Henry Hall, Tommy Handley, Fred Hartley, Leonard Henry, Stuart Hibberd, Stanley Holloway, The Houston Sisters, Jack and Claude Hulbert, Jack Hylton.


Henry Hall. Henry Hall's was arguably the band which broadcast the most in the 1930s. He was destined for the Civil Service, but spent his spare time studying music at the Guildhall School of Music. He formed a dance band, and his skill as a composer enabled him to become one of the best arrangers of music in dance bands. He became musical director of the L.M.S. Hotel Dance Orchestra for ten years, and had 32 orchestras under his direction. Luckily, he was spared the Civil Service. His first broadcast was in 1924, and when Jack Payne left the BBC Dance Orchestra, Henry Hall became the new director in 1934. His first broadcast with the BBC Dance Orchestra was also the first public transmission from Broadcasting House. Hear Henry Hall: Teddy Bear's Picnic (With the BBC Dance Orchestra in 1934).	Tommy Handley. Thomas Reginald Handley, who was born at 13 Threlfall Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool, on 17th January 1892. His father, John, was a cowman, and died soon after Tommy was born. Tommy discovered his talent for making people laugh while he was at school. He also discovered his good singing voice. He left school at 14, and went to work in a stationer's shop. After that he sold prams at a shop in Duke Street, Liverpool, for 8s 6d per week. He worked there until 1917 when he was called up to serve in the first world war. He had been involved in amateur dramatics for years, and when he finally had the chance to turn professional, he started his career touring with "The Maid of the Mountains", a musical comedy. He is best remembered for ITMA, or It's That Man Again, during the war years, but he was to be found in many other great shows, and working with other great stars. One example is his work with Ronald Frankau as Murgatroyd and Winterbottom. Tommy died in 1949. Hear Tommy Handley: In Charge of a Bookstall (4.6MB) (From the 1930s Durium Record) Tommy Handley Links: BBC Liverpool Local History BBC Liverpool Catch Phrases BritishComedy.org: About ITMA Whirligig-tv.co.uk on ITMA
Fred Hartley. Fred Hartley was born in Dundee in 1905, and made his first broadcast in 1925 as a solo pianist. It was not until 1931 that he formed his famous Novelty Quintet. Fred was also a composer and orchestrator, with many successes to his credit. He originally joined the BBC as an accompanist.	Will Hay. Will Hay was a versatile entertainer, and was a top comedian, most famous as the head of St. Michael's School. His first broadcast was in 1922. He was also a keen astronomer, and is credited with discovering the spot on Saturn in 1933. He was also a fully qualified pilot and an engineer.
Leonard Henry. Known for dynamic humour, Leonard often used to broadcast from seaside resorts where he was appearing. He was a true cockney, and a natural comic. Leonard was a trained chemist, and was on the laboratory staff of a firm of manufacturing chemists until he was involved in an explosion. While he was recuperating at Southend, he saw the pierrot troupe known as "Pick me up". He joined them, and broke into show business. Short Sound Clip	A. Stuart Hibberd. Stuart Hibberd was, for many years, the Chief Announcer of the BBC. Of course, this meant that at the time, his voice was probably heard more frequently, by more people, than any other voice in the world. No wonder, then, that his closing words of "Good night, everybody, good night" are one of the phrases best remembered by the generations who listened to BBC radio in its golden age. Most of the BBC announcers of the time were university men, and Stuart was no exception, though he was a Cambridge graduate, whereas most of the others had been to Oxford. He was also to be found occasionally taking part in Children's Hour, when he was even known to sing. His listeners would have had no way to see that he was one of the tallest men at Broadcasting House.
Stanley Holloway. Stanley Holloway, actor, singer and jester, was born in London in 1890. He was one of the few first class actors with an excellent baritone singing voice. He started his professional career with a troupe of travelling pierrots, but achieved real fame as a member of the original "Co-Optemists". His first broadcast was as a singer in 1924. In 1933 he went to Canada to give one hour's entertainment to the Society of Lancashiremen in Toronto, for a fee of Ł1000.	The Houston Sisters. Renee and Billie Houston came from Shettleston, Scotland, and really were sisters. In private life, Billie, the boy of the partnership was Mrs Richard Cowper. She was an authoress as well as an actress and published a very successful thriller which she wrote in the dressing room between acts. Renee was Mrs. Pat Aherne and was the mother of two. The sisters were the daughters of James Houston, an old-time stage favourite. They started their professional career by deputising for their parents when they were suddenly taken ill. They went to London and had such a hit that they were booked up for a whole year.
Jack and Claude Hulbert. The sons of a doctor, these born comedians were sent to Cambridge to follow a very different course from the one which made them famous. While playing in "The Arcadians", Jack met Cicely Courtneidge, and Claude was married to Enid Trevor. Claude was usually to be found working with Enid, and found fame through being a part of "Two Pairs" and "Those Four Chaps". Jack made his name with "Clowns in Clover".	Walford Hyden. Walford Hyden was a Staffordshire man, born at Hanley in 1892. He studied music in Manchester and at the Royal Academy of Music, London. At one time he was musical director to Anna Pavlova, the famous dancer. His first broadcast was about 1928 when he conducted the BBC Orchestra in his London suite "Nights in Town". He was a pianist and composer as well as a director.
Jack Hylton. Jack Hylton was one of the most famous personalities in broadcasting. He was a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour and his was the only jazz band which had played in the Opera House, Paris, and was the first to be invited to broadcast to America. Born at Great Lever, near Bolton in 1893, he commenced his professional career as vocalist and assistant pianist to a pierrot troupe. He graduated to concert parties, and at seventeen was conducting opera. He first broadcast from Savoy Hill in 1926.