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Albert Whelan & the mysterious telegram... One of our regular visitors to the Community History department, Mrs Isabel Butler, brought in an interesting item the other day. It was a telegram which her Grandmother Mrs Isabel Barnes received when she ran a bed & breakfast at 39 Park Avenue during the war...
As you can see from the above, a Mrs Albert Whelan was requesting the best bedroom and sitting room available for the week beginning Sunday 4th August 1940. On further investigation, our staff found that the Albert Whelan was none other than the famous Australian entertainer. He played the Grand Theatre in Jubilee Street and amazingly during a search through our collection of Theatre Posters, we have come across the original poster for that very week.
Albert was top of the bill that week along some other weird & wonderful acts including ; Olgo – The Miracle Mind (1901-1979) otherwise known as The Mental Marvel a.k.a. Professor Olgo, Stan Pell & Stan Little - a north England music hall act who appeared in George Formby’s second film “Off The Dole” where Pell plays a parson and Little played a 7 year-old boy when he was actually 24. They did a sketch about the Tonic Sol-Fa and an eccentric dance. Stan Little (1910-2000) was actually born Robert Stanley Thompson in Newcastle and also appeared in the “Adventures of Tom Sawyer” TV Series in 1960, “The Glass Cage” with future James Bond Girl Honor Blackman and “Home Sweet Home” with Frank Randle. Will Norman – “Juggling with Laughs” Priscilla Wise – the Famous Lady Tenor Three Krystos - ??? Paul Roach & Vick Burns – In an Alpine Acquaintance ???
Albert Whelan 1875 – 1961 Albert Whelan was one of the most famous Australians who graced the stage of the British Music Hall. He was born in Melbourne on the 5th May 1875 and first made a name for himself after moving to Western Australia, entertaining the miners working the goldfields. After emigrating to England at the turn of the century, he started out as a scarecrow dancer at the Empire Theatre in Leicester Square but his versatile talents which involved singing and piano playing led him on to have a successful and lasting career which lasted well into his eighties. He is recognised as inventing the signature tune and always arrived and exited the stage whistling Robert Vollstedt’s waltz from “Die Lustige Bruder” (The Jolly Brothers). He was always immaculately dressed in bow tie and tails and danced, sang, played the piano and was an excellent mimic His recording career lasted from 1905 till 1960 including “Barnacle Bill The Sailor”, “Bell Bottom Trousers”, “My Brother Makes The Noises For The Talkies”, “The Preacher & The Bear” and “The Whistling Bowery Boy”. He also appeared in a number of British films of the 1930’s & 1940’s, usually in minor roles, including “Danny Boy” in 1941 with David Farrar & Wilfred Lawson. He also appeared with “Almost A Gentleman” Billy Bennett in a act called “Alexander and Mose” on the radio in the 1930’s. Below is an example of the comedy duo… Alexander: How’s your brother getting along? Mose: He’s been arrested for drinking eau-de-cologne Alexander: For drinking eau-de-cologne? What’s the charge? Mose: He was charged with fragrancy… …and there’s more… Alexander: Did you participate in any Yuletide frolics? Mose: Yes, we played “kiss me, duckie, kiss me” Alexander: How do you play this affectionate pastime? Mose: They blindfold a girl and if she catches a man he has to kiss her under the mistletoe or give her a shilling. Alexander: Well, how did that work out? Mose: My wife finished with 35 shillings and a railway timetable. Alexander: Wouldn’t the boys kiss her under the mistletoe? Mose: They wouldn’t kiss her under an anaesthetic… He was an artist who could sing a good comic song, a serious ballad, play the violin, the piano, dance and give impersonations ranging from a popular comedian to the latest craze in Hollywood film stars and accepted as one of the greatest all-round entertainers of his time. He died on the 19th February 1961. With many thanks to Mrs Isabel Butler
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