The Stage

Curtain Call - A lifetime on the radio

Published Thursday 21 July 2005 at 17:30 by Patrick Newley

A permanent and colourful fixture on BBC Radio Norfolk, Keith Skues’ career as a DJ has spanned everything from the old British Forces Network in Germany to Radios Caroline, Luxembourg and London, and to the pioneering days of Radio 1 back in 1967. There hardly seems a time when Skuesy, once described by The Independent as being “as mad as a hatter” has not been broadcasting from somewhere.

With his jaunty patter and quirky jokes, he is everything from a housewives’ favourite to a pop picker’s mine of information, and his current show has the highest ratings for a late night radio show in the whole of the UK. Unsurprisingly, he was awarded the MBE for his services to broadcasting in 2004, the same year he got his bus pass. Fans love him and he has even got a newsletter devoted to his activites, aptly called the Skuesletter.

He is also a prolific author, having written a number of books about the media and family history. His latest volume, That’s Entertainment, takes a look at freemasonry and in particular the centenary of the Chelsea Lodge.

Founded in 1905, the Chelsea Lodge has boasted some of the most famous names in British music hall and variety as its members. What makes this book fascinating is the often length biographical entries for the stars - a sort of A to Z of variety.

Among the 345 illustrated pages you can read about the careers of great panto dames such as Billy Dainty, Ken Barnes and Nat Jackley, music hall greats including George Robey (founder of the Chelsea Lodge), Wee Georgie Wood and Talbot O’Farrell, as well as variety favourites including Reg ‘Confidentially’ Dixon, the ventriloquist Coram, Teddy Brown and his xylophone, magic man Billy McComb, king of the wideboys Arthur English and many more. There are more recent names too, such as the late, great Bob Monkhouse and there is even a look-in for the Peter Pan of Pop, Jess Conrad.

“Freemasonry and showbusiness have run hand in hand for at least two centuries,” says Skues. “In whatever branch of the entertainment world one looks one would find that many of the major names of the day are freemasons. From music hall to variety, from silent films to talkies, from radio to television, members of the Chelsea Lodge played an important part in keeping alive the entertainment business in its wider sense, not just on the stage but behind the scenes as well with agents, managers, producers and directors.”

• That’s Entertainment is available from Lambs Meadow Publications, 19 Parkland Crescent, Norfolk, NR12 8PJ, priced £15 plus £4 postage and packing.