 Wynne Ajello.
Wynne Ajello was born in London into an Italian family of talented amateur musicians.
She wanted to be a ballet dancer but was persuaded to cultivate her high soprano voice. She started her professional
career with broadcasting, in 1925 when she sang a group of operatic arias. She appeared in programmes from revue to
opera. |
 George F. Allison.
George F. Allison had once been a professional footballer for Edinburgh. After that he had
been a secretary to a judge, and then moved into journalism. He started this in Manchester, but then moved to
London. He made his first soccer broadcast in 1923, but soon became involved with all sorts of sports commentary.
He gave the first broadcast commentaries on the Derby and the Grand National. While being a successful sports
broadcaster in the 1930s, he also found time to be the manager of Arsenal F.C. |
 Ambrose.
Bert Ambrose seems to have quickly dispensed with the Bert. Ambrose was in many ways a
pioneer among dance band leaders, who started out by deputising for a sick violinist in a theatre orchestra.
Five years later, he was conducting at one of New York's most expensive clubs, and was the highest paid dance
band leader there. When Ambrose first came to London, he played at the Embassy Club for two years, and then went
back to America, drawn by the offer of $300 per week. Then he came back to London to stay, and after resuming
at the Embassy, he later moved to the May Fair, where he stayed for several years. Ambrose was known for having
a very loyal and long-serving band, the line-up of which was almost unchanging over the years.
Hear Ambrose:
Scatterbrain, from the 1930s Decca 78.
Ambrose Links:
The Danceband Encyclopaedia
John Wright's Ambrose Page
An Ambrose Anecdote
|
 Doris Arnold.
Doris began her career as a shorthand typist. When the BBC started, she went to work there,
becoming a secretary at Broadcasting House. One day she had the chance to broadcast as a pianist, which changed
her career for ever. Around 1930 she formed a partnership with the pianist Harry S Pepper, and the two were very
popular for their broadcasts from their two pianos. She was also responsible for the choral arrangements in the
"Kentucky Minstrels", "Songs from the Shows", and "Songs from the Films". |
 E.R. Appleton.
E.R. Appleton was director of the West Regional station. He was a quiet, unassuming man,
who was in great demand as a pulpit speaker. He was also an honorary Druid. |
 Arthur Askey.
Big-Hearted Arthur. One of the entertainers who helped to keep Britain going during the second
world war. Arthur was born in Liverpool in 1900, and began his working life as a clerk with the Liverpool Education
Committee. By the middle of the 1920s he was a bill-topping seaside showman. He reached national fame with Band Waggon,
in 1938. The first three shows were not too good, and the BBC decided to scrap the show. With three weeks of the run left
to fill, Arthur, and his co-star Richard ("Stinker") Murdoch, persuaded the BBC to let them do their own thing. They then
came up with the idea for Band Waggon which made it into a huge hit, basing the plot around living in a flat at
Broadcasting House. Band Waggon boiled off catch-phrases, a film, and huge success. Arthur made some other films, and also
continued with stage and broadcasting. He recorded quite a number of silly records too.
Hear Arthur:
Hang Out the Washing on the Siegfried Line
Arthur Askey Links:
BritishPictures.com
Britmovie.co.uk
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