Douglas Byng

b. 17 March 1893, Nottingham, Britain, d. 24 August 1987, Brighton, Sussex, Britain. An professional and vocalist in musical humor, revue, pantomime, and cabaret, Byng proved helpful being a dressmaker and developer of theatrical outfits before you begin his lengthy and distinguished profession in showbusiness. After touring in concert celebrations, and playing in a variety of Western world End musical productions such as for example Theodore & Co. and Yes, Uncle! (both 1917) and A PARTICULAR DATE (1920), in 1924 he produced the to begin a lot more than 50 performances being a Dame in pantomime at the brand new Oxford Theater. Byng’s Dame was advanced and elegant (‘I performed the housekeeper-never the prepare’), and used glittering dresses – never like the frequently down trodden, humble animals who were frequently portrayed for the reason that function in the original Christmas displays. His stylish shows found the see of impresario Charles B. Cochran, who starred him, frequently in feminine parts, in a number of of his polished revues, such as for example On WITH ALL THE Dance (1925), Still Dance! (1925), One Dam Thing After Another (1927), THIS SEASON Of Sophistication! (1928), Cochran’s Revue Of 1926 (1926), AWAKEN And Fantasy! (1929), and Cochran’s 1930 Revue (1930). Byng’s various other London credits included How D’You Perform? (1933), Hi-Diddle-Diddle (1934, where Byng released Cole Porter’s ‘Miss Otis Regrets’ to London viewers), Stop-Go! (1935), Maritza (1938), Hit Up The Music (1941), Great And Dandy (1942), Traveling Colors (1943), The Shephard Present (1946), Sauce Piquante (1950), The Bells Of St. Martin’s (1952), The Like Doctor (1959), and Home Of Credit cards (1963). His extremely acclaimed and profitable cabaret work in the 30s and early 40s, at ritzy locations like the Café de Paris and Monseigneur Restaurant, was regarded rather risqué, and he was reported towards the regulators on several occasion, and prohibited for a while from the BBC. Noël Coward explained his songs, including items such as for example ‘I’m Doris The Goddess Of Blowing wind’ and ‘I’m Millie A Messy Aged Mermaid’, as ‘the most processed vulgarity in London’. When the entertainment picture changed permanently after World Battle II, he required to straight performing in plays such as for example Lady Windermere’s Lover and Resort Paradiso. He retired from your stage in the past due 60s, and resided in Brighton until he is at his 90s, when he visited reside in the stars’ retirement house, Denville Hall, in Northwood. In 1986, relatively reluctantly, he teamed up briefly using the famous range entertainer Billy Milton for any nostalgic revue, Those Thirties Remembrances. Among subsequent attempts to maintain his memory space alive was Phillip Leather’s one-man present, JUST A LITTLE Of Stuff And non-sense.