The Co-Optimists
Encyclopedia
The Co-Optimists is the title of a stage variety revue
which opened in London on 27 June 1921. The show was devised by Davy Burnaby
. The piece was a co-operative venture by what The Times
called "a group of well-known musical comedy and variety artists" presenting "an all-star 'pierrot
' entertainment in the West-end." It opened at the small Royalty Theatre
and soon transferred to the much larger Palace Theatre
. The show ran initially for 500 performances; it was completely rewritten and revived at regular intervals to keep it fresh. The final edition, beginning in November 1926 and closing on 4 August 1927, was the 13th new version. The Co-Optimists provided an early platform for the comedy actor and singer Stanley Holloway
and brought him wider notice throughout the UK.
In 1929, the revue was made into a feature film
with the same name, again starring Holloway. In December 1926, Lee DeForest filmed Betty Chester singing "Pig-Tail Alley" in a short film, Betty Chester, the Well-Known Co-Optimist Star, made in his Phonofilm
sound-on-film process.
, Clifford Grey
, Irving Berlin
, Philip Braham
, Vivian Ellis
, William Helmore
, Ivy St Helier, Laddie Cliff, Austin Melford
, Greatrex Newman
, Arthur Schwartz
, Clifford Seyler.
, Betty Chester, Gilbert Childs, Laddie Cliff, Mimi Crawford, Melville Gideon
, Stanley Holloway
, Mary Leigh
, Elsa MacFarlane, Austin Melford
, Phyllis Monkman, Herbert Mundin
, Elsie Randolph
, Cyril Ritchard
, Babs Valerie, Clifford Witley.
, Phyllis Monkman, Gilbert Childs, Laddie Cliff, Melville Gideon
, Stanley Holloway
, Betty Chester, Elsa MacFarlane, Peggy Petronella, and Harry S. Pepper.
Revue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
which opened in London on 27 June 1921. The show was devised by Davy Burnaby
Davy Burnaby
Davy Burnaby was a British actor who appeared in more than thirty films between 1929 and 1948. He was born in Buckland, Hertfordshire and made his screen debut in the 1929 film The Devil's Maze. He died in 1949....
. The piece was a co-operative venture by what The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
called "a group of well-known musical comedy and variety artists" presenting "an all-star 'pierrot
Concert Party (entertainment)
A concert party, also called a Pierrot troupe, is the collective name for a group of entertainers, or Pierrots, popular in Britain during the first half of the 20th century. The variety show given by a Pierrot troupe was called a Pierrot show...
' entertainment in the West-end." It opened at the small Royalty Theatre
Royalty Theatre
The Royalty Theatre was a small London theatre situated at 73 Dean Street, Soho and opened on 25 May 1840 as Miss Kelly's Theatre and Dramatic School and finally closed to the public in 1938. The architect was Samuel Beazley, a resident in Soho Square, who also designed St James's Theatre, among...
and soon transferred to the much larger Palace Theatre
Palace Theatre, London
The Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster in London. It is an imposing red-brick building that dominates the west side of Cambridge Circus and is located near the intersection of Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road...
. The show ran initially for 500 performances; it was completely rewritten and revived at regular intervals to keep it fresh. The final edition, beginning in November 1926 and closing on 4 August 1927, was the 13th new version. The Co-Optimists provided an early platform for the comedy actor and singer Stanley Holloway
Stanley Holloway
Stanley Augustus Holloway, OBE was an English stage and film actor, comedian, singer, poet and monologist. He was famous for his comic and character roles on stage and screen, especially that of Alfred P. Doolittle in My Fair Lady...
and brought him wider notice throughout the UK.
In 1929, the revue was made into a feature film
The Co-Optimists (film)
The Co-Optimists is a 1929 British black and white concert musical film. It contains excerts from the stage musical of the same name which was devised by Davy Burnaby in 1921. The Co-Optimists consisted of a troupe of actors and singers and became largely successful by touring seaside resorts...
with the same name, again starring Holloway. In December 1926, Lee DeForest filmed Betty Chester singing "Pig-Tail Alley" in a short film, Betty Chester, the Well-Known Co-Optimist Star, made in his Phonofilm
Phonofilm
In 1919, Lee De Forest, inventor of the audion tube, filed his first patent on a sound-on-film process, DeForest Phonofilm, which recorded sound directly onto film as parallel lines. These parallel lines photographically recorded electrical waveforms from a microphone, which were translated back...
sound-on-film process.
Music and lyrics
Melville GideonMelville Gideon
Melville Gideon was an American composer, lyricist and performer of ragtime music, composing many themes for hit Broadway musicals including The Co-Optimists. He was also a director, producer and performer....
, Clifford Grey
Clifford Grey
Clifford Grey was an English songwriter, actor, librettist and Olympic medalist. His birth name was Percival Davis, and he was also known as Clifford Gray, Tippi Gray, Tippi Grey, Tippy Gray and Tippy Grey.As a writer, Grey contributed prolifically to West End and Broadway shows, as librettist and...
, Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist of Jewish heritage, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history.His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", became world famous...
, Philip Braham
Philip Braham
Philip Braham was an English composer of the early twentieth century, chiefly associated with theatrical work.-Biography:...
, Vivian Ellis
Vivian Ellis
Vivian Ellis was an English musical comedy composer best known for the song "Spread a Little Happiness" and the theme "Coronation Scot".-Life and work:...
, William Helmore
William Helmore
Air Commodore William Helmore Ph.D., M.S., F.C.S., F.R.Ae.S., CBE was an engineer who had a varied and distinguished career in scientific research with the Air Ministry and the Ministry of Aircraft Production during the Second World War, as a broadcaster, and for two years as Member of Parliament...
, Ivy St Helier, Laddie Cliff, Austin Melford
Austin Melford
Austin Melford was a British screenwriter and film director. He was the brother of the actor Jack Melford.-Selected filmography:Director* Car of Dreams * Oh, Daddy! * Radio Lover Screenwriter...
, Greatrex Newman
Greatrex Newman
Greatrex Newman was an English author and screenwriter.He was born in Manchester, England and died in Eastbourne.-External links:...
, Arthur Schwartz
Arthur Schwartz
Arthur Schwartz was an American composer and film producer.Schwartz supported his legal studies at New York University and postgraduate studies at Columbia University by playing piano before concentrating his talents on vaudeville, Broadway theatre and Hollywood.Among his Broadway musicals are The...
, Clifford Seyler.
Stage artists
Davy BurnabyDavy Burnaby
Davy Burnaby was a British actor who appeared in more than thirty films between 1929 and 1948. He was born in Buckland, Hertfordshire and made his screen debut in the 1929 film The Devil's Maze. He died in 1949....
, Betty Chester, Gilbert Childs, Laddie Cliff, Mimi Crawford, Melville Gideon
Melville Gideon
Melville Gideon was an American composer, lyricist and performer of ragtime music, composing many themes for hit Broadway musicals including The Co-Optimists. He was also a director, producer and performer....
, Stanley Holloway
Stanley Holloway
Stanley Augustus Holloway, OBE was an English stage and film actor, comedian, singer, poet and monologist. He was famous for his comic and character roles on stage and screen, especially that of Alfred P. Doolittle in My Fair Lady...
, Mary Leigh
Mary Leigh
-See also:* Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom* Representation of the People Act 1918* Representation of the People Act 1928-External links:...
, Elsa MacFarlane, Austin Melford
Austin Melford
Austin Melford was a British screenwriter and film director. He was the brother of the actor Jack Melford.-Selected filmography:Director* Car of Dreams * Oh, Daddy! * Radio Lover Screenwriter...
, Phyllis Monkman, Herbert Mundin
Herbert Mundin
Herbert Mundin was an English-born Hollywood character actor. He was frequently typecast in films as an older cheeky eccentric, a type helped by his jowled features and cheerful disposition....
, Elsie Randolph
Elsie Randolph
Elsie Randolph was an English actress, singer and dancer. Randolph was born and died in London.She is best remembered for her partnership with Jack Buchanan in several stage and film musicals...
, Cyril Ritchard
Cyril Ritchard
Cyril Ritchard was an Australian stage, screen and television actor, and director. He is probably best remembered today for his performance as Captain Hook in the Mary Martin musical production of Peter Pan....
, Babs Valerie, Clifford Witley.
Film artists
Davy BurnabyDavy Burnaby
Davy Burnaby was a British actor who appeared in more than thirty films between 1929 and 1948. He was born in Buckland, Hertfordshire and made his screen debut in the 1929 film The Devil's Maze. He died in 1949....
, Phyllis Monkman, Gilbert Childs, Laddie Cliff, Melville Gideon
Melville Gideon
Melville Gideon was an American composer, lyricist and performer of ragtime music, composing many themes for hit Broadway musicals including The Co-Optimists. He was also a director, producer and performer....
, Stanley Holloway
Stanley Holloway
Stanley Augustus Holloway, OBE was an English stage and film actor, comedian, singer, poet and monologist. He was famous for his comic and character roles on stage and screen, especially that of Alfred P. Doolittle in My Fair Lady...
, Betty Chester, Elsa MacFarlane, Peggy Petronella, and Harry S. Pepper.