Bobby Howes
Bobby Howes was a British entertainer who was a leading musical comedy performer in London's West End theatres in the 1930s and 1940s.
Biography
Born in Battersea, Surrey, his parents were Robert William Howes and Rose Marie Butler. He started his career in revues, but his career was interrupted for the First World War where he soldiered on the Western Front. He suffered a German mustard gas attack but recovered and returned to the stage. He gained a career break through with the role-reversal comedy Mr. Cinders, based on the Cinderella pantomime, also featuring Binnie Hale, with whom he appeared on many occasions subsequently. He reprised his title role in Mr. Cinders in several different productions. In the 1930s, he was with Van Phillips' Four Bright Sparks whose vocalists included Billy Milton and Ray Starita. Four Bright Sparks recorded at least 60 sides. He was a leading musical comedy performer on the West End in the 1930s and 1940s. He continued on the stage, including Broadway, and in films until he retired in the late 1960s. One of his most acclaimed roles was as the eponymous lead in Finian's Rainbow when it was revived on Broadway in 1960.He was the father of actress Sally Ann Howes and Peter Howes, from his marriage to Patricia Malone. He died on 27 April 1972 in London, England.
Filmography
- Elixir do Diabo, O
- Watch it, Sailor! – as a Drunk
- The Good Companions – as Jimmy Nunn
- Happy Go Lovely – as Charlie
- Murder in the Footlights
- The Trojan Brothers – as Benny Castelli
- Bob's Your Uncle
- Men With Whips
- Yes, Madam? – as Bill Quinton
- Sweet Devil – as Tony Brent
- Please Teacher – as Tommy Deacon
- Over the Garden Wall – as Bunny
- singing 'Shuffle off to Buffalo' with Ruby Keeler
- For the Love of Mike – as Bobby Seymour
- Lord Babs – as Lord Basil 'Babs' Drayford
- Third Time Lucky – as Rev. Arthur Fear
- The Guns of Loos – as Danny
- On with the Dance''
Television
- Douglas Fairbanks Presents: "Point of View" – US airdate 14 May 1956 – episode 4.14 – Filmed at the British National Studios, Elstree, England
- Curtains For Harry – as Harry Bates – single episode show
- Out of This World – Proposed series that had only one episode, 15 November 1950, Wed 8.30 pm
- Such Is Life – played 'the little man struggling with his conscience' in this themed sketch series. 5 episodes, 30 mins each, 24 Apr-19 June 1950 – fortnightly Mon around 9 pm
- Paging You – episode No. 4
Theatre
- Do Re Me – Prince of Wales Theatre, London – Opened 12 October 1961
- Finian's Rainbow – Blackpool Opera House, UK – March/April 1961
- Finian's Rainbow – Broadway – 23 May 1960 – 1 June 1960
- The Geese Are Getting Fat – Phoenix Theatre – 1960
- Finian's Rainbow – New Shakespeare Theatre, Liverpool – with Shani Wallis
- Hide and Seek – London Hippodrome – with Cicely Courtneidge
- The Entertainer – Leeds Grand Theatre & Opera House – July 1958
- Start From Scratch – Q Theatre, Kew – with Glyn Dearman, Helen Christie; dir:Robert Henderson
- Paint Your Wagon – at Her Majesty's Theatre, The Haymarket – with daughter Sally Ann Howes – production ran for 18 months
- Harvey – Streatham Hill Theatre – 1950's?
- The Yellow Mask – His Majesty's Theatre
- Roundabout – three weeks, with Pat Kirkwood
- Four, Five, Six – with Binnie Hale
- The Man in the Street – St. James Theatre, October 1947
- Here Come The Boys – Saville Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue – with Jack Hulbert
- Cinderella – Winter Garden
- By Jupiter – Palace Theatre, Manchester – show opened 25 July, closed quickly
- Let's Face It! ' – – London Hippodrome – show opened 19 November – 348 performances
- Shepherd's Pie – Leeds Grand Theatre & Opera House – April 1941, with Arthur Riscoe, Richard Hearne, Vera Pearce and Raymond Newell
- Halfway To Heaven – Shaftesbury Theatre – A New Play by Harry Segall. With Bobby Howes, Bryan Matheson, J H Roberts, Maxwell Foster
- Big Business – London Hippodrome
- All Clear – Queen's Theatre, London, with Beatrice Lillie – revue that opened on 20 December 1939
- Bobby Get Your Gun – Adelphi Theatre – Opened 7 October 1938
- Hide and Seek – London Hippodrome – show opened 14 October – with Cicely Courtneidge
- Please Teacher – London Hippodrome
- Christmas Mails 100 Years Ago – a comedic philatelic play by Nevile Stocken
- Yes Madam? – London Hippodrome – show opened 27 September – with Binnie Hale
- He Wanted Adventure ' – Saville Theatre – 1933
- Tell Her The Truth ' – Saville Theatre – show opened 14 June 1932, 234 performances
- For The Love of Mike – Saville Theatre
- The Song of the Drum ' – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane – 1931
- Nippy – London Hippodrome – with Binnie Hale – 1930
- Sons O' Guns – London Hippodrome – show opened 26 June 1930.
- Mr. Cinders – Streatham Hill Theatre – April 1930
- Mr. Cinders – Adelphi Theatre, London – 528 performances
- Mr. Cinders – London Hippodrome – with Binnie Hale, Ruth Maitland, Arthur Chesney
- The Blue Train – Prince of Wales Theatre – 10 May 1927
- The Midnight Follies – Metropole – with Enid Stamp-Taylor and Eddie Childs
- Little Revues – West End
- Seasoned To Taste – a burlesque written by Jack Hylton as a vehicle for Tommy Handley and Bobby Howes, which opened at the end of 1919 and ran until early 1920, at the Metropolitan, Edgware Road.
Other live performances
- Royal Variety Command Performance – 7 November 1955, Victoria Palace
- A gala revue at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane to promote National Savings – 17 October 1948.
- R.A.F.A. Festival of Reunion – Sunday 22 September 1946 – Royal Albert Hall
Discography
- Finian's Rainbow
- Paint Your Wagon
- She's My Lovely
- Yes, Madam – with Binnie Hale
- I'm a one-man girl – with Binnie Hale, 78 from Mr. Cinders
- The Blue Train
- Rudolf Friml in London – Derek Oldham, Edith Day, Ethel Levey, Bobby Howes, Roy Royston, Dennis Kings, et al., from 78s.
Product endorsements
- Ardath Cigarette Cards, No. 28 of 50. Issued by Ardath Tobacco Co. in England.
- British Film Stars cigarette cards issued in England by W.A. & A.C. Churchman in 1934. He was card No. 14.