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

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