Tony Hancock in The Talk of the Town
Caricature
9 November 1954 (dated)
9 November 1954 (dated)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This caricature shows Tony Hancock (1924-1968) performing the sketch A Dickens of a Reading in The Talk of the Town, a revue with comedy sketches by Frank Muir and Denis Norden, at the Oxford New Theatre in November 1954. 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.
Tony Hancock is best remembered as the star of the radio (and later television) programme Hancock’s Half Hour which began in 1956 and in which he appeared, notably with Sid James and Hattie Jacques, as the down-trodden inhabitant of Railway Cuttings, East Cheam.
Tony Hancock is best remembered as the star of the radio (and later television) programme Hancock’s Half Hour which began in 1956 and in which he appeared, notably with Sid James and Hattie Jacques, as the down-trodden inhabitant of Railway Cuttings, East Cheam.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Tony Hancock in <i>The Talk of the Town</i> (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pencil, pen and ink and wash on paper |
| Brief description | Pencil caricature of Tony Hancock in The Talk of the Town, by Gilbert Sommerlad, 9 November 1954. |
| Physical description | Pencil, pen and ink and wash caricature of Tony Hancock in The Talk of the Town, New Theatre Oxford. Dated 9 November 1954. From a hard-backed sketch book containing caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Michael Sommerlad |
| Object history | This caricature comes from an album of caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn by Gilbert J.Sommerlad (1904-1976) between December 1951 and October 1957 at the Oxford New Theatre. |
| Historical context | Gilbert Sommerlad moved from Brighton to the recently built New Theatre, Oxford, to join his brother Roy (violin and clarinet) as resident pianist in 1936. He continued with his caricatures until his retirement. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This caricature shows Tony Hancock (1924-1968) performing the sketch A Dickens of a Reading in The Talk of the Town, a revue with comedy sketches by Frank Muir and Denis Norden, at the Oxford New Theatre in November 1954. 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. Tony Hancock is best remembered as the star of the radio (and later television) programme Hancock’s Half Hour which began in 1956 and in which he appeared, notably with Sid James and Hattie Jacques, as the down-trodden inhabitant of Railway Cuttings, East Cheam. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.132:43-2002 |
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| Record created | December 3, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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