Solo Men
George French 1876 - 1938
At the turn of the century, George French, a master of make-up, a born humorist, a talented dancer and a creator of hilarious characters was achieving top billing throughout the country before he was 26-years old.
Born in Edinburgh in 1876, he moved to Dundee when very young. His mother was the wardrobe mistress at the old Theatre Royal, Dundee. His father, once performing professionally as the clown "Jolly Little French", was the theatre’s property master.
After child parts, George had been placed into the hands of the established performer Harry Pleon. He returned to him on several occasions to feature in his sketches.
John Tiller retained him as a dance tutor at his Manchester school, the organisation then in its infancy. It was from the troupes of girls, which George first trained, that the world-famous Tiller Girls originated.
George continued to develop his acts, appearing regularly in Pantomimes and Music Hall establishments all over the Country. In 1907, Arthur Collins, the Managing Director of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, suggested to George that he could join the 1908/9 Pantomime Season. George could not get a release from his present contract and unfortunately, the opportunity was never to appear again.
He appeared, towards the end of 1907, in the Grand Order of Water Rats Annual Matinee at the London Pavilion. George Lashwood was ‘Dandini’ to his ‘Baron Hercules’ in ‘Cinderella’ at the Shakespeare Theatre, Liverpool. A rival ‘Cinderella’ was starring Harry Lauder, was playing at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool!
In 1908, at the Argyle Theatre, Birkenhead, with George, was Victoria Monks. She was making her debut with the audiences there.
When aged just 33 years he was making his 25th Pantomime appearance! Many forecast that he would succeed Harry Lauder in popularity and he was soon sharing top billing with Marie Lloyd, Robb Wilton and Vesta Victoria. With Vesta, too at the Birmingham Hippodrome and at the Holborn Empire with Ella Retford, J.W. Rickaby, Will Evans and Herbert Rule.
Early in 1911 he was appearing with Barry Lupino, Maidie Scott, Lupino Lane, Harry Roxbury and Jack & Evelyn(The American vaudeville Act)
George appeared in the first Royal Music Hall performance at the Palace Theatre, London in 1912. Had tremendous success in the London Revue "5064 Gerrard" at the Alhambra, but was ‘developing medical problems’ when he stayed with his friend G.H.Chirgwin.
He still continued to appear on Music Hall bills, however, with many well-known artistes. In 1917 with Hetty King, with Marie Lloyd, Perci Honri and Jay Laurier in 1921.
By 1924, it appears that his Holborn Empire engagement was to be the last on the Music Hall stage.
He was a member of the G.O.W.R., becoming Bank Rat, and was Vice-President of the Variety Artistes’ Benevolent Fund. His eventual divorce in 1935 was featured in the newspapers. In 1938, in Waterford, Ireland, at the age of 56, he died, apparently from heart disease, now an "unknown"almost forgotten artist.
Music & Songs Written for, Sung by or Associated withMr. George French
All Over Me
All Smiles (Burlesque of Pack Up Your Troubles) (Charles Osborne)
Anti-Kissing Crusade, The
At The Ball (G.W. Foster)
Chew, Chew, Gum, Gum, Wagga Wagga! (Frank W. Carter)
Covent Gardeneers,The (Frank Cooper/G.W.Foster)
Day I Scored The Goal, The
Football Medley Written & Arranged by Wilkie Deane
For The Sake of Merry, Merry England
From Peasant to Queen
If They'd Only Change Places With Me
In Case Of An Accident
In The Little Pub We Use Just Round The Corner (H.Wincott/G.W.Foster)
Insurance Man, The
Irish Peace Medley.(Harry Carlton & Frank W. Carter)
Is There Anything Else Today ? (G. W. Foster)
Kiss Your Goosey
London Night By Day.(Written & Composed by Nat Clifford)
London's Good Enough .(Written & Composed by Lawrence & Barnes)
Maggie Frae Dundee (Albert Hall/George French)
Miner's Dream, The (Parody)
Night I Sang In Maritana, The
Noah's Ark
Out Of The Working Classes
Parody....by J.Magini & R.Hargreaves
Ripper ... by Fred Curran
Sailor Medley (Harry Carlton & Frank W. Carter)
St. Patrick's Day
That'll Settle The War
You’ve Got To Be Up In The Morning Early Now-a-days (J.A.Burgoyne)
What Ho! She’s Never Going To Bump Any More (Willie Benn/Tom Nemo)
White Hope, The (Medley)
Working Man Pays For The Lot, The (Frank Carter/Gilbert Wells)
| This text was supplied by Howard Lee. The story behind the 're-discovery' of George French is, to my mind, most interesting. Howard bought some items of memorablia of this virtually forgotten artist. Since then he has researched and brought to light details of the man and his songs. Howard is a committee member of the British Music Hall Society and administrator of their web site www.musichall.bigwig.net He performs with The Lindley Players at Whitstable where an annual Music Hall can be enjoyed at small cost. Frederick Denny |
His song 'What Ho! She's Never Going to Bump Any More' is featured in The News of the World Comic Album Vol.II. This is the only GF song that I have seen in any album. Frederick Denny