George Clarke (comedian)

George Clarke
Born
George Broome

(1886-04-11)11 April 1886
Bromley, Kent, England
Died21 December 1946(1946-12-21) (aged 60)
Maidenhead, Berkshire
OccupationComedian

George Clarke, born George Broome and sometimes given as George Clark or George Broome Clarke, (11 April 1886 – 21 December 1946) was an English comedian, stage and screen actor, and film producer of the silent era. He began his career as child performer in either 1883 or 1884 in British music halls performing in a dancing and comic duo with his father. He continued to perform with his dad until 1910, when his father retired from the stage.

In the 1920s and 1930s Clarke performed in several musical revues in the West End where he excelled in comedic sketches. One of best known performances was his sketch "My First Car" which originated in the 1929 revue Darling! I Love You at the Theatre Royal, Birmingham. He went on to perform this sketch at multiple Royal Command Performances in the 1930s and on film.

Early life and career

George Clarke was born with name George Broome in Bromley, Kent, England on 11 April 1886.[1] He was the son of George Thomas Broome and Selena Broome (née Hewett).[2] His father was also an entertainer,[3] and he began his career as a child performer alongside his father in British music halls in either 1893.[4] or 1894.[3] One source stated Clarke made his debut in 1894 at the Albert Hall Music Hall.[2] The father and son comic and dancing duo billed themselves as "George Clarke and His Half" and later as "Clarke and Clements".[3] In 1906 young George portrayed Bom in Noah's Ark at the Waldorf Theatre.[5]

George Clarke spent the early part of his career performing in variety shows and in musical revues in Britain.[2] When his father retired in 1910, he became a solo act, billed as "The Dude Comedian". According to one later review: "He was a master in the art of giving full rein to the most priceless verbal inanities, was always impeccably attired on the stage, and with his monocle typified the 'silly ass' character... [He] had the art of creating laughter by exploiting the nit-wit, and never resorted to blue material...".[3]

Clarke appeared in variety shows not only in Britain, but also on multiple international tours that included stops in Australia, Africa, and North America.[6][3] In 1911-1912 he toured Australia and New Zealand.[2] In the United State he was principally known for his performances as a vaudeville comedian.[6] In 1913 he appeared at The Oxford Theatre as Honorable G. P. Washington in Step This Way!.[2] He starred in a series of revues produced by Harry Day between 1913 and 1923.[3]

Later stage career

Clarke appeared in musical comedy shows in the West End, and on tour.[3] In 1923 he received top billing in the musical revue Radios at the London Palladium with The Times stating that, "Comedian George Clarke was the major and very worthwhile feature of the revue, appearing in about half the turns."[7] He later returned to the Palladium in 1926 to star in Vivian Ellis and John P. Long's musical revue Palladium Pleasures.[8] In the Christmas season of 1925 Clarke appeared as the First Shepard in E. K. Chambers's Old English Nativity Play at Daly's Theatre.[9]

In 1929 Clarke starred as Bertie Bundy in Stanley Brightman, H. B. Hedley, Desmond Carter, and Arthur Rigby's musical Darling! I Love You at the Theatre Royal, Birmingham.[10] This show featured his most famous comedy sketch, "His First Car",[11][12] in which he would drive a standard production-line Austin 7 car on stage,[3] and "expertly manoeuvre [it]... through his skilful use of the gears and brakes."[13] According to one writer:

The car was... quite standard except for a very high coachwork finish, in yellow and blue. He would drive the car straight at the footlights, with the audience, especially in the front rows, in a state of panic-stricken terror. From first gear he would whip it straight into reverse, the back would leap up in characteristic fashion, then the scrabbling rear wheels would grip the boards and the car shot backwards, to the vast relief of musicians and audience. Later he used a car with the 4-speed box, still absolutely standard and unmodified. This was, of course, a much more difficult change, but he told me that he had never missed it although always expecting to. Now and again he would overdo it, and shoot over the edge, when the gentlemen of the orchestra managed to achieve the most remarkable sideways long-jumps from a sitting position, which alone were well worth the price of admission. Very occasionally he would break a half-shaft, but had no other trouble. The scene was the back garden of a suburban villa, and he concluded the act by driving right through a “brick” wall, which brought the house down on both sides of the footlights.[14]

He performed this sketch at the Royal Command Performances held at the London Palladium in 1930, 1932, and 1934, and it was filmed as My First Car, directed by Monty Banks in 1930.[15] In 1931 he appeared in the West End production of the musical Blue Roses by Desmond Carter, Caswell Garth, and Vivian Ellis at the Gaiety Theatre, London.[16] With fellow comedian Marriott Edgar he headlined the musical revue By George! at the Victoria Palace Theatre in 1933.[17]

George Clarke died in Maidenhead, Berkshire at the age of 60 after having surgery on 21 December 1946.[3][18] At the time of his death, he was described by the Associated Press as the only vaudeville comedian to have "given three royal command performances".[6]

References

Citations

  1. ^ Vazzana 2001, p. 86.
  2. ^ a b c d e Parker 1947, p. 416.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Busby 1976, p. 36.
  4. ^ "George Clark". The New York Times. 96: 41. December 22, 1946.
  5. ^ Wearing 2013, p. 271.
  6. ^ a b c Associated Press (December 22, 1946). "British Comedian Dies". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 17A.
  7. ^ Wearing 2014a, p. 217.
  8. ^ Wearing 2014a, p. 423.
  9. ^ Wearing 2014a, p. 406.
  10. ^ Wearing 2014b, p. 5.
  11. ^ Ian Parsons, "Darling I Love You!", London Musicals 1930-1934. Retrieved 27 December 2022
  12. ^ "The truth about another antique picture", Austin Seven Friends, 16 December 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2022
  13. ^ "The Hippodrome Goes Motoring with Ivan Heard", Birmingham Hippodrome, 30 May 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2022
  14. ^ Roberta Cowell, "That Stage Austin 7", Motor Sport Magazine, November 1963. Retrieved 27 December 2022
  15. ^ "His First Car", British Film Catalogue, Volume 1, ed. Denis Gifford, 2001, p.354. Retrieved 27 December 2022
  16. ^ Wearing 2014b, p. 87.
  17. ^ Wearing 2014b, p. 267.
  18. ^ "George Clarke, 60, veteran British comic dies". Variety: 46. January 1, 1947.

Bibliography