ‘Mine Leedle Boy’ and ‘Dairy Fairy’ all recorded in London for the Edison Bell Radio label in 1929.
Chummie La Mara (d. 1945), British music hall comedienne, billed as a ‘burlesque artiste’
(photo: Hana, London, circa 1899)
Gatti’s Palace of Varieties, 214 Westminster Bridge Road, London, July 1899.
‘It would require too great a knowledge of the vernacular of the modiste for the mere man to attempt to describe the charming costumes worn by Miss Chummie La Mara, who sings with any amount of go a lilt laudatory of Bacchus. “She hasn’t been the same girl since” tells of the alteration in a damsel’s way of conducting herself since her residence in Pimlico – favoured locale of the music hall song writer – and, clad in handsome principal boy’s costume, which displays her fine proportions to the utmost advantage, she has the vigorous assistance of the gods to help her trill “Meet me, love.” Miss La Mara’s is a very pleasing and popular turn.’
(The Era, London, Saturday, 29 July 1899, p.16a)
‘Chummie LaMara.
‘Songs.
‘18 Mins.; Two [changes of costume].
‘Pastor’s [14th Street, New York City, week beginning Monday, 22 July 1907]
‘Chummie LaMara came over from London for her first American appearance without a marked English accent, but the young woman brought over a new wrinkle in dressing for the vaudeville stage. Probably by this time eight or ten burlesque managers have decided that each will use the design ”exclusively” for next season. Miss LeMara [sic] wears it after the second song. The costume is a silver embroidered decollete gown, overlaid with a black net covering. On the right side, from the waist down, the skirt has a partly concealed opening, but the aperture is permanent. To meet the exigencies of sudden draughts, Miss LaMara’s lower limbs are encased in a nice looking pair of tights, or at least what could be seen had that appearance. Chummie isn’t extravagant in the display. Were she to throw one end of the skirt over her shoulder for a Claude Duval effect, Chummie would be a stunning picture, according to all the information at hand. But she doesn’t, and she isn’t featuring the tights here, although that might have happened at the Oxford Music Hall in London, the the program says Chum came from. Another thing about Chum is that she sings two verses only of her songs. The usual English singer heretofore invariably seemed to have learned the third verse first, and would cancel an engagement rather than forego the singing of it. Miss LaMara sang four songs, ”What’s the Use of Waiting,’ ”You Can’t Do without a Girl,” ”Sailing in My Balloon” and ”Swing Me Higher, Obadiah.” From those tights, one might imagine that Chummie would take a chance with the lyrics, but she really has the cleanest collection of selections of any foreign singer who has played on this side [of the Atlantic]. Chummie looks good on the stage. The songs are not alarmingly catchy, but Chum manages to induce the audience to join in a couple. With a pleasing stage presence, it must be much gratification to Chummie to know she is making a big hit at Pastor’s Tuesday evening, the audience applauded so vociferously that she was compelled to return before the footlights after the card for the next act had been placed, an unusual occurrence at the Fourteeth street house. The girl doesn’t try for comedy, and she is not likely to achieve the success some of her predecessors, but Chummie is all right. She is a type of the English singer we have not seen before.’
(Variety, New York, Saturday, 27 July 1907, p. 12c/d)
Footlight Notes 