'Monsewer' Eddie Gray
Encyclopedia
'Monsewer' Eddie Gray was an English stage comedian
who performed in Music Hall
s.
He was born in Pimlico
, London
, as Edward Earl Gray. He became a professional juggler, but by the time he was twenty, he had extended to comedy. He discovered what became his trademark of "Cockney-French" while performing in Paris
, France
, when he spoke on the stage in his very bad French. The audience, however, liked it and he used it in his act from then on. His stage costume included a pair of horn-rimmed glasses and a looped moustache.
He joined with the comedy pair Nervo and Knox
in the Crazy Shows, but went solo in the early 1920s. He rejoined them again in 1957 when he was associated with the Crazy Gang
shows at the Victoria Palace Theatre
in London
.
He married Pattie Loftus Jones in 1931 and they had two sons. He died on 15 September 1969 in Worthing
, Sussex
.
Eddie and his wife Pattie lived in Shoreham-by-Sea
, West Sussex
, throughout their 38 year marriage. Pattie had a singular claim to local fame as it was an aunt of hers, Marie Loftus, a well known Music Hall artiste at the beginning of the 20th century, who was responsible for founding the show business colony that thrived on Shoreham Beach throughout the 1920s and 1930s.
Originally a shingle bank, Marie fell in love with the place and had a primitive bungalow built there. This started a fashion and more show business people did likewise giving birth to a community known as Bungalow Town. At its peak, practically every star of the Music Hall of the time had a home or holiday retreat there. These mostly consisted of two railway carriages, acquired from the nearby Lancing Carriage Works, placed on a concrete base and joined between with wooden roof and walls.
Eddie's wife lived on in Shoreham for many years after Eddie died. At the time of her own death she was probably the only remaining link in Shoreham to the old show business community that, by then, had long disappeared.
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
who performed in Music Hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
s.
He was born in Pimlico
Pimlico
Pimlico is a small area of central London in the City of Westminster. Like Belgravia, to which it was built as a southern extension, Pimlico is known for its grand garden squares and impressive Regency architecture....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, as Edward Earl Gray. He became a professional juggler, but by the time he was twenty, he had extended to comedy. He discovered what became his trademark of "Cockney-French" while performing in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, when he spoke on the stage in his very bad French. The audience, however, liked it and he used it in his act from then on. His stage costume included a pair of horn-rimmed glasses and a looped moustache.
He joined with the comedy pair Nervo and Knox
Nervo and Knox
Jimmy Nervo and Teddy Knox were part of the original Crazy Gang. They started the stage careers as an acrobatic dancing team. They used this ability in many of the earlier Crazy Gang shows. Among their many routines, a slow motion wrestling act was developed into a humorous show stopper...
in the Crazy Shows, but went solo in the early 1920s. He rejoined them again in 1957 when he was associated with the Crazy Gang
The Crazy Gang
The Crazy Gang were a group of British entertainers, formed in the early 1930s. In the mature form the group's six men were Bud Flanagan, Chesney Allen, Jimmy Nervo, Teddy Knox, Charlie Naughton and Jimmy Gold...
shows at the Victoria Palace Theatre
Victoria Palace Theatre
Victoria Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster, opposite Victoria Station.-Origins:The theatre began life as a small concert room above the stables of the Royal Standard Hotel, a small hotel and tavern built in 1832 at what was then 522 Stockbridge...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
He married Pattie Loftus Jones in 1931 and they had two sons. He died on 15 September 1969 in Worthing
Worthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
.
Eddie and his wife Pattie lived in Shoreham-by-Sea
Shoreham-by-Sea
Shoreham-by-Sea is a small town, port and seaside resort in West Sussex, England. Shoreham-by-Sea railway station is located less than a mile from the town centre and London Gatwick Airport is away...
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, throughout their 38 year marriage. Pattie had a singular claim to local fame as it was an aunt of hers, Marie Loftus, a well known Music Hall artiste at the beginning of the 20th century, who was responsible for founding the show business colony that thrived on Shoreham Beach throughout the 1920s and 1930s.
Originally a shingle bank, Marie fell in love with the place and had a primitive bungalow built there. This started a fashion and more show business people did likewise giving birth to a community known as Bungalow Town. At its peak, practically every star of the Music Hall of the time had a home or holiday retreat there. These mostly consisted of two railway carriages, acquired from the nearby Lancing Carriage Works, placed on a concrete base and joined between with wooden roof and walls.
Eddie's wife lived on in Shoreham for many years after Eddie died. At the time of her own death she was probably the only remaining link in Shoreham to the old show business community that, by then, had long disappeared.