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Ventriloquist

Arthur Prince

needs research: one-line standfirst

Arthur Prince in naval officer's uniform with his figure Jim, dressed as a sailor, close up
Prince and Jim, in the naval officer's costume that made them famous. Photo: Erik Skytte, via Find A Grave.

Here's a party trick I'd pay good money to watch done right: talk clean through a full glass of water, or a lit cigar, and never let a syllable slip. Arthur Prince built an entire career on doing exactly that, night after night, with a wooden sailor named Jim wedged under his arm. Billing called him the first ventriloquist ever to drink and talk at the same time.[1] Pull up a chair. This one starts with a glass of water and ends at a grave with three names carved into the same stone.

A glass of water and a name that stuck

Arthur Prince was born November 17, 1881.[2] He broke the naval act in at a Welsh seaside resort, working a few seasons with a beach concert party, before he ever set foot on a London stage.[3] London got its first look at Prince and Jim in 1902, at the South London Palace, and from there the act worked every leading music hall in the country.[3]

The act itself was a small piece of theater. Prince played a naval officer. Jim played a sailor, in a real Royal Navy costume right down to a cap band lettered "H.M.S. PRINCE."[4] Jim was built unusually large for a vent figure, big enough that his feet touched the ground and he sat beside Prince on a bench rather than perched on his knee.[3] And in the middle of all that, Prince drank, or smoked a cigar, while Jim kept right on talking and singing without a hitch. That's not a party trick you fake twice. The 2006 issue of a vent-club magazine even names a third performer in the scene, an uncredited actor playing the ship's first mate alongside Prince and Jim in a 1910 photograph.[5] A 1912 postcard from the same act shows Jim riding on Prince's shoulders, the picture of a partnership, not a prop.[6]

Command performance, Broadway pedigree

By the summer of 1905 Prince and Jim had already crossed the Atlantic. The Orpheum in Los Angeles billed them, straight off the boat from London, as the "World's Greatest Ventriloquist," and up in Minneapolis the local paper called them "Great Britain's Greatest Ventriloquist" and promised "our British cousins" would show American audiences "all kinds of amusement."[7] Ad copy oversells everything, sure, but a London program from that same year gives Prince a more careful and more interesting title: on June 27, 1905, the Palace Theatre of Varieties billed him as Fred Russell's most prominent successor.[8]

He kept climbing. By February 1915 Prince topped the bill at New York's Colonial Theatre, above a name actress doing a full dramatic play, on a night crowded with vaudeville regulars.[9] He worked Hammerstein's Victoria too, and in 1912 he stood before King George V at the very first Royal Command Performance.[3]

He never stopped being an Englishman doing an English act, though, and that had a cost. Years later, writing up the trade, Charles Hook noted that Prince played the Keith circuit in the early twenties with Jim and a full battleship set piece, and put it plainly: the act "was built for the British with its nautical dialogue and was not the success here that it was over there."[10] Even a headliner doesn't travel the same everywhere. That's a fact worth keeping, not a knock.

The family followed him into American show business too. A Broadway gossip column in an Indiana paper, of all places, picked up the thread in November 1930: "Don Prince, Palace press agent and son of Arthur Prince, English ventriloquist." The press office of one of the most famous vaudeville houses in the country, run by an Englishman's kid.[11]

"Built for the British, and not the success here that it was over there." Even a headliner doesn't play the same everywhere. Funny business, this business.

The face on the first television

Here's the one that still surprises people. In 2004 the Henry Moore Institute mounted an exhibition on John Logie Baird's earliest television experiments, and the accompanying report tells a story that reads like a tall tale until you check who Baird actually worked with: his secretary opened his workshop door one day and found a disembodied dummy's head sitting on the floor, a head Baird called "Stooky Bill." That head became the first recognizable image ever transmitted by television, on October 2, 1925, and later the first image sent across the Atlantic. According to that same report, Stooky Bill was given to Baird by Arthur Prince, and Baird went on to put Prince himself in front of the camera, live.[6] That report credits Prince with one more first on top of it: heading the first televised variety show, broadcast from Alexandra Palace in November 1936 to mark the launch of Britain's television service, live in the afternoon and repeated that same night because nothing could be recorded yet.[6] Now, that Stooky Bill attribution rides on one exhibition guide, and most Baird histories just call the head "a ventriloquist's dummy" without naming whose. I'm not going to oversell you on a single source. What isn't in question is that the footage of Prince survives. A vent-club tribute page counts more than half a dozen British Pathé clips of him between 1932 and 1940,[1] and a search today turns up period clips of Prince still sitting in public archives from 1933 and 1936.[12] Go get it. It's rare that a ventriloquist from the music hall era left this much film behind.

The book, the honors, and the family business

Prince wrote the craft down too. The Whole Art of Ventriloquism, published by Goldston in London, carried his name on the cover in gold leaf and his own instruction inside.[13] Copies were still changing hands among performers decades on: one turns up as catalog item No. 153 in a fellow vent's private lending library, tracked in a 1957 issue of The Oracle.[14] He wasn't only a performer to the trade, either. In 1921 London's Magicians' Club handed him an Illuminated Address and a Silver Casket for his services to magic, and he kept contributing to The Magazine of Magic for the rest of his life. He died within a few weeks of his friend Will Goldston, the very publisher who'd put his book into print.[15]

Cover of The Whole Art of Ventriloquism by Arthur Prince, gold lettering on black cloth

The Whole Art of Ventriloquism

Prince's own instructional book, published in London by Will Goldston. This copy crossed an Australian auction block in 2018 for AUD $40, gold leaf on the cloth cover still bright.

Photo via Invaluable auction record
Arthur Prince and Jim aboard a mocked-up ship deck in naval uniform

Naval Occasions

Prince as the officer, Jim as the sailor, on the battleship set that toured British music halls and American vaudeville alike. The costume, right down to Jim's cap band, was built to sell one idea: the Royal Navy, in miniature, on a variety stage.

Photo via Travalanche (Trav S.D.)
predecessor Fred Russell figures by Quisto, supplied by Alfred Lemare publisher Will Goldston son Don Prince, Palace press agent on camera with John Logie Baird ring Arthur Prince Ring, IBV, London

Buried with Jim

Arthur Prince died April 14, 1948, at his home in St John's Wood, sixty-six years old, a few months after his last performance at the Finsbury Park Empire.[16] They buried him at Hampstead Cemetery, and the IBV's own 1953 In Memoriam roll listed him among 68 ventriloquists the trade had lost by then.[17] The headstone itself is worn close to unreadable now, but it can still be made out: "Arthur Prince and Jim, died 14th April 1948." His wife Julie joined them seventeen months later, her own name carved in below.[2]

Read that stone slowly. It doesn't say Prince, then somewhere else, his puppet. It says Prince and Jim, together, on one line, like partners. Because that's what fifty years of shared billing does. Jim never drew a breath in his life, and he still earned his name on the family grave.

Weathered headstone reading Arthur Prince and Jim, died 14th April 1948, and Julie Prince, died 14th Sept 1949
Hampstead Cemetery, worn but still legible. Photo: D, via Find A Grave.
Freddy Fiddlesticks, the Ventriloquism.org spokesdummy

H.M.S. PRINCE on Jim's cap band, and not a drop of that water ever went down the wrong pipe. A wooden sailor who never missed a cue deserves his name on the stone, and Jim got it.— Freddy Fiddlesticks, spokesdummy

Sightings in the newspapers

321 dated notices between 1905 and 1961, sampled evenly across the career to show 60 here. Each links to the scanned page at the Library of Congress. Browse all Career Snippets

  1. 1905Aug 19 Arthur Prince, described as 'the best ventriloquist of the age' who performs his act in three languages while smoking a cigar and chewing tobacco, was arranged by Mr. Meyerfeld while in Europe to soon appear at the Orpheum theater (per the Orpheum circuit, 1905). Orpheum page
  2. 1905Sep 9 Arthur Prince performed with his nautical mannikin figure named 'Jim.' page
  3. 1905Sep 16 Arthur Prince's 1905 vaudeville bill also included Mr. and Mrs. Perkins Fisher in 'The Halfway House,' the Patty Brothers, Mme. Celina Bobe, Smith and Campbell, Browning and Wally, and Geo. Fredo Dare and Harry, plus the Kinodrome. page
  4. 1905Sep 16 Article states Prince has been the reigning music-hall favorite in London and the provinces for several seasons and came direct from London to play the Orpheum. Orpheum page
  5. 1905Oct 8 Arthur Prince was billed as 'The World's Greatest Ventriloquist' in this vaudeville program, apparently at the Orpheum theater given the closing mention of 'ORPHEUM MOTION' in the clipping. Orpheum · The World page
  6. 1905Oct 16 A reviewer wrote of Arthur Prince at the Orpheum: he has 'wonderful power of ventriloquizing without any apparent effort,' and 'I never saw anyone else do it... smoke and talk though I have heard Tetrazzini trill through a knitting needle.' Orpheum page
  7. 1905Oct 22 Arthur Prince, a ventriloquist, performed at the Orpheum theater the week of this 1905-10-22 article (venue location not otherwise specified in clipping). Orpheum page
  8. 1905Oct 22 Arthur Prince, an English ventriloquist, was billed as the headline attraction at the Orpheum for the week commencing Sunday matinee (Oct 22, 1905 issue); act described as displaying voice projection by smoking and drinking while his 'mannikins' kept up witty dialogue. Orpheum page
  9. 1905Oct 23 Advertised as 'World's Greatest Ventriloquist' direct from London, appearing at the Orpheum Theater on a modern vaudeville bill with Leslie and Dailey, Melani Trio, Franz Ebert, Dixon and Holmes, Hal Merritt, and Macy and Hall; matinees Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday; prices 10c, 25c, 50c. Orpheum Theater page
  10. 1905Oct 26 Arthur Prince, billed as 'World's Greatest Ventriloquist,' appeared 'Direct from London' on a Modern Vaudeville bill that also included Leslie and Dailey in 'Going Abroad,' the Melani Trio (street singers), Franz Kiight the Lilliputian, Dixon and Holmes (character singers), Hal Merritt (cartoonist and monologist), Orpheum Motion Pictures, and Macy and Hall in 'A Timely Awakening'; prices were 10c, 25c, 50c with matinees Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday (newspaper dated 1905-10-26). Orpheum page
  11. 1905Oct 28 Billed as 'World's Greatest Ventriloquist,' Arthur Prince performed in a 'Modern Vaudeville Direct from London' bill at a theater on Spring Street (per a newspaper dated 1905-10-28), sharing the bill with Leslie and Daisy ('Going Abroad'), Melanie Thio ('Famous Street Singers'), Franz Eibert ('the Famous Lilliputian'), Dixon and Holmes (Character Singers), and Hal Merritt (Cartoonist and Monologist). page
  12. 1905Oct 30 Arthur Prince, described as 'original and witty', appeared as ventriloquist for his 'last week' engagement at the Orpheum on Spring Street, per an Oct. 30, 1905 listing (prices 10c, 25c, 50c). Orpheum page
  13. 1905Nov 12 Billed as 'The World's Greatest Ventriloquist' at the Creighton Theater, Omaha, week commencing Sunday matinee Nov. 12, 1905, appearing for the first time there; described as a great London favorite performing a ventriloquial turn. Creighton Theater · The World page
  14. 1905Dec 24 Arthur Prince, a ventriloquist from London, was billed to appear at the Colonial Theatre beginning Monday (per a Dec. 24, 1905 New York newspaper) on Percy Williams's 'loaded Christmas tree' programme, alongside singer Ida René. Colonial Theatre page
  15. 1905Dec 24 Arthur Prince chewed a cigar while talking as his own device to aid his voice changes during his ventriloquist act. page
  16. 1906Jan 7 A critic wrote that Arthur Prince's 'single manikin, a sailor, and his humorous colloquy of the sea and sea service, is very funny.' page
  17. 1906Jan 28 Arthur Prince, the English ventriloquist, coming from the Palace Theatre and London Pavilion, headed the bill at Hammerstein's for the week of January 28, 1906. Palace Theatre page
  18. 1906Feb 10 Arthur Prince's ventriloquist figure (doll) was dressed as a British tar (sailor), representing an English naval officer character who had just joined the navy and was full of grievances. page
  19. 1906Feb 10 Arthur Prince is described as exceedingly good looking and debonair, resembling English actor Harry Ileeves Smith (name uncertain due to OCR garbling). page
  20. 1906Jul 7 Arthur Prince 'made a pronounced hit during his engagement at the Victoria Theatre last fall.' Victoria Theatre page
  21. 1906Jul 10 Arthur Prince, the ventriloquist, returned to Hammerstein's Roof Garden to continue his success of last season (reported July 10, 1906). page
  22. 1906Jul 15 Arthur Prince, billed as 'the English ventriloquist,' was set to continue heading the bill at Hammerstein's (New York) for the week of 1906-07-15, appearing alongside Machnow the giant, Dronza the talking head, the Six Musical Cuttys, Lalla Selbini, the Spook Minstrels, Rico and Prevost, Tom Hearn, Collins and Hart, and the Sharp brothers. page
  23. 1906Jul 22 The article states it is said (as told) that Arthur Prince was an actor of 'beaus' on the London stage before he discovered and cultivated a talent for ventriloquism. page
  24. 1906Jul 22 The critic noted that Prince pronounces plainly, without a perceptible stir of the lips, even letters that ordinarily require lip movement, which most ventriloquists avoid using. page
  25. 1906Jul 24 Arthur Prince, described as 'the English ventriloquist,' headed the bill at Hammerstein's last night (New York, per the newspaper dated 1906-07-24). page
  26. 1906Jul 29 Arthur Prince, described as 'the English ventriloquist,' appeared at Hammerstein's, on a bill with Machnow the giant, Lalla Selbini, Rice and Provost, Miss Raffin's monkeys, the six musical Cuttys, the Piccolo Midgets, the Sharp Brothers, Dronza, and Collins and Hart. page
  27. 1906Aug 5 Arthur Prince, the ventriloquist, performed at Hammerstein's roof garden, part of a bill including Rice and Prevost, Hogan and his 'Minstrel Mokes,' and other acts (August 1906). page
  28. 1906Aug 19 Arthur Prince, ventriloquist, was billed at Hammerstein's Paradise Roof Garden as part of the bill announced August 19, 1906, alongside the Rose De Faven Septet, Dziria, Rice and Prevost, Bedini and Arthur, Collins and Hart, Willy Zimmerman, Lalla Selbini and Benfer and Gaudier. page
  29. 1906Sep 23 Arthur Prince's Alhambra bill (week of Sept 23, 1906) also included Joe Welch, Stuart Barnes, the Immensaphone musical novelty, Mlle. Marquis and her trained ponies, the Kochly Brothers acrobats, Cook and Stevens, Nettie Vesta, and Fred Karno's Comedy Company. page
  30. 1906Sep 30 Arthur Prince, the ventriloquist, was billed to head the bill at Hammerstein's this week (New York, per 1906-09-30 newspaper). page
  31. 1907Aug 4 Arthur Prince, the ventriloquist, was billed as an additional attraction at Hammerstein's Roof Garden the week of August 4, 1907, on a bill with Fougere, Shekla, Ned Wayburn's 'Phantoms,' the Four Avolos, and Paul La Croix. page
  32. 1907Sep 3 Arthur Prince, billed as 'the ventriloquist,' headed the opening bill of the new Forrest Theater in Philadelphia (per the paper dated 1907-09-03), making his first appearance there outside New York and London, presenting 'new feats in the line of ventriloquism.' The bill also included Hanlon's new musical fantasy 'Bubbles.' Forrest Theater page
  33. 1908Jan 7 Arthur Prince, a ventriloquist, is referenced as a prior performer 'to reach this side' (America), used as a comparison point for Coram and Jerry's act, in a 1908 newspaper clipping. page
  34. 1909Oct 3 Advertised as 'The World's Greatest Ventriloquist' during his 'Second Phenomenally Successful Week' at a New York music hall, per an ad dated 1909-10-03. The World page
  35. 1909Oct 3 Arthur Prince was billed as 'The World's Greatest Ventriloquist' during his second week at a New York music hall, per an advertisement in the October 3, 1909 newspaper. The World page
  36. 1909Oct 3 Arthur Prince, the ventriloquist, was booked for another week at the American theater (per Oct. 3, 1909 newspaper), presenting his English racing scene and other acts, on a bill with 'The Girl with the Angel Voice,' Daphne Pollard, the Withington Zouaves, Hilarien and Rosalie Ceballos, Billy Dalen, Ed Latell, 'Rembrandt' the cartoonist, and Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Forbes. page
  37. 1909Oct 10 Arthur Prince, ventriloquist, performed on the bill at the American Music Hall the week of October 10, 1909, alongside the Empire City Four, Dave Genaro and Ray Bailey, the Original Beganny Troupe, 'Violinsky', and the Brune Kramer Trio. American Music Hall page
  38. 1909Oct 31 Billed as 'the ventriloquist' heading the programme at the Plaza Music Hall, with Julian Eltinge retained for a second week, Sophie Tucker, the Marco Twins, and Walter James also on the bill (1909-10-31). Plaza Music Hall page
  39. 1909Nov 2 Arthur Prince, ventriloquist, performed at the Plaza Music Hall (reviewed Nov 2, 1909), on the same bill as Julian Eltinge, Sophie Tucker, the Muarco Twins, Walter James, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Forbes, the Richardinis, Violinsky, and Wood and Lawson. Plaza Music Hall page
  40. 1914Oct 18 Arthur Prince, the ventriloquist, was billed to appear at the Orpheum in Brooklyn during the week of October 18, 1914, alongside Adele Rowland, Henry Lehrman(?), Gladys Clark, the Ferber Girls, Emily Farrell, and Corelli and Gillette. Orpheum page
  41. 1914Nov 5 Arthur Prince, a noted London entertainer, topped the bill at the Temple theater in Detroit the following week, making his first appearance in Detroit; he was billed as a supreme master of the art of ventriloquism, dressed as a British naval officer with his dummy garbed as a midshipman. page
  42. 1914Nov 5 Arthur Prince, a noted London entertainer, topped the bill at the Temple theater in Detroit the week following November 5, 1914, making his first appearance in Detroit. page
  43. 1915Jan 3 Arthur Prince, described as 'the highest salaried single vaudeville performer on the stage today' and 'the greatest ventriloquist in the world,' was to appear for the first time at the Lyric in Birmingham the week following January 3, 1915, sharing the bill with Ethel Kirk and Billy Fogarty, Jacobs' comedians (dwarf dog act), Kramer and Morton, and Walter Leroy and Emily Lytton in 'Neighbors.' page
  44. 1915Jan 10 Arthur Prince, 'the English ventriloquist,' was billed at the B. F. Keith Theater (week following Jan. 10, 1915), accompanied by his figure 'The Little Wooden Middy,' on a bill with Lillian Shaw, Havemann's 'Kings of the Jungle,' Burr and Hope, Ill Brendel and Muriel Morgan, Keller Mack and Frank Orth, and Rosie Loyd. B. F. Keith Theater page
  45. 1915Jan 10 Review claims Arthur Prince could 'throw' his voice at great distance without detection, and that the King and Queen of England frequently commanded him to appear before them (Lyric theater, week of Jan 10, 1915). page
  46. 1915Jan 12 Arthur Prince, billed as 'the marvelous English ventriloquist,' was the headliner at the Lyric theater in Birmingham the week of January 12, 1915. page
  47. 1915Jan 12 A critic wrote that Arthur Prince 'kept the unusually large Monday night audience in a merry mood' for upward of 20 minutes at the Lyric, and called him 'quite probably...the greatest ventriloquist, certainly...the cleverest, that has appeared in Birmingham.' page
  48. 1915Jan 13 Arthur Prince stated he and his figure Jim had performed command performances before King Edward and Queen Alexandra, King George and Queen Mary, the Khedive of Egypt, the Shah of Persia, and the Emperor of Japan. page
  49. 1915Jan 13 Arthur Prince stated he introduced a drinking and smoking act in ventriloquism nine years prior to this 1915 interview, claiming to be its originator, and said eating while throwing the voice is impossible but drinking is possible without visible lip or throat movement. page
  50. 1915Jan 16 An advertisement billed Arthur Prince as 'World's Greatest Ventriloquist' appearing with other acts at the Majestic theater, per a 1915-01-16 newspaper page. page
  51. 1915Jan 19 Arthur Prince, ventriloquist, appeared on the bill at B. F. Keith's Theater this week (week of January 19, 1915), presenting new stage settings and amusing chatter; he had been seen there before. B. F. Keith's Theater page
  52. 1915Jan 19 At B. F. Keith's vaudeville theater (week of Jan. 19, 1915), Arthur Prince was reviewed as 'the current bill presents a most attractive chief number,' performing with a figure representing 'a novice in the British navy,' and the reviewer noted the art of ventriloquism was 'acceptably shown' with lines 'sufficiently bright to elicit more smiles.' page
  53. 1915Jan 30 The Colonial Theatre billed Arthur Prince, ventriloquist, as part of its program (per newspaper dated 1915-01-30). The Colonial Theatre page
  54. 1915Feb 9 Arthur Prince, the ventriloquist, performed at Keith's Vaudeville this week (as reported Feb. 9, 1915), with an act set aboard a battleship featuring two seamen as assistants, one of whom was a dummy. page
  55. 1915Feb 10 Arthur Prince, billed as an 'English ventriloquist,' appeared on the vaudeville bill at Keith's theater, on a program with Nat Wills, Mrs. Gene Hughes & Co. in 'Lady Gossip', Ryan and Lee, Cecilia Wright, Five Annarolla Boys, Angelo Armento Trio, Hopkins Sisters, Mahoney and Auburn, and the Pathe News Weekly motion pictures (per this 1915-02-10 newspaper listing). Pathe News page
  56. 1915Feb 12 Arthur Prince, the ventriloquist, was appearing at the Palace (per Walter Kingsley's column, New York, 1915). Palace page
  57. 1924Apr 10 An anecdote in the Chicago News (reprinted 1924-04-10) describes ventriloquist Arthur Prince being asked to give a specimen of his art at an open charity bazaar, where he called out to a boy hidden in a chestnut tree, not realizing a real boy had climbed up to watch. Chicago News page
  58. 1926Sep 8 Arthur Prince, billed as 'England's foremost ventriloquist,' was set to headline next week at B. F. Keith's theater alongside Spanish star Trini, with other acts including Flo Lewis, Willie West and McGinty, Frank Faron, the Pasquali brothers, the Iverson Sisters, and Misses Stanton and Dolores (newspaper dated 1926-09-08). page
  59. 1926Sep 13 A critic wrote of Arthur Prince: 'I never yet ran madly anywhere to see an artist of this kind, but I'll admit that Prince is a wizard at the art,' calling him 'the prince of ventriloquists.' page
  60. 1930Nov 29 Arthur Prince is identified as an English ventriloquist, father of Don Prince, Palace press agent, in a 1930 newspaper column. Palace page

On video

Sources

  1. Ventriloquist Central, "Tribute to Ventriloquism" — vaudeville ventriloquists roll, Arthur Prince entry
  2. Find A Grave memorial 7468831: Arthur Prince, 17 Nov 1881 – 14 Apr 1948, photos by Erik Skytte and contributor "D"
  3. Trav S.D., "Arthur Prince and Jim: A Naval Vent Act," Travalanche, Nov 17, 2021
  4. Find A Grave memorial 7468831 — headstone transcription and costume detail
  5. Distant Voices, Winter 2006, cover caption — scanned document, Jimmy Vee collection
  6. Distant Voices, Summer 2004, report on the Henry Moore Institute's John Logie Baird exhibition — scanned document, Jimmy Vee collection
  7. Los Angeles Herald, Oct 25, 1905, and The Minneapolis Journal, Sept 16, 1905 — Orpheum circuit advertisements, cited via South Bend News-Times research trail
  8. Distant Voices, 2003 issue — the June 27, 1905 Palace Theatre of Varieties program, scanned document, Jimmy Vee collection
  9. "Colonial Theatre," The Sun (New York), Feb 2, 1915 — Library of Congress, Chronicling America
  10. Charles Hook, "Ventriloquial Parade," reprinted The Oracle, Nov 12, 1957 (International Brotherhood of Ventriloquists)
  11. South Bend News-Times (Indiana), Nov 29, 1930 — Library of Congress, Chronicling America
  12. Period Arthur Prince footage, publicly archived: "Arthur Prince (1933)" and "Arthur Prince (1936)"
  13. The Whole Art of Ventriloquism by Arthur Prince (Goldston, London), sale record via Invaluable, Sydney Rare Book Auctions, 2018
  14. The Oracle, Sept 10, 1957 (International Brotherhood of Ventriloquists) — David H. West's lending library catalog
  15. Magicpedia, "Arthur Prince," The Genii Magazine wiki
  16. Wikipedia, "Arthur Prince (ventriloquist)" — death at St John's Wood, burial at Hampstead Cemetery
  17. IBV Directory of Ventriloquists, 1953, In Memoriam roll — scanned document, Jimmy Vee collection