Summer 1990, at the Britannia Pier Great Yarmouth.
During the summer season Cannon and Ball also performed at the Skegness Embassy Centre on Sundays and possibly in Scarborough, night unknown.
Cannon and Ball
To describe Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball as stars is at the very least an understatement. To describe them as superstars and a true phenomenon is perhaps more accurate.
Since their debut TV series for London Weekend Television in 1979, they have not only become top TV stars with their own television series and specials every year, but they are – without a doubt – the biggest box office attraction in the UK.
To have not only sold out all other comedy acts, but to have outdrawn even rock superstar Bruce Springsteen is a totally unique achievement which puts them in a category all of their own.
In the summer of ’85’ their ten-week run at the Opera House, Blackpool, smashed all previous records by playing to over 300,000 people and grossing over £1 m. Results in ’86‘ were the same when they played a season at the Bournemouth International Centre. Bookings for their ’86/7′ pantomine flooded in and “Babes in the Wood” at the Alhambra Theatre was yet another success with the record-books once again having to be rewritten!
Cannon and Ball’s star status is further enhanced by the fact that they are the only act in show-business to have won three separate National Club Awards; they have enjoyed success as recording artistes with both singles and albums; starred in their own feature film “The Boys in Blue”; triumphed in numerous popularity polls and have also been named Show-business Personalities of the Year by the Variety Club of Gt. Britain – the highest accolade that can be bestowed by fellow professionals.
So, what is the secret of this unequalled success which has included Royal shows, a memorable appearance on This is Your Life and their top rated Christmas Spectaculars? It is without question a success a which has evolved from an initial friendship between two Oldham lads who got together to form a singing act.
Bobby (Robert Harper) and Tommy (Thomas Derbyshire) were former work mates at an Oldham Engineering factory in the 1960’s. By day they were welders, but at night they became the Harper Brothers, a singing duo which achieved a great deal of popularity in the Northern Clubs.
It soon became evident that Bobby had a natural flare for comedy and this was complemented by Tommy’s ability to remain straight faced; acting as the perfect foil. Singing remained part of their act but the comedy content grew stronger – as did their popularity.
“It got to a point where we were rehearsing our act on the factory floor”, says Tommy, “Many were the times that we were reprimanded by the foreman! Then out of the blue, Wally Harper, Bobby’s cousin and a professional comic, booked us for a week at a club in Wales. The response was terrific. After that we decided to give up our daytime jobs and concentrate on show-business.
Since then their career of over 20 years is show-business history – their series and specials are always in the top ratings and they play to capacity audiences, not just in the UK, but even in Austria and the Middle East.
“We have no pretensions”, says Tommy, “We’re a couple of ordinary blokes doing what we do best – entertaining people and making them laugh. We love it. The important thing is that we haven’t changed in our attitudes. We’re still Bobby and Tommy to everyone, and still get a kick every time someone shouts out ‘Rock on Tommy” in the street.
In their increasingly rare off-stage moments, both Tommy and Bobby like to keep fit, whilst Bobby also enjoys the solitude of the riverbank, engaging in his favourite pastime, fishing. Bobby has also published his series of childrens’ books. Tommy prefers to divide his time between playing golf, following football, and his race horses.
1987 was just as busy as ever for Cannon & Ball. Following the finish of their pantomine in Bradford at the end of February, Tommy and Bobby took a well-earned holiday and then straight into a spring tour from mid-April until the end of June. Their summer season at Blackpool Opera house commenced mid-July until the end of October – another marathon record-breaking fourteen week season.
The Guinness Book of Records had to be re-written yet again when Cannon & Ball took their pantomine ‘Babes in the Wood’ for the 1987/8 Christmas Season to the most famous variety theatre in the world – The London Palladium. During its breathtaking £2m run another record was created, when during one week ticket sales contributed to the biggest box office gross in the history of the British theatre.
The London Palladium embraces true stars and makes them feel at home, and the London Palladium certainly became a second home to Tommy and Bobby; where, in addition to their pantomine season, from the same stage they recorded their Christmas Special; appeared with Jimmy Tarbuck as his star guests in LWT’s Live from the Palladium series; and appeared in the Royal Variety Show before Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness Prince Philip.
Touring, television and summer season in Paignton occupied most of 1988, and Christmas 1988 found Tommy and Bobby on home ground, taking Babes in the Wood to the Palace Theatre in Manchester, where yet again all pantomine box office records were broken.
A completely new venture took off during Spring 1989, when Cannon and Ball starred in the comedy play ‘You’ll Do For Me” which was directed by Brian Rix and toured throughout Britain?
Summer ’89’ was spent in Scarborough with Sunday concerts being held across the Pennines where they starred at the Opera House in Blackpool.
Following summer season they recorded for Yorkshire Television and a cabaret tour took place during October and November. Their lavish ‘Babes in the Wood’ was at Birmingham Hippodrome end 1989/early 1990. Spring 1990 they were once again with Yorkshire Television followed by a May/June nationwide tour. Summer here at Great Yarmouth, the year will be closed with their ever popular cabaret.
April 1990
The Nolans
A short resume of the Nolans’ career will help to understand why these four very pretty sisters are arguably one of the best female singing groups from Moscow to Tokyo; from Australia to the USA. The Nolans have become one of entertainment’s most successful and best-loved phenomenons; a triumph whether appearing on stage, TV, or on record; there can be very few artistes who can appeal to eight to eighty year olds and appear with Frank Sinatra one minute and Motorhead the next.
It all began with Mum and Dad (Maureen and Tommy Nolan), professional singers who had great success in their own careers both in Ireland and later in Britain. They were joined over the years by the rest of the family and in 1972 madetheirtelevision debut. In 1974 the parents and brothers stepped aside and the Nolans were born, comprising Anne, Denise, Maureen, Linda, Bernie and later Colleen.
Following a season at the London Rooms in Drury Lane, London, the girls became a household name almost overnight when they guested on an entire series of BBC TV’s top-rated Cliff Richard Show. The series led to the Nolans guesting on Frank Sinatra’s 1975 European Tour and with the Sinatra seal of approval the girls’ career exploded with countless TV appearances, summer seasons and overseas tours with the likes of Englebert Humperdink.
Record success, however, still eluded the girls – they had released two albums through small independent labels, The Singing Nolans (1973) and The Nolan Sisters (1977), until early in 1978 they recorded a collection of classic hits under the title “20 Giant Hits’ released on Target Records. The album hit number three in the British album charts and went Gold; and still the girls were mostly in their teens. The Nolans had arrived.
The girls had sung their way into the hearts of the British public and The Nolans signed to CBS records. This combination went on to produce massive success with hit singles and albums world-wide. ‘Spirit, Body and Soul’ gave the girls their first hit single in November 1979, but it was the classic ‘In the Mood for Dancing’ which became the definitive Nolans hit. Released in February 1980, the single went gold, hit number three in the British charts, and established a new image for the girls. The Nolans had grown up and become acceptable to the vast contemporary market.
The Nolans’ international success mushroomed particularly in Japan, where the girls achieved platinum record sales, becoming the first overseas act to top the Japanese charts in over ten years and winning the prestigious Tokyo Music Festival. Some of the records they broke in the international and domestic charts still stand to this day.
More recently The Nolans have had two record-breaking seasons with Cannon and Ball at the BIC, Bournemouth and the Opera House, Blackpool.
At the end of 1987 the girls toured Russia in a 25 date sellout tour. They had a great time, despite losing weight through various illnesses due to lack of food. 1988 brought a new BBC TV series for Bernie, “On the Waterfront”, followed by yet another record breaking summer season at the Grand Theatre in Blackpool.
This year the girls have toured the country with Cannon and Ball before finally arriving at Great Yarmouth where they will be appearing with the boys in summer season. If they survive all this they are appearing individually in major pantomimes throughout the UK. Also a new L.P. will be released this year.
Allan Stewart
Allan Stewart has been making an impression in show business since his schooldays! He made his first record at the age of 10, and was driving to High School in a brand new car by the time he was in his teens!
Allan has starred in several TV series of his own in his native Scotland and has achieved an international reputation with successes in America, on the continent and as an entertainer abroad cruise-liners, including QE2. He’s starred at the London Palladium, appeared in Royal Shows and his string of Tv successes include his own Tv series and guest spots on practically every top TV variety show and is the host of ITV’s quiz programme ‘Chain Letters’.
Born Glasgow on July 30 1950, Allan Stewart, once described as Scotland’s most eligible bachelor, is now happily married to actress Jane Danielle, and they are the very proud parents of a son, David Alexander, who came into the world in December 1989.
National recognition has come Allan’s way thanks to his on going TV successes, and he is now based in London to cope with his ever-growing workload, particularly in television.
It’s a long way from when he first started out in show business. Indeed, Allan began by working in clubs and theatres in Scotland – but he didn’t let his new found fame affect his education.
Though he was the only pupit to attend Glasgow High School in a brand new car – bought from his own earnings – Allan left school with eight GCE ‘O’ Level passes and could have chosen a safe career in practically any trade. But, his only ambition was to become a successful entertainer.
Initially, he relied on his singing voice but gradually the comedy began to creep in. “Mind you, it wasn’t easy,” he says. “The Scots like a good comic, but as a teenager I found it hard to just stand up and tell a string of gags. I was about 18 when I began to get interested in impersonating other people. I found it came naturally, and today I have quite a repertoire – including Esther Rantzen, Hinge & Brackett and a Scottish ‘busybody’ I call Auntie May.”
But Allan has never wanted to be pigeon-holed for anything that he does. He’s an entertainer, pure and simple. “I started when I was a wee lad of 10 because I enjoyed making people happy,” concludes Allan. “Nothing has changed in that respect. I don’t think I could ever tire of entertaining – it’s in my blood and has given me a lifestyle that I could only once dream of.”
Steve Rawlings
Steve Rawlings, a man well known in concentric circles for his hilarious visual comedy show.
He brings juggling and performance skills to life with a unique blend of comedy character, buffoonery and technical skills. The show comprises of tempting fate by manipulating fragile objects, juggling ping pong balls with his mouth, a short demonstration of spontaneous combustion, a show stopping combination of balancing bottles and glasses and juggling three blazing fire torches simultaneously and ending with the astonishing spectacle of furniture juggling – a trick that hasn’t been performed in almost sixty years and to see Steve perform it, one can easily understand why!
Steve Rawlings has worked extensively in Theatre and on the Variety Cabaret Circuit, including dates with Lenny Henry, Richard Digance, Frankie Howard, Fry and Laurie and Mike Reid. He also appeared in the Jongleurs Safe Cabaret Tour. He has performed in many festivals and top cabarets around the world. Some of the many countries his work has brought him to are Israel, Japan, Holland, Switzerland, Italy and Ireland.
In the Autumn of 1988, Steve’s unique talents were further recognised when he was engaged to appear with Mickey Rooney and Ann Miller in the West-End production of the hit ‘Burlesque’ musical ‘Sugar Babies’ at London’s Savoy Theatre, a role created in the original Broadway production by the legendary American Juggler, Michael Davis.
1989 proved to be Steve’s busiest and most successful year. He appeared as special guest in the Jim Davidson Theatre tour, spent the summer at the South Coast’s prestigious Bournemouth International Centre and concluded the year with an extensive UK tour supporting Richard Digance, enjoying great acclaim from audiences throughout the country.
In January 1990 Steve appeared in LWT’s “Abracadigance” TV special and soon embarks upon another major Theatre tour, this time with Max Boyce.
Other TV appearances include:- Live at the Olympia (R.T.E., Dublin), Saturday Night Live (LWT), Lift Off (BBC), The Danny Baker Special (LWT), Whatever Next (BBC), Daytime Live (BBC), Going Live (BBC), It’s Wicked (BBC), Beadles Box of Tricks (LWT), On the Water Front (BBC), News at Ten (ITN).
“Best new trickster around – disarming patter too” (The Guardian)
“Steve Rawlings set the night on fire” (The Independent)
“A brisk skillful act, that will get your heart in your throat and give you more bellylaughs than many a comic and that’s a rare treat.” (City Limits)