Chesney Allen: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|English entertainer of the Second World War period}} | {{Short description|English entertainer of the Second World War period}} | ||
{{Infobox person | {{Infobox person | ||
| name = Chesney Allen | | name = Chesney Allen | ||
| image = | | image = Chesney Allen.gif | ||
| caption = | | caption = | ||
| birth_name = William Ernest Chesney Allen | | birth_name = William Ernest Chesney Allen | ||
| birth_date = {{birth date | | birth_date = {{birth date|1894|04|05|df=yes}} | ||
| birth_place = [[Battersea]], [[London]], [[England]], [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|UK]] | | birth_place = [[w:Battersea|Battersea]], [[w:London|London]], [[w:England|England]], [[w:United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|UK]] | ||
| death_date = {{death date and age | | death_date = {{death date and age|1982|11|13|1894|04|05|df=yes}} | ||
| death_place = [[Midhurst]], [[Sussex]], [[England]], [[UK]] | | death_place = [[w:Midhurst]], [[w:Sussex|Sussex]], [[w:England|England]], [[w:UK|UK]] | ||
| othername = | | othername = | ||
| occupation = {{hlist||Entertainer|music hall performer|comedian|actor}} | | occupation = {{hlist||Entertainer|music hall performer|comedian|actor}} | ||
| years_active = 1912-1982 | | years_active = 1912-1982 | ||
| spouse = | | spouse = {{Marriage|Aleta Cosette Turner|1926}} | ||
| website = | | website = | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''William Ernest Chesney Allen''' (5 April 1894 – 13 November 1982)<ref name="Oxford Dictionary of National Biography">{{cite web | url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/templates/article.jsp?articleid=64585&back= | title=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography | publisher=OUP | accessdate=13 October 2013}}</ref> was a popular [[England|English]] entertainer of the [[Second World War]] period. He is best remembered for his [[double act]] with [[Bud Flanagan]], [[Flanagan and Allen]]. | '''William Ernest Chesney Allen''' (5 April 1894 – 13 November 1982)<ref name="Oxford Dictionary of National Biography">{{cite web | url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/templates/article.jsp?articleid=64585&back= | title=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography | publisher=OUP | accessdate=13 October 2013}}</ref> was a popular [[w:England|English]] entertainer of the [[w:Second World War|Second World War]] period. He is best remembered for his [[w:double act|double act]] with [[Bud Flanagan]], [[Flanagan and Allen]]. | ||
==Life and career== | ==Life and career== | ||
Allen was born in [[Battersea]], [[London]], in 1894, married Aleta Cosette Turner in [[Leeds]] in 1926 and died in [[Midhurst]], [[Sussex]], England, in 1982. | Allen was born in [[w:Battersea|Battersea]], [[w:London|London]], in 1894, married Aleta Cosette Turner in [[w:Leeds|Leeds]] in 1926 and died in [[w:Midhurst|Midhurst]], [[w:Sussex|Sussex]], England, in 1982. | ||
He began his career in straight acting, making his debut in stock at the [[Wimbledon Theatre]], London, in 1912. Serving in Flanders in the [[First World War]], he made friends with [[Bud Flanagan]], and but they did not work together until 1926, touring with a [[Florrie Forde]] show called "Here's to You".<ref>{{cite book|title=Rediscovered Dundee|author=King, Brian|publisher=Troubador Publishing|year=2020|isbn=978-1838591922}}</ref> As [[music hall]] comedians they would often feature a mixture of comedy and music in their act and this led to a successful recording career and roles in film and television. Flanagan and Allen were also members of [[Crazy Gang (comedy group)|the Crazy Gang]] and worked together in that team for many years. | He began his career in straight acting, making his debut in stock at the [[w:Wimbledon Theatre|Wimbledon Theatre]], London, in 1912. Serving in Flanders in the [[w:First World War|First World War]], he made friends with [[Bud Flanagan]], and but they did not work together until 1926, touring with a [[w:Florrie Forde|Florrie Forde]] show called "Here's to You".<ref>{{cite book|title=Rediscovered Dundee|author=King, Brian|publisher=Troubador Publishing|year=2020|isbn=978-1838591922}}</ref> As [[w:music hall|music hall]] comedians they would often feature a mixture of comedy and music in their act and this led to a successful recording career and roles in film and television. Flanagan and Allen were also members of [[w:Crazy Gang (comedy group)|the Crazy Gang]] and worked together in that team for many years. | ||
Flanagan and Allen's songs featured the same, usually gentle humour for which the duo were known in their live performances, and during the war reflected the experiences of ordinary people during wartime. Songs like "We're Going to Hang Out the Washing on the Siegfried Line" mocked the German defences ([[Siegfried Line]]), while others like "Miss You" sang of missing one's sweetheart during enforced absences. Other songs such as their best-known "[[Underneath the Arches (song)|Underneath the Arches]]" (which Flanagan co-wrote with Reg Connelly) had universal themes such as friendship, which, again, helped people relate to the subject matter. The music was usually melodic, following a binary verse–verse–chorus structure, with a small [[British dance band|dance band]] or orchestra providing the backing. The vocals were distinctive because, while Flanagan was at least a competent singer and sang the melody lines, Allen used an almost spoken delivery to provide the harmonies. | Flanagan and Allen's songs featured the same, usually gentle humour for which the duo were known in their live performances, and during the war reflected the experiences of ordinary people during wartime. Songs like "We're Going to Hang Out the Washing on the Siegfried Line" mocked the German defences ([[w:Siegfried Line|Siegfried Line]]), while others like "Miss You" sang of missing one's sweetheart during enforced absences. Other songs such as their best-known "[[w:Underneath the Arches (song)|Underneath the Arches]]" (which Flanagan co-wrote with Reg Connelly) had universal themes such as friendship, which, again, helped people relate to the subject matter. The music was usually melodic, following a binary verse–verse–chorus structure, with a small [[w:British dance band|dance band]] or orchestra providing the backing. The vocals were distinctive because, while Flanagan was at least a competent singer and sang the melody lines, Allen used an almost spoken delivery to provide the harmonies. | ||
Flanagan and Allen stopped performing together with Chesney Allen's retirement on health grounds in the late 1950s following the penultimate season of the Crazy Gang's show at the [[Victoria Palace Theatre]] in London (his place for the final season was taken by [['Monsewer' Eddie Gray]]), although he continued working in theatrical management and returned to make occasional guest appearances. His last recording was for the album of the stage show ''Underneath the Arches'' in 1982 | Flanagan and Allen stopped performing together with Chesney Allen's retirement on health grounds in the late 1950s following the penultimate season of the Crazy Gang's show at the [[w:Victoria Palace Theatre|Victoria Palace Theatre]] in London (his place for the final season was taken by [['Monsewer' Eddie Gray]]), although he continued working in theatrical management and returned to make occasional guest appearances. His last recording was for the album of the stage show ''Underneath the Arches'' in 1982. | ||
==Selected filmography== | ==Selected filmography== | ||
| Line 47: | Line 43: | ||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Chesney}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Chesney}} | ||
Latest revision as of 16:47, 21 December 2022
Chesney Allen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | William Ernest Chesney Allen 5 April 1894 |
| Died | 13 November 1982 (aged 88) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1912-1982 |
| Spouse |
Aleta Cosette Turner
(m. 1926) |
William Ernest Chesney Allen (5 April 1894 – 13 November 1982)[1] was a popular English entertainer of the Second World War period. He is best remembered for his double act with Bud Flanagan, Flanagan and Allen.
Life and career
Allen was born in Battersea, London, in 1894, married Aleta Cosette Turner in Leeds in 1926 and died in Midhurst, Sussex, England, in 1982.
He began his career in straight acting, making his debut in stock at the Wimbledon Theatre, London, in 1912. Serving in Flanders in the First World War, he made friends with Bud Flanagan, and but they did not work together until 1926, touring with a Florrie Forde show called "Here's to You".[2] As music hall comedians they would often feature a mixture of comedy and music in their act and this led to a successful recording career and roles in film and television. Flanagan and Allen were also members of the Crazy Gang and worked together in that team for many years.
Flanagan and Allen's songs featured the same, usually gentle humour for which the duo were known in their live performances, and during the war reflected the experiences of ordinary people during wartime. Songs like "We're Going to Hang Out the Washing on the Siegfried Line" mocked the German defences (Siegfried Line), while others like "Miss You" sang of missing one's sweetheart during enforced absences. Other songs such as their best-known "Underneath the Arches" (which Flanagan co-wrote with Reg Connelly) had universal themes such as friendship, which, again, helped people relate to the subject matter. The music was usually melodic, following a binary verse–verse–chorus structure, with a small dance band or orchestra providing the backing. The vocals were distinctive because, while Flanagan was at least a competent singer and sang the melody lines, Allen used an almost spoken delivery to provide the harmonies.
Flanagan and Allen stopped performing together with Chesney Allen's retirement on health grounds in the late 1950s following the penultimate season of the Crazy Gang's show at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London (his place for the final season was taken by 'Monsewer' Eddie Gray), although he continued working in theatrical management and returned to make occasional guest appearances. His last recording was for the album of the stage show Underneath the Arches in 1982.
Selected filmography
- Wild Boy (1934)
- O-Kay for Sound (1937)
- Alf's Button Afloat (1938)
- We'll Smile Again (1942)
- Theatre Royal (1943)
- Dreaming (1944)
- Here Comes the Sun (1946)
- Dunkirk (1958)
- Life Is a Circus (1960)
External links
Notes
- ^ "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". OUP. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
- ^ King, Brian (2020). Rediscovered Dundee. Troubador Publishing. ISBN 978-1838591922.
