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Richard Hearne as 'Mr. Pastry' in Dick Whittington
Sommerlad, Gilbert, born 1904 - died 1976 - Enlarge image
Richard Hearne as 'Mr. Pastry' in Dick Whittington
- Object:
Caricature
- Place of origin:
Oxford, England (made)
- Date:
15/01/1961 (dated)
- Artist/Maker:
Sommerlad, Gilbert, born 1904 - died 1976 (artist)
- Materials and Techniques:
Pencil, pen and ink and wash on paper
- Credit Line:
Given by Michael Sommerlad
- Museum number:
S.133:31-2002
- Gallery location:
In Storage
This caricature shows Richard Hearne (1908 -1979) as Mr Pastry in Dick Whittington by Emile Littler at the Oxford New Theatre in January 1961. 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.
Richard Hearne, acrobat, actor and dancer was a circus performer who became a favourite children's television comedian in the early 1950s with his walrus-moustached and bowler-hatted comic creation, Mr Pastry. He first appeared on television in a broadcast from Alexandra Palace in 1936 and became a resident clown at the BBC for over thirty years.
