Despite having a career in show business that stretches back to 1942, Petula Clark remains a popular personality in the world of music and theatre. In recent years Pet has still created top selling albums and performed sell-out tours and more recently, until the COVID19 restrictions was delighting audiences as the Bird Lady in the London West-End presentation of Mary Poppins.
Of course, Pet has been delighting fans as a singer and actress since 1942 and has presented work across the mediums of radio, television, cinema and stage over her illustrious career.
This weeks Throwback Thursday recalls an early personal appearance by Pet topping the bill on a Variety line-up at Leicester’s De Montfort Hall on Sunday 18th February 1951.
The show was very much in the variety mould and Pet at the time was appearing by “kind permission of the Arthur Rank organisation” alongside pianist Joe Henderson (himself a chart star later in the 1950s)
Page selections from the souvenir programme of Petula Clark’s appearance at Leicester’s De Montfort Hall in February 1951.
According to the programme. Pet had recently turned 18 and discovered she had won the Daily Mail National Ballot for Outstanding Woman Television Personality of the Year. There had also been voted into the Top Ten Voices of the year – the only woman in 1950 to achieve this accolade! No doubt radio, television and film appearances as well as several record releases, were preparing Pet for great things including invitations to appear on top American TV shows!
The show devised by impresario Barry Wood featured many TV and radio personalities of the era and gave audiences the opportunity to see many of them for the first time. Barry Wood presented many similar shows during this era under the name Radio Tymes.
The show at Leicester’s De Montfort Hall on Sunday 18th February 1951 commenced at 6.30pm and the programme was scheduled as follows.
-
Ken Morriston – Televisions Concert Accordionist
-
Tommy Packham – Radio Entertainer
-
June Birch – Teenage Trumpet soloist from Variety Bandbox
-
Bernard & Barry Johns – Vocal Harmony TwinBrothers from Wales
-
Joe Keeley – The Broadcasting Whistler
-
Petula Clark with Joe Henderson at Piano
-
June Birch
-
Tommy Packham
-
Bernard & Barry Johns
-
Harry Farmer – Radio’s Hammond Organist
Piano accompaniment was provided by Billy Kinton while Barry Wood compered.
The variety line-up is interesting as besides the featured Petula Clark and Joe Henderson, it only seems to be teenage trumpet soloist June Birch who seems to have had any longevity in the entertainment industry..
-
If you have any information on the featured performers or on any of Barry Wood’s other shows please contact us at entertainmentsouthwales@gmail.com
-
Thanks to Laraine Sullivan for the information
FURTHER READING: