Opera House – Summer Season Programmes
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All the following programmes are from the Summer Season
The early ones are taken from combined programmes
King Folly – 1934
Billy Bennett, Ganjou Brothers and Juanita
Shout for Joy – 1935
Pansy Taylor, Sylvia Cecil, Albert Burdon, Billy De Wolfe
King Fun – 1936
George Formby, Randolph Sutton and Frank Randle
King Cheer – 1937
George Formby, The Harris Twins, Fred Sandborn, Jean Carroll
All the Best – 1938
Betty Driver, Stanley Holloway, Benny Ross, George Lacy
Turned out Nice Again – 1939
George Formby, Beryl Formby, Edna Squire –Brown, Ken Davidson and Hugh Forgie, Frank Paris, Peter Marwoode and Beatrix Richards, The Five Herons, Eric and Eric, The Six Wallabies, Manley and Austin, Ernie Gerrard and ‘The Forty Glamorous Beauties’
Our Own Bank Wagon – 1940
Arthur Askey, Richard Murdoch, Albert Sandler and Norman Evans
Hullaballo – 1941
Bert Wright, Judy Shirley, Teddy Brown, Frank Randle, Nervo and Knox
Black Vanities – 1942
Douglas Wakefield, Anne Ziegler, Webster Booth, Betty Driver, Gaye & Elmore and Billy Danvers
We’re All In It – 1943
Wilfred Pickles, Jewel & Warriss, Rawicz and Landauer, Elizabeth Welch, Steffani’s Silver Songsters, The Dagenham Girl Pipers, Tommy Jover, Charles Warren, Nena and Raf and Phyllis Hunter
Look Who’s Here – 1944
Sid Field, Jerry Desmonde and Rawicz and Landauer, Charles Warren and Jean, The Australian Air Aces, Jerry Allen, Tom Linden, Tom Kinniburgh, Triss Henderson, Lynn Taylor, Bernard Hunter, Mavis Ray, Morgan and Royal, Bland and Kelly and the Wendy Toye Dancers
Hip, Hip Hooray! – 1945
Tessie O’Shea, Jimmy Jewel & Ben Warriss, The Ganjou Brothers and Juanita, Felix Mendelssohn and his Hawaiian Serenaders, Josie Fearon and Charles Gillespie, Mary Naylor, Zena Dell, Lucille Gaye, Woodrow and the Alex Thomas Quartette
Starry Way – Grand Opening for 1946
Signed by George Formby
George Formby, Josef Locke and May Devitt, Marilyn and Robert Hightower, Freddie and partner, Bobbie Kimber, Hal Mac and his Dancing Demons, the Chevalier Brothers, Zena Dell, Movita, Harry Scott, Billy Sutton, Tom Polley, Jack Williams and chorus and ballet of 60
Ev’ry Time You Laugh – 1947
Dave Morris, Nat Jackley, Josef Locke, Marianne Lincoln, Carol Eric, Tosca de Lac, De Marcy Sisters, Jose Moreno, Billy Smith, Dick Beamish, Arthur Vollum, Sammy Curtis, Billy and Elsie Brand, Chorus and Ballet of 50.
Sky High – 1948
Charlie Chester, Arthur Haynes, Ken Morris, Len Marten, Fred Ferarri, Edwina Carol, Henry Lytton, James Etherington, Sylvia Welling, Ruth Harrison, Alex Fisher, The Zoris, The Six Elwardes, Daphne kiermander, Kirby’s Flying Ballet and 20 John Tiller Girls
Midsummer Madness – 1949
Cheerful Charlie Chester, France Clery and Ken Morris
Out of this World – 1950
Tessie O’ Shea, Nat Jackley, Terry-Thomas
Happy Go Lucky – 1951
Vera Lynn, George and Bert Bernard, Harry Secombe, Jack Radcliffe, Erica Yorke, Velt Bethke, Fay Hammond, the Cavendish Singers and 20 John Tiller Girls
Top of the Town – 1952
Lester Ferguson, Harry Bailey, Semprini, The Dandy Brothers, Pamela Kay, The Regency Octette and the 20 John Tiller Girls
The Show of Shows – 1953
Harry Secombe, Harry Bailey and Eve Boswell
The Talk of the Town – 1954
Jimmy Edwards, Tony Hancock and Joan Turner
The Big Show of 1955
Starring Jimmy Jewel, Alma Cogan, Ben Warriss and Janet Grey
The Big Show of 1956
Eve Boswell, Paul Webster, Lane Brothers, Pat Dahl and Ghezzi Brothers
The Big Show of 1957
Jimmy Jewel and Ben Warriss, Yana, Audrey Mann, Dorothy Dampier, Latona, Graham and Chadel, Nirska, Holger and Dolores, The George Mitchell Singers and 20 Tiller Girls
The Big Show of 1958
David Whitfield, Arthur Haynes, Grace O’Connor, Lauri Lupino Lane, George Truzzi, Rudi Horn, The Andrea Dancers, The Gimma Boys, 12 George Mitchell Singers and 20 Tiller Girls
The Big Show of 1959
Jimmy Jewel and Ben Warriss, Jill Day, The Najarros, The Piero Brothers, Jean-Louis Bert and Honka, Larry Griswold, The George Mitchell Singers and The Tiller Girls
The Big Show of 1960
Tommy Steele, Alma Cogan, Freddie Frinton, May Warden, Eddie Calvert and the Wise Guys, Sid Millward, Wally Stewart’s Nitwits, The Mathurins, The Cliff Adams Singers and The Malcolm Goddard Dancers
The Big Show of 1961
Shirley Bassey (July 1 – Aug. 26), Cliff Richard (Aug. 28 – ) Ivor Emmanuel, Richard (Mr Pastry)Hearne, Tommy Fields, The Clark Brothers, The Lucky Latinos, Harry Smith-Hampshire and Doreen Casey, Tyldesley Girls Choir, Jimmie Currie’s Waltzing Waters, George Mitchell Singers and Malcolm Goddard Dancers
The Big Show of 1962
Ken Dodd, The Kaye Sisters, Eddie Calvert, The Three Houcs, Barbara Law
The Big Show of 1963
29th June to 3rd Aug. – Billy Cotton Band, Susan Lane, The King Brothers, Harry Bailey, Francis Brunn, The Bal Carron Trio, Derek Taverner Singers and Jimmy Edwards.
5th Aug. onwards – Max Bygraves, King Brothers, Francis Brunn, Susan Lane, Bal Caron Trio, Harry Bailey, Carlo Dini.
The Big Show of 1964
Ken Dodd, Dennis Spicer, Joe Henderson, Barry Sisters, Rosemary Squires and The Three Rebertes
The Black & White Minstrel Show – 1965
Don Cleaver, Glyn Dawson, Bob Clayton, Stan Stennett, Reg Thompson, Daisy May assisted by Saveen, Warren, Devine and Sparks, Kris Keo, Pelham’s Puppets, the Mitchell Maids and 16 TV Toppers
The Big Show of 1966
Ken Dodd, Hugh Forgie, Shirley Marie, The Merrymen, Bill Hinchy & Jean Kent, The Bluebell Girls
The Big Show of 1967
Bruce Forsyth, Colin Keyes, Millicent Martin, Marvyn Roy, The Baranton Sisters, The Sovereign Singers, The Girl friends and Men About Town and Jimmie Currie’s Fabulous Crystal Cascade
The Big Show of 1968
Ken Dodd, Tessie O’Shea, Valente Valente, Fed Roby, Sylvan, Robert Colman, Jimmie Currie’s Fountains of Romance, Felicity Hayman and Keith Spencer and the Bel Canto Singers
The Val Doonican Show – 1969
Val Doonican, Moira Anderson, Arthur Askey, Des Lane, Dev Shawn, The Trio Athenee, Ruth Evans, Russ and Val Arness and the Bel Canto Singers
The Bachelors Show – 1970
The Bachelors (Con and Dec Cluskey and John Stokes) Freddie Starr, Hope and Keen, Susan Lane, The Four Rebertes, Palermo and Phillips, The Starlighters and 16 Tiller girls
The Ken Dodd Laughter Spectacular – 1971
Ken Dodd and the Diddy Men, Lyn Kennington, Johnny Hart, Stromboli, Jack Becket, Rudi Horn, Nine Tisza Balaton, Jimmie Currie’s Waterfalls, The Bel Canto Singers and the Tiller Girls
International Spectacular – 1972
Cilla Black, Johnny Hackett, Don MacLean, Peter Rostal and Paul Schaefer, Trio Hoganas, The Veterans, Gayna Martine with the boys and girls, and Jimmie Currie’s Fountains
International Spectacular 1973
Danny La Rue, Toni Palmer, David Ellen, Jimmy Hunt, Jenny Layland, Mike Goddard, Tony Deary, The Black Theatre of Prague, The Derek New singers and the Tommy Shaw Dancers
The Val Doonican Show – 1974
Val Doonican, Roger Richards Quintet, Dailey and Wayne, Patricia Cahill, Norman Vaughan, Des Lane and the 18 Fred Peters Dancers
The Freddie Starr Show – 1975
Mike Burton, Lynn Rogers, Francis Van Dyke, Mother’s Pride, The Mistins, The Second Generation Dancers
The Black and White Minstrel Show – 1976
Ted Darling, Les Want, Bob Hunter, Les Rawlings, The Mitchell Maids, The Television Toppers, Don Maclean, Lenny Henry, Fiddlygig, Nino Frediani and Don
Danny La Rue Show – 1977
Danny La Rue, David Ellen, Jacquie Toye, Peter Eden, Wayne King, Dawson Chance and Roy Rolland Dunfield
Comedy Spectacular 1978
Tom O’Connor, Moira Anderson, Dave Evans, Gil Dova, Johnny Hutch and the Halfwits, Los Amigos del Paraguay, and the 16 Tiller girls
The All Laughter Spectacular 1979
Little and Large, Frank Carson, Norman Collier, Pepe and his friends, Francis Van Dyke and the Pamela Davis Dancers
Mike Yarwood in Persons – 1980
Brian Marshall, The Nolans, The Six Ashtons and the Fred Peters Dancers
The Ken Dodd Laughter Spectacular 1981
Ken Dodd, Rudy Cardenas, Los Matacos, Brian Pullman, Sweet Spice, Lynne Williamson and Lily Yokoi
Little and Large All Laughter Show – 1982
Syd Little, Eddie Large, Dana, Michael Barrymore, Lisa Dawn Hart and Pepe and his Friends
Paul Daniels Summer Magic – 1983
Paul Daniels, Valla Bertini and The Koziaks
Hi – De – Hi – 1984
Ruth Madoc, Paul Shane, Jeffrey Holland, Michael Knowles, Su Pollard, Ben Warriss, Barry Howard and Joe Black
Summer Spectacular – Cannon & Ball 1985
Canon and Ball, Dudley Doolittle, The Four Sinekos, Lena Zavaroni
Freddie Starr – 1986
Grace Kennedy, Wayne Dobson, Pepe and friends, Lisa Dawn Hart, and the Brian Rogers TV Dancers
Cannon and Ball – 1987
Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball, The Nolans, Brian Conley, Bob Bramson, The Clark Brothers and the Brian Rogers TV Dancers
Les Dawson – 1988
Frank Carson, Keith Harris, The Roly Polys, Jimmy Gibbo, Jane Marie Osborne and the Dawson Dollies
Cats – 1989
Marti Webb
Freddie Starr – 1990
Freddie Starr, Dana, Donimo, Barnaby, Dooby Duck and the Starlettes TV Dancers
42nd Street – 1991
Bob Sessions, Elaine London and Meg Johnson
Barnum – (Part One Summer Season Show 1992)
Paul Nicholas, Carol Duffy, Clare Miller, Alan Heap, Nicola Blackman and Simon David Trout
July 15th Buddy – (Part Two Summer Season Show 1992)
Joe Lutton
The Joe Longthorne Summer Spectacular – 1993
Little and Large, Gina Johnson and Richard De Vere
Sunday Shows –
Brian Conley – 11 July to 5 September,
Ken Dodd – 12 September to 3 October
Freddie Starr – 10 October to 7 Nov
Festival’94 Spectacular – 1994
Cannon and Ball, Wayne Dobson, Bradley Walsh, Steve Halliday and Nikita Scott
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – 1995
Aled Jones, Ria Jones, David J Higgins and Brian Smith
Summer Holiday – 1996
Darren Day, Faith Brown, Ross King and Clare Buckfield
Oh ! What a Night – 1997
Kid Creole, John Altman, Bernie Nolan, August Darnell
Holiday Startime – 1998
Jane McDonald, Johnnie Casson, Russell Watson and Billy Pearce
