PADDY PRIOR - WEBSTER BOOTH'S SECOND WIFE

I am updating this post and including the various radio broadcasts in which Paddy Prior took part. Unfortunately neither she nor her friend, Bettie Bucknelle made any recordings.

Webster Booth married his second wife, Dorothy Annie Alice Prior (stage name Paddy Prior) on 10 October 1932 at the Fulham Registry Office. He had married Winifred Keey there eight years earlier but had divorced her in 1931 after she deserted him and their small son, Keith, several years before. 

Paddy Prior, was born in December 1904, the daughter of Fulham ironmonger, Hubert and his wife, Annie Henderson. Paddy began her professional stage career while still a teenager. She was a talented soubrette, comedienne and dancer, and possessed a pleasant mezzo soprano voice into the bargain.

 

 Paddy's parents lived at Disbrowe Road when they were first married.

Paddy's birthplace in Fulham. Her baptism on 29 January 1905 at St Peter, Fulham.

1911 Census










In 1924, at the age of nineteen, Paddy spent nearly a year as a member of the travelling Rogues concert party from April to January 1925. In various reviews Paddy was praised for her comedy talent and her speciality dancing with comedian Fred Roper. They were appearing at Leas Pavilion, Folkestone in January 1925, but by the 5 February Paddy had left the Rogues to join the Gamblers and Their Tipster concert party at the same venue. This party also toured extensively, so before she was twenty-one, Paddy had seen much of the country and gained valuable professional
experience into the bargain.

 Whitehall Court, Fulham - Paddy's home in the 1920s.

In November 1925 Paddy appeared at the Taunton Lyceum in Little Miss Muffet as Dolly Dimple. The pantomime toured various towns until early 1926.

 By April Paddy was out of work and obliged to put an advertisement in The Stage as follows:

8 April 1926 PADDY PRIOR, SOUBRETTE AND DANCER

VACANT: First class offers for CP, Revue, and Musical Comedy.

PA 37 Arundel Mansions, Fulham SW6

By July Paddy was working again, this time with Leslie Fuller’s Whitby Pedlars, and a review pointed out that, “Paddy Prior is a charming and dainty soubrette, who uses her mezzo voice effectively.”

The pattern of Paddy’s stage career was set: concert party, after-dinner entertainment, pantomime and musical comedy. Towards the end of the twenties she was also on television at Daventry, first in De Courville’s Hour in 1929, then in the early thirties in Philip Ridgeway’s series entitled The Ridgeway Parade, which included Janet Lind, Dorothy Dampier and Hermione Gingold in the cast. She starred in the Cicely Courtneidge role on a Scottish tour of Lido Lady in 1929.

Selection from LIDO LADY

Albert de Courville

Cast of Ridgeway Parade

The Ridgeway Parade - Regional Programme London, 7 October 1931 21.15

(New Series. No. I) Sweep Night - A Song and Dance Show

Written by HOLT MARVELL and PHILIP RIDGEWAY.

Musical Arrangements by DOROTHY HOGBEN
Devised and Produced by PHILIP RIDGEWAY
FRED CURTIS , BERTHA WILLMOTT, IRENE VERE, HERMIONE GINGOLD, GERALD OSBORNE, DOROTHY DAMPIER, ANNA DAY, SINCLAIR COLE, BERT MEREDITH, DOUGLAS PEMBERTON, LOLA GORDON, BEATRICE GALLEWAY, JACK HODGES, JOHN CHARLTON, PADDY PRIOR, ARTHUR JAY, WALLACE NORFORD.

DOROTHY HOGBEN and her ORCHESTRA.

PHILIP RIDGEWAY.

THE FIRST OF THE NEW SERIES OF RIDGEWAY PARADES - National Programme Daventry, 9 October 1931 20.00 SWEEP NIGHT - A song and dance show, written by Holt Marvell and Philip Ridgeway.

Musical arrangements by Dorothy Hogben.

Devised and produced by Philip Ridgeway.

Fred Curtis, Bertha Wilmott, Irene Vere, Hermione Gingold, Gerald Osborne, Dorothy Dampier, Anna Day, Sinclair Cole, Bert Meredith, Douglas Pemberton, Lola Gordon, Beatrice Galleway, Jack Hodges, John Charlton, Paddy Prior, Arthur Jay, Wallace Norford,

Dorothy Hogben and her Orchestra.

Philip Ridgeway.

Singing, dancing, burlesque-and Mr. Ridgeway. The producer is the life and soul of his own shows. It is Philip Ridgeway who designed costumes for his Paraders to wear in the Studio, who makes his whole company dance furiously for a minute before the red light goes on in order that they should start their broadcast warmed up, who created and impersonated Joe Ramsbotham of Rawthenstall, of the unsteady Lancashire accent. These Parades, of which the present series is the third, are among the most generally popular light entertainments ever broadcast. They may lack the subtlety and satire of the revues of Gordon McConnel, John Watt, Denis Freeman; their aim is otherwise—broad humour, popular songs, vitality, rather than finesse. Many of the members of former Parade companies are taking part in the present series. Mr. Ridgeway's musical director, Dorothy Hogben, is again in charge of the orchestra. Phiiip Ridgeway is well qualified to possess an acquaintance with the popular taste in entertainment. Still in his thirties, he has been connected with the theatre since he was a boy, as actor, author, producer and manager in turn. It is typical of his lively versatility that the two most widely acclaimed achievements of his career have been his introduction of Chekhov to London, at the Barnes Theatre, several years ago, and the invention last autumn of the Ridgeway Parades. Tonight he will be beside the microphone as usual, the inevitable flower in his buttonhole, waving his company on, a cross between Sir Henry Wood, Francois Descamps and Grock. So on with the show. We're a lot of little songs to chase the blues, Dancing shoes to amuse. We're the lightest and the brightest of revues, We're the Ridgeway Parade.

The Ridgeway Parade - National Programme Daventry, 22 October 1931 20.00

(New Series-No. II) Sweetheart Night - A Song and Dance Show Written by HOLT MARVELL and PHILIP RIDGEWAY.

Musical Arrangements by DOROTHY HOGBEN.

Devised and Produced by PHILIP RIDGEWAY.

DOROTHY DAMPIER, HERMIONE GINGOLD, GERALD OSBORNE, IRENE VERE, BERTHA WILLMOTT, FRED CURTIS, SINCLAIR COLE, BERT MEREDITH, LOLA GORDON, JOHN CHARLTON, PADDY PRIOR, JACK HODGES , DORIS YORKE, ALEXANDER HENDERSON, WALLACE MORFORD, BEATRICE GALLEWAY, DOUGLAS PEMBERTON.

DOROTHY HOGBEN and her ORCHESTRA

 PHILIP RIDGEWAY

The Ridgeway Parade - Regional Programme London, 4 November 1931 20.30

(New Series-No. Ill) - Old Soldiers' Night - A Song and Dance Show Written by HOLT MARVELL and PHILIP RIDGEWAY.

Musical Arrangements by DOROTHY HOGBEN.

Devised and Produced by PHILIP RIDGEWAY.

HERMIONE GINGOLD, GERALD OSBORNE, IRENE VERE, BERTHA WILLMOTT, BERT MEREDITH, SINCLAIR COLE, JOHN CHARLTON, FRED CURTIS, DOROTHY DAMPIER, ANNA DAY, DOUGLAS PEMBERTON, LOLA GORDON, PADDY PRIOR, JACK HODGES, WALLACE MORFORD, DORIS YORKE, ALEXANDER HENDERSON, BEATRICE GALLEWAY.

The Ridgeway Parade— V Regional Programme London, 2 December 1931 20.00

(New Series) Typists', Brunettes', and Dukes' Night - A Song and Dance Show Written by HOLT MARVELL and PHILIP Ridgeway.

 HERMIONEGINGOLD, GERALD OSBORNE, IRENE VERE, BERTHA WILLMOTT, BERT MEREDITH, SINCLAIR COLE, JOHN CHARLTON, FRED CURTIS, DOROTHY DAMPIER, ANNA DAY, DOUGLAS PEMBERTON, LOLA GORDON, BEATRlCE GALLEWAY,  ALEXANDER HENDERSON, PADDY PRIOR, JACK HODGES, WALLACE MORFORD, DORIS YORKE.

DOROTHY HOGBEN and her ORCHESTRA,

PHILIP RIDGEWAY.

The Ridgeway Parade - Regional Programme London, 16 December 1931 20.00

(New Series-No. VI) HAPPY NIGHT. A SONG AND DANCE SHOW Written by HOLT MARVELL and PHILIP RIDGEWAY.

Musical arrangements by DOROTHY HOGBEN.

Devised and produced by PHILIP RIDGEWAY.

HERMIONE GINGOLD, GERALD OSBORNE, IRENE VERE, BERTHA WILLMOTT, BERT MEREDITH, SINCLAIR COLE, JOHN CHARLTON. FRED CURTIS, DOROTHY DAMPIER, ANNA DAY, ALEXANDER HENDERSON , DORIS YORKE, WALLACE MORFORD, JACK HODGES, PADDY PRIOR, BEATRICE GALLEWAY, LOLA GORDON, DOUGLAS PEMBERTON.

DOROTHY HOGBEN and her ORCHESTRA

PHILIP RIDGEWAY 

MURRAY ASHFORD'S ENTERTAINERS - Regional Programme Midland, 17 June 1932 18.30 From THE PAVILION, JEPHSON GARDENS, LEAMINGTON SPA. WINIFRED SCOTT-BAXTER (Soprano), EDWARD WARD, (Baritone), CLIFFORD WARREN (Entertainer), PADDY PRIOR (Soubrette), MARIE GROS (Comedienne), DOROTHY BRADSHAW (at the Piano), FRANK RYDON (Light Comedian), WILBY LUNN and CONNIE HART (Living Marionettes).

MANY interesting personalities are associated with Murray Ashford's Entertainers. Paddy Prior is familiar to admirers of the Ridgeway Parade, Marie Gros is the niece of the late Marie Lloyd and sings many of her songs, while Edward Ward has appeared in several Drury Lane successes.

  
Like Webster she was a member of the Concert Artistes’ Association, and it was there that she first heard Webster sing. In an interview with W.S. Meadmore in Gramophone in November 1935, Webster described his meeting with Paddy. He was singing One Alone from The Desert Song when his attention was drawn to her seated in the audience, obviously enjoying his singing. They were introduced after the concert and married on 10 October 1932. 

One Alone

Paddy and Webster lived at Crescent Court, Golders Green Crescent, Golders Green during their marriage (above).

















Piccadilly Revels, Scarborough 1933 

Paddy Prior (middle row left), Webster Booth (seated next to her)

The following year they worked together in Murray Ashford and Wilby Lunn’s Piccadilly Revels for the summer season at the Floral Hall, Scarborough, and in 1934 they were members of Powis Pinder’s Sunshine concert party at the Sunshine Theatre, Shanklin. Arthur Askey and Bernard Lee were also in this company.

 Paddy Prior (extreme left) Webster Booth (standing behind Arthur Askey) Sunshine Concert Party, Shanklin 1934

At the end of 1934 Webster was chosen to play Faust in the film, The Faust Fantasy and Anne Ziegler was chosen to play Marguerite. Filming began in December and, according to Anne and Webster’s joint autobiography Duet, they fell in love. Paddy’s marriage to Webster was about to end before it had properly begun.

 Filming Faust (1934/1935)

Webster and Paddy continued to work together for several years after his meeting with Anne. 

In May 1935 they did an extensive broadcast together with Harry Bidgood and Sydney Jerome, accompanying on two pianos - A Musical Comedy Pot-Pourri. Paddy must have been delighted to take part in this broadcast and to sing several duets with Webster. Little did she know then that a few years later her perfect marriage would be at an end. 

Here are the details of that broadcast from Daventry at 5pm:

The first duet Webster and Paddy sang was Just Suppose from So This is Love:

Two of the duets which Webster and Paddy sang in the broadcast were: Fancy Me Meeting You (Hit the Deck by Yeomans) sung here by Binnie Hale. Click on the link to listen.

Who? (Sunny by Jerome Kern) sung here by Binnie Hale and Jack Buchanan. Click on the link to listen.

As Binnie Hale is the archetypal soubrette, I dare say that Paddy's mezzo soprano  voice was similar to Binnie's.

In October of the same year Webster sang in an early broadcast with Anne Ziegler, several years before Paddy divorced him - the programme was called Musical Comedy Moments.

Paddy and Webster's last professional appearance together was on 30 April 1936 when they performed at the City Musical Union’s 84^th Annual Dinner at the Holborn Restaurant. At the end of May of that year they were guests at the wedding of their friends, Violet Stevens and Bryan Courage.

But just over a year later, in July 1937 Anne and Webster sailed for New York, where Anne had been engaged to play in the musical, Virginia at the Center Theater. She had changed her name to Anne Booth for this production, after being advised that Americans disliked German-sounding names at that time, and also anticipating her eventual marriage to Webster. Webster returned to Southampton onboard the MV Georgic and gave his address as 74 Lauderdale Mansions, Maida Vale (Anne's flat), although he was still listed in the telephone directory as living in Crescent Court, Golders Green, where he and Paddy had spent their married life.

From the beginning of 1938 Anne and Webster began taking engagements together, while poor Paddy filed for divorce on 29 March 1938 “on the grounds of his adultery in April 1937, with Miss Irene Eastwood, otherwise Miss Anne Zeigler (sic), singer…”

In September 1938 before Webster's divorce from Paddy had been finalised, Anne was featured on the cover of Radio Pictorial sporting an opulent diamond solitaire engagement ring  and on 7 October 1938 the absolute decree was granted to Paddy Prior against Webster Booth.

 


After the divorce Paddy moved to 14 Muswell Hill Road, sharing her new home with a young Welsh singer, Bettie Bucknelle, who had made her debut on radio in Band Waggon, which starred Arthur Askey and Richard Murdoch. 

Bettie's photo appeared on the sheet music of So Deep is the Night, just as Anne and Webster's photo had appeared on the same sheet music in 1941.

Anne and Webster were married on 5 November 1938 and went on to even greater success as romantic duettists on the variety stage during the war. I always felt very sorry for Paddy having to watch Anne and Webster obtaining great fame in the theatre while she never achieved great fame despite being a talented and hard working performer. 

Witcock and Rutherford's WEST-END VANITIES  - Regional Programme London, 21 December 1938 16.30 Helen Hill, Paddy Prior, Jean Forbes-Macintyre, Lucas Bassett, Bradley Harris, Derek Moreland, Frank Wilcock, Tubby Harold .

Introduced by Harry S. Pepper.

The Folkestone Bouquets. Paddy Prior, middle row (extreme right) 1939.

ROUND THE CONCERT PARTIES, No. - Regional Programme London, 28 July 1939 20.30 A composite programme of excerpts from three concert parties –DAZZLE Presented by Eric Ross from Pierrot Land, Bognor Regis - Ida Williams, John Lovering, Barbara Wells, Fred Gibson, Eric Ross, Ted Andrews, The Dazzle Girls, Joan Pendleton, Violet Shute, Beryl Pryer and Phyllis Revell.

SUMMER FOLLIES Presented by Will Catlin, Devised and produced by Harry Bright from the Arcadia Theatre, Llandudno. Phil Strickland, The Carlyle Cousins, Terry and Doris Kendall, Ross Eaves, Marion Francis, Sydney Snape, Vera Kitchen, Leslie Moorhouse, Joan Cowley, The Mayfair Dancers,Wagstaff's Zelo Orchestra.

1939 FOLKESTONE BOUQUETS Presented by Wilby Lunn from the Marine Gardens Pavilion, Folkestone. Betty Pugh Bruce Clark, Dorothy Bradshaw, Harold Stead, Paddy Prior, Stock Wynn, George Carden, The Mariajanos, Marguerite Lome, Eileen Lome, Hylda Burdon, Ruby Savage, Wilby Lunn and Connie Hart.

The programme presented by Harry S. Pepper

A show in 1941.

Paddy continued with her theatrical career and when war broke out she joined ENSA. Here is a photograph of Paddy entertaining the troops during World War 2.

 Signatures of Paddy and other members of ENSA after entertaining at Clare Hall, South Mimms in 1943.

She and Bettie Bucknelle entertained British forces in the Middle East, and returned to England in 1946. In 1947 she did a summer season with the Oval Entertainers, Margate, where a reviewer described her as “a gay young lady with a sparkling sense of humour as fresh as Margate’s famous sea breezes.”.

Here is a photo of Paddy Prior at the Old Vicarage, Newquay, Cornwall shortly after the war. She and Webster had spent their honeymoon in Newquay in October 1932. Although she looks perfectly happy and attractive in this photo I wonder what her thoughts were at returning to Newquay again.

On 22 April 1948 she and Bettie Bucknelle sailed for Australia, where they intended to make a new life. Paddy's brother had settled there in the late 1920s. It must have been upsetting for Paddy to see Webster and Anne as established stars while, despite her considerable talent, she had not made a big and lasting name for herself. 

Extract from passenger list to Australia. 

27th May 1948. Paddy is actually on the left; Bettie on the right.

Later that year Anne and Webster made an extensive and triumphant concert tour of New Zealand and Australia. They heard that Paddy and Bettie had booked seats in the front row for one of their concerts in Sydney. Webster feared that they might be planning an unpleasant demonstration against them at this concert. He was asked whether he could recommend Paddy as understudy to Cicely Courtneidge in the play, Under the Counter, which meant that she would have to leave for New Zealand to rehearse the understudy role. Paddy had played the lead in a Scottish tour of Lido Lady in the late twenties, the same role in which Cicely had starred in London a few years earlier. He had no hesitation in making this recommendation, so Paddy was not able to attend the concert as she had to go to New Zealand right away to begin understudy rehearsals.

There is evidence of Bettie Bucknelle singing in a number of broadcasts in Australia such as The Caltex Show and broadcasts with the famous band leader Jay Wilbur, but I could not find out anything about Paddy’s Australian theatrical career. In a 1949 electoral register, she is listed as a housewife! If anyone can give me any further information about what happened to her in Australia I would be very glad if they could contact me. 

Shortly after Anne and Webster returned to the UK from South Africa in 1978, a letter arrived for Webster from Paddy who was still living in Australia. She said he would be welcome to visit her if he ever decided to go out there. Anne did not show the letter to Webster!

Jeannie C

October 2009
Updated 19 July, 2016.