The Cox Twins
Encyclopedia
The Cox Twins, Frank and Fred, (born 4 December 1920 in Cardiff
, Wales
), were British
entertainers in the Music Hall
tradition. They were identical twin brothers.
Their career began with Steffani's Songsters and they then appeared in the Ralph Reader
RAF
Gang Show
s during World War II
, touring Europe and North Africa. Later they went into Variety, performing in summer seasons and pantomime. They married twins sisters, Estelle and Pauline Miles, who became part of their act. In 1972 they appeared as Tweedledum and Tweedledee
in the film Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
. Other films in which the twins appeared include Up Jumped a Swagman
(1965) with Frank Ifield
, and Funny Bones
(1995) with Lee Evans
and Jerry Lewis
. Their numerous television appearance included Barrymore
and The Story of Light Entertainment (2006) with Stephen Fry
and Simon Cowell
.
When Frank's wife, Estelle, died in 1984, Fred’s wife continued to appear with the twins, the act being known as "The Cox Twins and Pauline". They were presented with Lifetime Achievement Rose Bowls by the British Music Hall Society.
By 2007, their public appearances were limited to RAF reunions. Frank Cox died on November 7, 2007.
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
), were 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...
entertainers in the 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...
tradition. They were identical twin brothers.
Their career began with Steffani's Songsters and they then appeared in the Ralph Reader
Ralph Reader
William Henry Ralph Reader CBE , 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...
RAF
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...
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...
s during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, touring Europe and North Africa. Later they went into Variety, performing in summer seasons and pantomime. They married twins sisters, Estelle and Pauline Miles, who became part of their act. In 1972 they appeared as Tweedledum and Tweedledee
Tweedledum and Tweedledee
Tweedledum and Tweedledee are fictional characters in an English language nursery rhyme and in Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. Their names may have originally come from an epigram written by poet John Byrom. The nursery rhyme has a Roud Folk Song Index number...
in the film Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1972 film)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a 1972 British musical film based on the Lewis Carroll novel of the same name. It had an all star cast, and John Barry composed the score....
. Other films in which the twins appeared include Up Jumped a Swagman
Up Jumped a Swagman
Up Jumped a Swagman is a 1965 British musical comedy film directed by Christopher Miles and starring Frank Ifield, Annette Andre, Ronald Radd and Suzy Kendall...
(1965) with Frank Ifield
Frank Ifield
Francis Edward Ifield is an early Australian-English easy listening and country music singer. He achieved considerable success in the early 1960s, especially in the UK Singles Chart, where he had four Number 1 hits between 1962 and 1963....
, and Funny Bones
Funny Bones
Funny Bones is a 1995 comedy-drama film from Disney's Hollywood Pictures. It was written, directed and produced by Peter Chelsom, co-produced by Simon Fields, and co-written by Peter Flannery. The music score was by John Altman and the cinematography by Eduardo Serra...
(1995) with Lee Evans
Lee Evans (comedian)
Lee Evans is an English comedian, writer, actor and musician.-Personal life:Lee Evans was born in Avonmouth, Bristol, England to an Irish mother and a Welsh father, Dave Evans, a nightclub performer. He left Bristol at the age of 13 and then went to The Billericay School in Billericay, Essex...
and Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
. Their numerous television appearance included Barrymore
Michael Barrymore
Michael Kieron Parker , better known by his stage name Michael Barrymore, is a British comedian who appeared as a presenter of game shows and light entertainment programmes on British television in the 1980s and 1990s. These included Strike It Lucky, My Kind of People, My Kind of Music and Kids Say...
and The Story of Light Entertainment (2006) with Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry
Stephen John Fry is an English actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian, television presenter and film director, and a director of Norwich City Football Club. He first came to attention in the 1981 Cambridge Footlights Revue presentation "The Cellar Tapes", which also...
and Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
.
When Frank's wife, Estelle, died in 1984, Fred’s wife continued to appear with the twins, the act being known as "The Cox Twins and Pauline". They were presented with Lifetime Achievement Rose Bowls by the British Music Hall Society.
By 2007, their public appearances were limited to RAF reunions. Frank Cox died on November 7, 2007.