Russ Conway and his piano
Caricature
9 April 1964 (dated)
9 April 1964 (dated)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This caricature shows Russ Conway (1927-2000) in The Russ Conway Show at the Oxford New Theatre in April 1964. 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.
Russ Conway was a rehearsal pianist for stars including Gracie Fields (1898-1979) and Joan Regan (b.1928) after he left the Navy in 1955. With his honky-tonk style of piano, he became the UK’s top-selling artist, with his composition 'Side Saddle' topping the charts for four weeks in 1959.
Russ Conway was a rehearsal pianist for stars including Gracie Fields (1898-1979) and Joan Regan (b.1928) after he left the Navy in 1955. With his honky-tonk style of piano, he became the UK’s top-selling artist, with his composition 'Side Saddle' topping the charts for four weeks in 1959.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Russ Conway and his piano (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pencil, pen and ink and wash on paper |
| Brief description | Pencil, pen and ink and wash caricature on paper of Russ Conway and his piano at the New Theatre Oxford, by Gilbert Sommerlad, 9 April 1964. |
| Physical description | Pencil, pen and ink and wash caricature of Russ Conway and his piano at the New Theatre Oxford. Dated 9 April 1964. 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 October 1957 and October 1965 at the Oxford New Theatre. 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 Russ Conway (1927-2000) in The Russ Conway Show at the Oxford New Theatre in April 1964. 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. Russ Conway was a rehearsal pianist for stars including Gracie Fields (1898-1979) and Joan Regan (b.1928) after he left the Navy in 1955. With his honky-tonk style of piano, he became the UK’s top-selling artist, with his composition 'Side Saddle' topping the charts for four weeks in 1959. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.133:58-2002 |
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| Record created | December 11, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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