Blackpool Wonderful Blackpool
By Donald Auty
During
the fifties BBC television did a series of excerpts from the summer
shows called Blackpool Night produced by Barney Coleman and our turn
came up at the South Pier.
Right - Norman Newman and the Tower
Radio Band at the Tower Ballroom 1938.
The shows were done live and after the
successful transmission Jimmy called me over and said uncharacteristically
"Son I want you to take all these lovely BBC people the artistes,
band and all the stage
staff
up to the bar and buy them all a drink with me". When this crowd
of more than fifty people knew it was notoriously mean Jimmy Brennan
who was buying they went mad. Non drinkers were on treble scotches
and the bill came to around £20. Jimmy sent for me to go up
to the Queen's the following morning and told me that I had not kept
proper control of them all and he had expected the bill to be around
a tenner. He made me pay the extra £10 deducting a £1
a week from my wages over the next ten weeks.
When Jack Taylor died in 1964 Jimmy was
distraught. He was given the sad news in offices at the Deansgate
Cinema offices. "That is terrible news, my oldest friend"
He then called his secretary "Send a wreath to Jack Taylor's
funeral not more than £2 mind you".
Next Page...
Back to Front
Page