Joy Harris

Published Tuesday 30 September 2008 at 10:40 by Michael Dynan

My wife, Joy Harris was born in Leyton and started singing in clubs at the age of nine, often alongside her father who was a semi-pro entertainer. When she was 12, she won a silver medal for girl’s solo in the Stratford and East London Music Festival. After singing in local clubs and cabaret and for a short time, appearing with the band of Billy Merrin, she joined the chorus of Waltz Time which was touring the country.

Her solo career began in variety and she toured in the revues produced by Curly Jay, Terry Cantor and Paul Raymond in his shows featuring ‘Jane’. She also appeared in pantomime - usually as Alice Fitzwarren - and played four successive summer seasons at the Butlins theatre in Ayr. One of these starred Mrs Shufflewick (Rex Jamieson) with whom she became friends and who allegedly was only trusted with a whole summer season’s booking because at Butlins the curtain came down at 9pm by which time he would still be sober.

Later she played two successive summer seasons on Blackpool’s Central Pier for Peter Webster in Let’s Have Fun, both of which also included Ken Dodd and Jimmy Clitheroe in the cast. The first season starred Morecambe and Wise and also featured trumpeter Kenny Baker, and the second season starred Jimmy James and also included ventriloquist Dennis Spicer and Roy Castle, who later joined James’ act. During the season Corinne Grey, who was appearing in sketches with James, left the show and so in addition to doing her own act, Joy took her place. She then toured in variety sometimes on the same bill as James with whom she once again worked with in sketches. She also broadcast on Workers Playtime.

Although she did several summer seasons and Sunday concerts, variety work was declining and so she rejoined an old partner and friend Dorothy Sayers to form the cabaret act - Dorothy and Joy. Together they successfully played at the many masonic and company functions which were popular in the West End and around London at the time. Joy later featured in several television commercials and training films before retiring. She remained a familiar figure around London theatres and clubs as she frequently accompanied me when I was reviewing shows for The Stage.