Ross Parker
Caricature
December 1950 (drawn)
December 1950 (drawn)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This caricature shows Ross Parker at the Oxford New Theatre, Christmas, 1950.It was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn't needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums.
Ross Parker was a lyricist and composer who wrote the songs I Shall Be Waiting (1939) and My Heart and Your Heart (1950). He wrote material for Jack Hylton's 1957 summer shows for television Summer's Here and was probably the musical director for the pantomime Cinderella which was also produced by Jack Hylton and opened at the Oxford New Theatre on 26 December 1950.
Ross Parker was a lyricist and composer who wrote the songs I Shall Be Waiting (1939) and My Heart and Your Heart (1950). He wrote material for Jack Hylton's 1957 summer shows for television Summer's Here and was probably the musical director for the pantomime Cinderella which was also produced by Jack Hylton and opened at the Oxford New Theatre on 26 December 1950.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Ross Parker (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pencil on cream cartridge paper |
| Brief description | Pencil caricature by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976) of Ross Parker, probably the musical director of Cinderella at the Oxford New Theatre. Dated Christmas 1950 |
| Physical description | Pencil caricature by Gilbert Sommerlad of Ross Parker, dated Xmas 1950, part of an artist's hard-backed sketch book manufactured by George Rowney & Co., called 'The Euston Sketch Book'. The pencilled sketch is drawn directly onto the page (cream cartridge paper). Titled and dated by the artist and signed by the subject. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Michael Sommerlad |
| Object history | The artist of these caricatures, Gilbert Sommerlad, was by profession a musician who was born into a family that had a long tradition of professional musicians. In 1936 he moved to the recently built New Theatre, Oxford, to join his brother Roy (violin and clarinet) as resident pianist. Gilbert was an exceptionally good and popular rehearsal pianist, and visiting companies and individual performers used to make sure that he would be available. He became well-known in the profession and his ability as a caricaturist became common knowledge. The volume that includes this drawing contains sketches mostly of musical directors and conductors working at the Oxford New Theatre with Gilbert Sommerlad. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This caricature shows Ross Parker at the Oxford New Theatre, Christmas, 1950.It was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn't needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums. Ross Parker was a lyricist and composer who wrote the songs I Shall Be Waiting (1939) and My Heart and Your Heart (1950). He wrote material for Jack Hylton's 1957 summer shows for television Summer's Here and was probably the musical director for the pantomime Cinderella which was also produced by Jack Hylton and opened at the Oxford New Theatre on 26 December 1950. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.130:1-2002 |
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| Record created | November 28, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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