Ralph Reader
Encyclopedia
William Henry Ralph Reader CBE
(25 May 1903 – 18 May 1982), known as Ralph Reader, was a British
actor
, theatrical producer
and songwriter
, best known for staging the original Gang Show
, a variety entertainment presented by members of the Scouting
Movement.
Reader was born in Crewkerne
, Somerset
, England, the son of a Salvation Army bandmaster. He was orphaned by the age of eight, and brought up by aunts and uncles. Joining the Scout
Movement at the age of eleven, he began his theatrical career by putting on Scout Shows as a Patrol Leader in the 2nd Newhaven, Denton and Heighton Troop in Newhaven
, Sussex
.
In 1920 he moved to the United States of America, working in various menial jobs, while acting in and directing off-Broadway shows. At the age of 21 he choreographed his first Broadway show and the New York Times wrote "Watch Ralph Reader". Returning to England, he continued producing and choreographing several West End
productions, notably variety performances at Drury Lane
and at the Hippodrome
.
In 1932, still active in Scouting, he anonymously staged his first all-Scout variety show at the Scala Theatre
, London. Entitled The Gang's All Here, the production featured 150 Boy Scouts largely from London's East End, performing sketches, songs and dance numbers. The three performances were well received by both the public and the critics. The following year The Gang Comes Back at the Scala played to capacity houses, with hundreds turned away, and the public and press began referring to "The Gang Show
". In 1934 that became its official title. Reader acknowledged that he was the producer of the shows. In 1937 "a bunch of Boy Scouts" as one writer described them, became the first amateurs to appear at a Royal Variety Performance
. They shared billing with Gracie Fields
, George Formby and Max Miller.
Following the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 Reader was commissioned into the Royal Air Force
as an intelligence officer. For his services to the Royal Air Force he was awarded an MBE in 1943.
After the war Reader set up his own production company, Ralph Reader Limited, which revived many shows that he had produced prior to the outbreak of war in 1939. The first post-war performance of the Gang Show ran for three weeks at the Blackpool
Opera House and broke that theatre's box-office records. He also recommenced producing the London Gang Show in 1950, and also went on to write more songs and musical plays for the Scout Association. He continued to produce the Gang Show annually until 1974, and his association with it continued until his death.
He published an autobiography, It's Been Terrific in 1953, with a second volume, Ralph Reader Remembers, in 1974. He was appointed CBE
in 1957. In the 1970s he was appointed to the post of Chief Scout's Commissioner, and in 1975 was awarded the Bronze Wolf
, the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement
, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting. He died in 1982, one week short of his 79th birthday.
On 8th October 2011 a blue plaque was unveiled on his former home in Heighton Road, Denton, Newhaven.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(25 May 1903 – 18 May 1982), known as Ralph Reader, was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, theatrical producer
Theatrical producer
A theatrical producer is the person ultimately responsible for overseeing all aspects of mounting a theatre production. The independent producer will usually be the originator and finder of the script and starts the whole process...
and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, best known for staging the original Gang Show
Gang Show
A Gang Show is a theatrical performance with a cast of youth members of Scouts and sometimes Guides too, by invitation. Adult leaders and parents help out behind the scenes. The aim of the shows is to give young people in Scouting and Guiding the opportunity to develop performance skills and...
, a variety entertainment presented by members of the Scouting
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
Movement.
Reader was born in Crewkerne
Crewkerne
Crewkerne is a town in Somerset, England, situated south west of Yeovil and east of Chard in the South Somerset district close to the border with Dorset. The civil parish of West Crewkerne includes the hamlets of Woolminstone and Henley...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England, the son of a Salvation Army bandmaster. He was orphaned by the age of eight, and brought up by aunts and uncles. Joining the Scout
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
Movement at the age of eleven, he began his theatrical career by putting on Scout Shows as a Patrol Leader in the 2nd Newhaven, Denton and Heighton Troop in Newhaven
Newhaven, East Sussex
Newhaven is a town in the Lewes District of East Sussex in England. It lies at the mouth of the River Ouse, on the English Channel coast, and is a ferry port for services to France.-Origins:...
, 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...
.
In 1920 he moved to the United States of America, working in various menial jobs, while acting in and directing off-Broadway shows. At the age of 21 he choreographed his first Broadway show and the New York Times wrote "Watch Ralph Reader". Returning to England, he continued producing and choreographing several West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
productions, notably variety performances at Drury Lane
Drury Lane
Drury Lane is a street on the eastern boundary of the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of Camden and the southern part in the City of Westminster....
and at the Hippodrome
Hippodrome, London
The Hippodrome is a building on the corner of Charing Cross Road and Leicester Square in the City of Westminster, London. The name was used for many different theatres and music halls, of which the London Hippodrome is one of only a few survivors...
.
In 1932, still active in Scouting, he anonymously staged his first all-Scout variety show at the Scala Theatre
Scala Theatre
The Scala Theatre was a theatre in London, sited on Charlotte Street, off Tottenham Court Road, in the London Borough of Camden. The first theatre on the site opened in 1772, and the theatre was demolished in 1969, after being destroyed by fire...
, London. Entitled The Gang's All Here, the production featured 150 Boy Scouts largely from London's East End, performing sketches, songs and dance numbers. The three performances were well received by both the public and the critics. The following year The Gang Comes Back at the Scala played to capacity houses, with hundreds turned away, and the public and press began referring to "The Gang Show
Gang Show
A Gang Show is a theatrical performance with a cast of youth members of Scouts and sometimes Guides too, by invitation. Adult leaders and parents help out behind the scenes. The aim of the shows is to give young people in Scouting and Guiding the opportunity to develop performance skills and...
". In 1934 that became its official title. Reader acknowledged that he was the producer of the shows. In 1937 "a bunch of Boy Scouts" as one writer described them, became the first amateurs to appear at a Royal Variety Performance
Royal Variety Performance
The Royal Variety Performance is a gala evening held annually in the United Kingdom, which is attended by senior members of the British Royal Family, usually the reigning monarch. In more recent years Queen Elizabeth II and The Prince of Wales have alternately attended the performance...
. They shared billing with Gracie Fields
Gracie Fields
Dame Gracie Fields, DBE , was an English-born, later Italian-based actress, singer and comedienne and star of both cinema and music hall.-Early life:...
, George Formby and Max Miller.
Following the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 Reader was commissioned into the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
as an intelligence officer. For his services to the Royal Air Force he was awarded an MBE in 1943.
After the war Reader set up his own production company, Ralph Reader Limited, which revived many shows that he had produced prior to the outbreak of war in 1939. The first post-war performance of the Gang Show ran for three weeks at the Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
Opera House and broke that theatre's box-office records. He also recommenced producing the London Gang Show in 1950, and also went on to write more songs and musical plays for the Scout Association. He continued to produce the Gang Show annually until 1974, and his association with it continued until his death.
He published an autobiography, It's Been Terrific in 1953, with a second volume, Ralph Reader Remembers, in 1974. He was appointed CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1957. In the 1970s he was appointed to the post of Chief Scout's Commissioner, and in 1975 was awarded the Bronze Wolf
Bronze Wolf
The Bronze Wolf Award is bestowed by the World Scout Committee to acknowledge "outstanding service by an individual to the World Scout Movement"...
, the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement
World Organization of the Scout Movement
The World Organization of the Scout Movement is the Non-governmental international organization which governs most national Scout Organizations, with 31 million members. WOSM was established in 1920, and has its headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland...
, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting. He died in 1982, one week short of his 79th birthday.
On 8th October 2011 a blue plaque was unveiled on his former home in Heighton Road, Denton, Newhaven.
Songs written
- On the Crest of a Wave
- In My Dreams I'm Going Back to Gilwell
- Scout Hymn
- Strollin
- No Show Like A Gang Show
- We'll Go On And On
- Where Do We Go From Here?
- Nobody Wants To Know
- It's A Wonderful Life
- Together
- A Touch of Silver
- These Are the Times
- Freedom
- It's Gonna Be Warm
- Making Memories
- Stepping Out
- Make Friends With People
- Everybody Must Have Someone
- Troubles Rolling Down The River
- You Can't Go Wrong If Your Right
Published works by Ralph Reader
- Good Turns for Scout Shows - (1933)
- Oh, Scouting is a Boy - (1950)
- It's Been Terrific - autobiography (1953)
- This is the Gang Show - guide to producing Gang Shows (1957)
- Ralph Reader Remembers - autobiography (1974)
Selected filmography
- The Blue SquadronThe Blue Squadron (1934 film)The Blue Squadron is a 1934 Anglo-Italian aviation drama film directed by George King and starring Esmond Knight and John Stuart. The film was a co-production between Britain's Twickenham Studios and Italy's Pittaluga studios...
(1934) - The Gang Show (1936)
- Derby DayDerby Day (1952 film)Derby Day is a 1952 British drama film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Anna Neagle, Michael Wilding, Googie Withers, John McCallum and Alfie Bass. An ensemble piece, it portrays several characters on their way to the Derby Day races at Epsom Downs Racecourse...
(1952)
External links
- http://www.londongangshow.org
- Audio - Gang show anthem of On the crest of a wave
- Material Written By Ralph Reader, Esq. CBE. (PDF)