Summer show at the Britannia Pier Theatre, Great Yarmouth. Others on the bill were:
Dianne Lee
Teddy Peiro and Patricio
Michael Braban
The Showtime Dancers
Larry Parker
Lenny Henry
Dates and prices
The first night was 5th June at 7:45pm. Subsequent nights had two shows, 6:15pm and 8:40pm, except Sunday. The cost of admission was £2.00, £2.40 or £2.80.
Souvenir Brochure
Cannon and Ball
Cannon and Ball have unleashed a new catchphrase for the 1980’s with their ‘Rock On Tommy’, but more than that they have proved conclusively with their TV series that Cannon and Ball are one of the funniest duos in showbusiness.
Mind you, they still smile when they’re described as ‘overnight stars’ because Cannon and Ball have been big names in the world of live entertainment for some 15 years!
Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball were both welders in their native Oldham when they first met on the factory floor. They became big pals and eventually formed a singing duo called ‘The Harper Brothers’. This meant a major change in their lives, because by day they were welders but by night they entertained in the local pubs and clubs.
Such was their popularity that they were soon considering becoming professional entertainers, and it was an engagement in Wales that made them reach such a decision.
“We’d never worked outside Lancashire before,” says Tommy, “and suddenly we had a week of work in Wales. And it went so well that we came home and handed in our notices at work!”
And that was how Tommy and Bobby entered showbusiness – though they were still the singing Harper Brothers.
Slowly Bobby’s natural flair for comedy crept into the act, and although their club successes continued, both felt they were getting nowhere.
“We need a better name,” says Bobby, “so we just sat down and started throwing names at each other. One of us said Cannon and the other Ball – and that was it!”
And so, Cannon and Ball began the hard slog to gain recognition.
One of their earliest TV appearances was in ‘Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club’, but their real breakthrough came when they were signed by London Weekend Television – originally to appear in ‘Bruce Forsyth’s Big Night’, but later as stars of their own TV series. That initial series was seen in 1979 and was so successful that they have already starred in two more series.
Lenny Henry
Lenny Henry is now firmly established as one of the brightest new comedy entertainers on the showbiz scene. He first came to national prominence as the first schoolboy winner of TV’s ‘New Faces’, and has since established his career.
Already he’s starred in several TV series, made numerous guest appearances on TV shows, and become a popular stage draw in clubs and the theatre.
Indeed, since he made his initial breakthrough as a 16 year old winner on ‘New Faces’, Lenny had made his mark with a razor-sharp range of impressions, a spontaneous approach to comedy, and a fine singing voice.
He stands an imposing 6tf. 4ins. tall, and is the only well-known coloured impressionist on the current showbiz scene.
A native of Dudley, Lenny’s credits include two series of ‘The Fosters’, in which he showed his abilities as a comedy actor, and guest appearances in such shows as ‘Celebrity Squares’, ‘Seaside Special’, ‘The Ronnie Corbett Show’, and of course ‘Tiswas’.
Dianne Lee
Dianne Lee, who for ten years enjoyed outstanding international success as one half of the celebrated Peters and Lee, was born in Sheffield and started entertaining at a local dancing school when she was three.
In 1968, with ambitions of becoming a dancer, Dianne and her cousin Liz arrived in London and together joined the Pamela Devis Dancers. For the next year, the two girls appeared with the troupe on television and in concert, cabaret and theatre engagements all over Britain. Then in 1969 they decided to branch out and form their own dancing duo – The Hailey Twins, and toured the cabaret club circuit where Di first met Lennie Peters. A year later, when Liz went out on her own as a solo artiste, Di teamed up with Lennie to form Peters and Lee.
In her ten year partnership with Lennie Peters, Dianne Lee became a major star, enjoying outstanding success all over the world.
The duo parted company in 1980, and Dianne has since worked solo. Earlier this year, she starred in the pantomime ‘Sleeping Beauty’ in Bournemouth.
Larry Parker
Comedy magician Larry Parker was born while his parents were appearing in a season of plays in Preston, Lancashire. He is the third generation of a theatrical family. His grandfather was the Edwardian actor-manager Charles Clifford.
From the age of twelve, Larry helped his parents in their fit-up company, touring villages and towns in the Highlands of Scotland.
His early years were spent in the theatre, but in the mid-1960s, he turned his attention to cabaret and has since starred in nightspots all over the world.
A regular on television, Larry has appeared on all the major TV variety shows and he has recently devised and written a magic series for children.
Although he is essentially a comedy magician, Larry Parker is interested in serious magic, and is a member of the famous Inner Magic Circle.
Teddy Peiro And Patricio
Teddy Peiro – who with his son Patricio presents one of the most breathtaking speciality juggling acts in international showbusiness – was born in Argentina, yet emigrated to the USA.
It was in America that for over twenty years he performed at all the leading nightclubs and theatres, including the Radio City Music Hall and Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York; Palmer House, Chicago; Hollywoods Coconut Grove; and at all the major hotels in Las Vegas.
Indeed, while enjoying outstanding success Stateside, Teddy also appeared on all the major US television shows and worked alongside such names as Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Sammy Davis Junior, Danny Kaye, Dean Martin and many, many more.
Teddy’s son Patricio was born in London and won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music where he studied trumpet and piano. Before joining his father in the act, he performed with the famous National Youth Jazz Orchestra.
Teddy Peiro and Patricio have recently appeared on such television shows as ‘The Paul Daniels Show’, ‘The Generation Game’ and ‘The Good Old Days’, besides making cabaret appearances all over Britain.
Michael Braban
Singer Michael Braban comes from a theatrical family, and as a result he has had a varied career in showbusiness. He has appeared at most of the country’s leading theatre and cabaret venues; undertaken engagements on London’s West End stage; and toured extensively overseas in America, Canada and throughout Europe.
A seasoned broadcaster, Michael has appeared regularly on radio, and was recently seen on television in ‘And The Bands Played On’. He also has a number of straight acting roles to his credit.
Allan Blackburn (Director)
Allan Blackburn is without douby one of the world’s leading entertainment producer/directors.
For the past twenty years he has conceivedm devised and staged shows all over Europe and America in such leading venues as The Sahara and Thunderbird hotels in Las Vegas; The Sahara, Lake Tahoe; The El Casino and Lucyan Beach Hotels in the Bahamas; The Sheraton Hotel, San Juan in Puerto Rico; and of course The London Palladium.
He began producing shows in England a few years ago at the Winter Gardens Theatre in Margate with his most notable being the creation of the first “Grayson Scandals” starring Larry Grayson which he then also staged for a season at the London Palladium.
In recent years he has staged shows at all the major seaside resorts.