Gala concert in aid of the Entertainment Artistes Benevolent Fund, 10th September 1995.
Souvenir Brochure
Programme
Overture – Musical Director Rick Coates
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Pharaoh’s Story performed by Ria Jones and children from Bishop Rawston Church of England School and Waterloo County Primary School. Conducted by Robert Purvis Joseph is currently playing at the Blackpool Opera House, starring Aled Jones.
Duncan Norvelle – The hilarious Duncan Norvelle currently appearing at South Pier in Rosie O’Grady’s All-Star Music Hall
Linda Nolan – Blackpool’s favourite singing star
The Grumbleweeds – Britain’s top comedy trio
Lee Griffiths – Winner of 1995 Stars in Their Eyes as Bobby Darin
Johnnie Casson – Regarded by his peers as one of the country’s top comedians. Currently starring at Blackpool Central Pier.
Cats – Memory performed by Josie Walker and Mungojerry performed by Simon David Trout and Lucy Middleton, with members of the company. Conducted by Daniel Bowling. Cats is currently playing at the Opera House, Manchester.
Allan Stewart – Comedy and vocal impressionist. Allan Stewart is currently starring at the Grand Theatre, Blackpool.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Any Dream Will Do and Close Every Door performed by Aled Jones with children from Bishop Rawston School and Waterloo County Primary School. Conducted by Robert Purvis
There will be an interval of 20 minutes
Cannon and Ball with Linda Lusardi – Britain’s top comedy duo with popular television personality Linda Lusardi.
Joe Longthorne – With the Joe Longthorne Orchestra and singers,
Message of Life President Laurie Mansfield
The Tribute show that Paul Gregg and myself organised last year in memory of our Late Life President Lord Delfont, was intended to be a one-off tribute to a great showman. However, the show was so successful that First Leisure announced that they wanted to keep the great man’s name alive in the town that he loved so dearly, and so here we are gain doing our second Tribute to Lord Delfont of Stepney.
The income which the show generates is badly needed to enhance the coffers of the EABF, allowing it to continue to run a wonderful retirement home for elderly members of the theatrical profession in Twickenham and also to enhance the life quality of many of our beneficiaries.
I would therefore like to take this opportunity to thank all the artistes who have given their services tonight for their own charity, all the many backstage people who also contribute to making this show a success, First Leisure for all their support and of course to my Co-Producer Paul Gregg.
Finally, the biggest thanks go to you for supporting us. On behalf of all the Officers, Management Committee and Select Committee of the EABF – thank you.
Message of Executive Administrator Peter Elliott
I can hardly believe that a whole year has passed since we last all got together for our Tribute to Lord Delfont. During that year our Garden at Brinsworth House has been re-landscaped and dedicated to Lord Delfont’s memory, a beautiful summerhouse has been erected and donated by the Grand Order of Water Rats and the finance for the re-landscaping of the entire garden was paid for by contributions made by members of our profession and supporters. It has yet to be officially opened, but hopefully this will be done in the autumn of this year.
The work that the fund is involved in continues and the care given to the residents of Brinsworth House by the wonderful nursing and medical staff that are employed there, is beautifully carried out. Our beneficiaries have also been taken care of, but of course the income for the charity has to increase year by year to enable us to carry on this work.
I therefore thank you the public for supporting us, and all the artistes, technicians etc. for making the whole thing possible. Thank you from your friends in Twickenham.
Cannon and Ball
Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball are one of Britain’s funniest and most successful double acts. In a career spanning over 25 years they have achieved a string of honours that puts them among the all-time greats of showbusiness.
On television they have starred in their own series paractically every year since 1979; they have also ‘guested’ on all the major shows including Wogan, Parkinson, Des O’Connor, Sunday Night at the Palladium, several Royal Variety Shows, and been featured in a BBC Documentary “Funny Business” based on double acts, which also included footage on Martin and Lewis, Laurel and Hardy and Morecambe and Wise.
To add to their pedigree, they remain the only act to have won three seperate National Club Awards; been named as the prestigious Variety Club ‘Personalities of the Year’; starred int heir own feature film The Boys in Blue which in addition to its cinema success, has gone on to become a video best-seller; and been the subject of This Is Your Life.
However, it is as the undisputed Kingsa of Live Entertainment that Cannon and Ball have set standards that will probably never be equalled.
During the 1970s they built a strong reputation around the UK cabaret club circuit for being a great live act. They also toured extensively in the hotel circuits of Australia and South Africa.
In 1980 they ‘topped the bill’ for the very first time at the North Pier, Blackpool, where they played to capacity business for 22 weeks; a feat they surpassed in 1991 when they returned to the pier and celebrated their 25th Anniversary with a 25-week sell-out season.
Blackpool is a ‘happy hunting ground’ for the Lancashire-born twoseom, who player the 3,000 seat Opera house during the summer, 1994. This was their third season at the theatre, following their enormously successful seasons in 1985 and 1987.
In addition to Blackpool, Tom and Bob have broken records in Theatres all over the UK, including London. In 1981 they played a 6-week season at the Dominion Theatre when every seat was sold before the show opened, and in 1988 their pantomime Babes in the Wood broke all previous pantomime records at the world famous London Palladium, where Cannon and Ball created the record for the largest boc office amount taken in one week in British Theatre History.
During 1993 they were offered the chance to play a season in the USA. Orlando, Florida was the location. Their three month season was such a success that they were immediately re-booked for April, May, June 1994, starring at King Henry’s Feast, Orlando and making several US television appearances. They made an instant impact and are set to return for more live dates and television this year.
The rest of 1994 was taken up with their summer season in Blackpool, where Tommy worked on his golf handicap and taught Bobby a shot or two, since he has also taken up golf.
Then it was off to Bonnie Scotland for their Scottish pantomime debut at the King’s Theatre in Edinburgh, where they were joined by Edinburgh-born television star and presenter John Leslie, in the wonderful traditional family pantomime Babes in the Wood.
During January 1995 they appeared on The Des O’Connor Show, Noel Edmond’s House Party and Talking Telephone Numbers. During February they embarked on a month long Gospel Tour and then back to the USA; this time to Branson, Missouri, for a theatre show.
A week at Bournemouth’s Pavilion Theatre from September 11th to 16th will be followed by dates around the country, another Gospel Tour, and then to Glasgow for Babes in the Wood with Jimmy Logan and Grant Scott.
Even after nearly 30 years of making people laugh, Tom and Bob are still enjoying every minute themselves and are looking forward to carrying on doing it for many years to come.
Other stars performing
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| Aled Jones | Duncan Norvelle | Linda Nolan |
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| The Grumbleweeds | Lee Griffiths and Johnnie Casson | Cats |
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| Allan Stewart | Linda Lusardi | Joe Longthorne |