AuthorsA trained dancer, Michael Hogan diversified widely by appearing in musicals and the cinema. It was while he was studying at the Royal Academy of Dance that he caught the eye of one of the…
Richard Anthony Baker
In 1990, Richard Anthony Baker wrote a slim biography of the music hall star, Marie Lloyd. This was followed by British Music Hall: an Illustrated History (2005) and Old Time Variety: an Illustrated History (2011). These last two volumes are now regarded as definitive works on the subjects. He also co-edits a twice-yearly magazine, Music Hall Studies.
Bill Pertwee
As the officious air raid warden in the Second World War television sitcom Dad’s Army (1968-75), Bill Pertwee did not have much to say or do. But he was crucial to the clever mix of…
John Railton
In spite of losing an arm as a result of cancer at the age of 32, John Railton was one of the leading choral conductors of his generation. At the Royal Academy of Music, he…
Michael Gough Matthews
For more than 30 years, Michael Gough Matthews devoted his life to the Royal College of Music, becoming its director in 1984. He fought hard to maintain its independence in Britain and its high profile…
Hazel Yarwood
At the forefront of recording all kinds of music for EMI, Hazel Yarwood witnessed enormous technological changes during the course of a career that lasted for nearly 40 years. When she began working at the…
Stephen Dodgson
The composer of an extraordinarily wide range of music, Stephen Dodgson was particularly associated with his work for the guitar. Although at the outset he had only a rudimentary understanding of the instrument, he wrote…
Arnold Peters
In BBC Radio’s everyday tale of country folk, The Archers, three of those folk were played by the same actor, Arnold Peters, although most of its followers associated him only with the ebullient businessman Jack…
Frederic Franklin
As the principal dancer with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Frederic Franklin formed a magical partnership with the legendary Russian ballerina Alexandra Danilova. They were seen in Tchaikovsky’s perennial favourite, Swan Lake, and Delibes’…
Vincent Dowling
A stalwart of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, the actor and director Vincent Dowling was particularly associated with John Millington Synge’s controversial play The Playboy of the Western World. He was also credited with ‘discovering’…
Dad’s Army star Bill Pertwee dies
Bill Pertwee, associated with some of the funniest programmes on television and radio, died on May 27 at the age of 86. His agent, Meg Poole, said he passed away with his family around him….
Michael Earl
Appearing in small acting roles with many opera and ballet companies, Michael Earl enjoyed a long career until he was struck down by the MRSA superbug. After National Service, he won a place at RADA…
Anne Valery
Before making her mark as one of the main writers of Tenko (1981-84), the BBC Television drama that attracted up to 15 million viewers, Anne Valery had enjoyed a successful career as an actress and…
Equity activist Michael Earl dies
Michael Earl, a performer and Equity activist who appeared in small acting roles with many opera and ballet companies, died suddenly on May 9, aged 84. He worked primarily at Covent Garden, but also with…
Archers regular Arnold Peters dies
Arnold Peters, who played Jack Woolley in the long–running Radio 4 soap opera, The Archers, for more than 30 years, has died at the age of 87. He had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, although…
Tim Hampton
From tea boy to managing director at 20th Century Fox – the stuff of which legends are made, but also the true-life story of the British film producer Tim Hampton. During a cinema career marked…
Alan Protheroe
At the end of a difficult time as the assistant director general of the BBC, Alan Protheroe left the Corporation in 1987, concerned at what he saw as its declining standards. In particular, he perceived…
Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
A German Jew who moved to India, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala won worldwide fame after she was awarded two Oscars for her adaptations of quintessentially English novels, A Room With a View (1985) and Howards End…
Nosher Powell
At one point ranked third as a heavyweight boxer in Britain, Nosher Powell went on to be a leading stuntman in some of the most famous films made in the UK. His work was nearly…
Victor Graham
For 38 years, summer rep at the Civic Theatre in Ayr – first weekly, then fornightly – was in the hands of Victor Graham. Modern comedies, whodunnits and the more serious work of Shaw and…
Noel Goodwin
A critic blessed with the ability of writing about music and dance equally proficiently, Noel Goodwin worked for Fleet Street newspapers for nearly 50 years. He was also an adept author and a fine broadcaster….
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