大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by a volunteer on behalf of Mr Shear and has been added to the site with his permission. Mr Shear fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

Throughout the War Years, I worked as an active member of the Professional Theatre.

I have listed below a brief outline of some of my wartime experiences.

In 1941 at the age of 17, I was the stage manager of a second rate touring revue "Bonjour Paris" and one of the acts was Ted Andrews the Canadian Troubadour with Barbara, these were the mother and stepfather of Julie Andrews.

By 1942 at the age of 18, I became the Director of the Everyman Theatre in Hampstead, today an Arts Cinema.

In 1943, I was invited by C.E.M.A (Council for the Encouragement of Arts) the forerunner of the Arts Council, to join the Birmingham Repertory Theatre as guest artist in their production of "When We Are Married". I therefore toured the factories throughout the Midlands.

In 1944, I was in "Junior Miss" at the Saville Theatre in the West End and in the subsequent tour of the show.

In May 1945 the show was appearing at the Wimbledon Theatre and on VE night we were invited to a Victory party in a very small flat in Jermyn Street but prior to that we all assembled in Piccadilly Circus where I saw the well known musical actress Zoe Gailsinging sing: "I'm gonna get lit up when the lights go on in London" written by her husband, the actor Hubert Gregg, and there she was on the balcony of the Criterion Restaurant in a blazing spotlight directed on her from the London Pavillion opposite.

In August 1945 having joined Doald Wolfit's company, I again appeared at the Wimbledon Theatre and we all went after the show to Piccadilly Circus on VJ night but the excitement was much more low key after VE night.

During the War Years, I worked in London, the suburbs, and throughout the UK. After the War, I played from Coast to Coast in Canada and in the US as well as on Broadway but that is all another story.

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