Not on display

Poster

1945 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This hanging card advertises a twice-nightly variety programme at the Empire Theatre, Gateshead. World War II was still in progress in February 1945 and this featured the 'Stars of the Forces' Joe Graves and Charlie Robins in the 'NAAFI Canteen', with a variety of other performers including 'the ever popular' Arthur Astill & Gwen Fontaine 'in Mimicry and Mirth'. One of their later acts, which they may have performed at Gateshead, was entitled 'Impressions of Country Life' and included mimicry of birds, animals and children. Arthur Astill started his career as 'the Whistling Ploughboy', which was his billing at the Blackpool Palace Theatre on 24 June 1912.

This hanging card was part of a collection made by Arthur Astill (1887-1962) of advertisements from theatres where he and his wife Gwen Fontaine appeared. It is typical of the format of two-colour printing used in the 1940s to advertise Variety, with the names of the most popular stars literally appearing at the 'top of the bill'. The names of Astill and Fontaine are at the bottom of this bill.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Letterpress on card
Brief description
Hanging card advertising the Variety programme at the Empire Gateshead, for the week commencing Monday, 26 February 1945, featuring Tony Gerrard in 'Stars of the Forces' set in the NAAFI canteen, with Joe Graves, Charlie Robins, Toni Jones & Rose Davies, Doris Adams, Rouetta, Anita Mills, Lloyd Hughes, Sydney Lacey, Vincent Ryan, the Retters, the Silver Sisters and Arthur Astill (1887-1962) and Gwen Fontaine (1891-1978). Letterpress on card printed by Richard Whewell, Bolton.
Physical description
Typographic hanging card printed in red and blue on buff-coloured card headed in red EMPIRE and in blue GATESHEAD, with the date 'Monday February 26th 1945 and All the Week', followed by the names of the performers, in upper-case red and blue ink: 'Ex-gunner Tony Gerrard' in Stars of the Forces featuring Joe Graves 'our comedian', Charlie Robins 'You'll be Surprised', Toni Jones & Rose Davies 'the famous comedy duo', Doris Adams 'ten minutes of charm', 'Rouetta and her Accordion', Anita Mills 'plus personality', Lloyd Hughes 'the famous baritone', Sydney Lacey 'the street singer', Vincent Ryan 'Australia's personality comedian', the Retters 'juggling as you like it', the Silver Sisters 'in taps and tempo', and Arthur Astill & Gwen Fontaine 'in mimicry and mirth'.
Dimensions
  • Height: 30.9cm
  • Width: 21cm
Credit line
Given by Arthur Astill
Summary
This hanging card advertises a twice-nightly variety programme at the Empire Theatre, Gateshead. World War II was still in progress in February 1945 and this featured the 'Stars of the Forces' Joe Graves and Charlie Robins in the 'NAAFI Canteen', with a variety of other performers including 'the ever popular' Arthur Astill & Gwen Fontaine 'in Mimicry and Mirth'. One of their later acts, which they may have performed at Gateshead, was entitled 'Impressions of Country Life' and included mimicry of birds, animals and children. Arthur Astill started his career as 'the Whistling Ploughboy', which was his billing at the Blackpool Palace Theatre on 24 June 1912.

This hanging card was part of a collection made by Arthur Astill (1887-1962) of advertisements from theatres where he and his wife Gwen Fontaine appeared. It is typical of the format of two-colour printing used in the 1940s to advertise Variety, with the names of the most popular stars literally appearing at the 'top of the bill'. The names of Astill and Fontaine are at the bottom of this bill.
Collection
Accession number
S.5016-2009

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Record createdMarch 26, 2010
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