Dudley Hare conducting a performance of Merry King Cole
Caricature
December 1963-January 1964 (dated)
December 1963-January 1964 (dated)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This caricature shows Dudley Hare conducting a performance of Merry King Cole at the Oxford New Theatre, Christmas 1963. 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.
Merry King Cole by Harry Bright was the Christmas pantomime at the New Theatre Oxford which opened for a season from 26 December 1963, starring Jimmy Edwards as King Cole. Jimmy Edwards was very widely known in the early 1960s through his appearances in radio shows such as Take It From Here, his radio series Whack-O, and from his appearances in five consecutive Royal Variety Performances, from 1951 until 1955.
Merry King Cole by Harry Bright was the Christmas pantomime at the New Theatre Oxford which opened for a season from 26 December 1963, starring Jimmy Edwards as King Cole. Jimmy Edwards was very widely known in the early 1960s through his appearances in radio shows such as Take It From Here, his radio series Whack-O, and from his appearances in five consecutive Royal Variety Performances, from 1951 until 1955.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Dudley Hare conducting a performance of <font -i>Merry King Cole</font -i> (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pencil on cream cartridge paper |
| Brief description | Pencil caricature by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976) of Dudley Hare conducting a performance of Merry King Cole at the Oxford New Theatre, Christmas 1963. |
| Physical description | Pencil caricature of Dudley Hare conducting a performance of Merry King Cole, dated Christmas 1963/1964, 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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| Marks and inscriptions |
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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. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This caricature shows Dudley Hare conducting a performance of Merry King Cole at the Oxford New Theatre, Christmas 1963. 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. Merry King Cole by Harry Bright was the Christmas pantomime at the New Theatre Oxford which opened for a season from 26 December 1963, starring Jimmy Edwards as King Cole. Jimmy Edwards was very widely known in the early 1960s through his appearances in radio shows such as Take It From Here, his radio series Whack-O, and from his appearances in five consecutive Royal Variety Performances, from 1951 until 1955. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.130:49-2002 |
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| Record created | December 15, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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