BROADCASTING (1936 - 1937)

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ROMANCE IN RHYTHM - National Programme Daventry, 4 January 1936 20.30 GERALDO AND HIS ORCHESTRA (By permission of the Savoy Hotel, Ltd.) with WEBSTER BOOTH, ANGELA PARSELLES, THE GERALDETTES and THE TOPHATTERS
This evening Geraldo, who has won fame for his Dancing Through and Chateau de Madrid, is to give the first of three broadcasts under this title. Much as Frank Black did in Five Hours Back Geraldo aims at showing what good melodies lie hidden in the modern dance tune, usually sacrificed to the accentuation of the dance rhythm. In these shows listeners will hear how a large orchestra such as Geraldo’s can convert the slightly monotonous native rhythm of a dance tune into the big sweeping phrases of a symphony.

ROMANCE IN RHYTHM was a weekly series of programmes in which Webster Booth featured regularly with an assortment of other singers. I have not included every programme in the series - only the ones in which different singers appeared.


FRED HARTLEY AND HIS NOVELTY QUINTET - Regional Programme London, 8 January 1936 21.00 with WEBSTER BOOTH (Tenor) Memories of Schubert (All arrangements by FRED HARTLEY) 

MUSICAL MOMENTS - Regional Programme Midland, 15 January 1936 20.35

Presented by ROBERT TREDINNICK,with DOROTHY LEIGH, WEBSTER BOOTH, MARGARET ABLETHORPE, JACK WILSON and ROBERT TREDINNICK.

22nd February 1936 - SONGS FROM THE SHOWS, NO. 42, Contrasting Composers 6: Franz Lehar, Howard Talbot, Nat D. Ayer, and Arthur Schwartz Finale; with W. H. Berry, Jean Colin, Webster Booth, Sylvia Cecil, Marjorie Stedeford, Fred Conyngham and the Three Ginx, the BBC Variety Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Hyam Greenbaum: at the pianos, Harry S. Pepper and Doris Arnold; compère, John Watt.
Tonight four composers of very different types and periods are to be contrasted. One – Franz Lehar , representing romantic music, from The Merry Widow waltz to You are my heart's delight. Two –Howard Talbot , representing old musical comedy. He wrote the music for The Mousmé and The Arcadians with Lionel Monckton. Three –Nat D. Aver, representing old-time revue. He wrote the music for The Bing Boys, which was the rage in London during the War, with song hits like Baby Bunting and The only girt in the world. Four – Arthur Schwartz, representing new-time revue. He wrote numbers in The House that Jack Built and Stop Press, to say nothing to writing the music for the newest revue of all, Follow The Sun, which opened at the Adelphi Theatre, London, on February 4.

29 January 1936 - Nottingham Post - Broadcast. 
WHATS IN A NAME? or ROMANCE IN RETROSPECT, another musical mélange with Raymond Newell, Webster Booth, Mavis Bennett-Levin, Jack Wilson, BBC Midland Revue Chorus and Midland orchestra.

Friday 21 February 1936 20.00

Songs from the Shows: No.42: Contrasting Composers: 6

BBC National programme

Franz Lehar, Howard Talbot, Nat D. Ayer, and Arthur Schwartz - 

Finale Cast:
W. H. Berry
Jean Colin
Webster Booth
Sylvia Cecil
Fred Conyngham
The Three Ginx
The BBC Variety Orchestra and Chorus, Conducted by Hyam Greenbaum
At the Pianos, Harry S. Pepper and Doris Arnold
Compere, John Watt
Tonight four composers of very different types and periods are to be contrasted.
One - Franz Lehar, representing romantic music, from The Merry Widow waltz to You are my heart's delight.

Two - Howard Talbot, representing old musical comedy. He wrote the music for The Mousmé and The Arcadians with Lionel Monckton.

Three - Nat D. Aver, representing old-time revue. He wrote the music for The Bing Boys, which was the rage in London during the War, with song hits like Baby Bunting and The only girl in the world.

Four - Arthur Schwartz, representing new-time revue. He wrote numbers in The House that Jack Built and Stop Press, to say nothing to writing the music for the newest revue of all, Follow The Sun, which opened at the Adelphi Theatre, London, on February 4. Listeners will remember the first-night broadcast.
Songs from the Shows will be repeated in the Regional programme tomorrow at
4.15.

THE OLD BALLAD CONCERTS – 5 - Regional Programme Northern Ireland, 26 February 1936 20.15 WEBSTER BOOTH (tenor), MALCOLM McEACHERN (bass), THE GRESHAM SINGERS

THE BBC THEATRE ORCHESTRA

Leader, MONTAGUE BREARLEY
Arranged and conducted by STANFORD ROBINSON (From Regional)

Regional Saturday 8.30 ROMANCE IN RHYTHM Geraldo and his Orchestra, with Webster Booth, Olive Groves, Carlyle Cousins, the Romantic Young ladies, and the Tophatters, compered by Leslie Mitchell.

10th March 1936 Scottish National - 8.30 ROMANCE IN RHYTHM: Geraldo and his Orchestra (by permission of the Savoy Hotel, Ltd); with Webster Booth, Olive Groves, the Radio Three, the Romantic Young Ladies, and the Tophatters; compered by Leslie Mitchell.

ROMANCE IN RHYTHM – GERALDO AND HIS ORCHESTRA - Regional Programme London, 20 April 1936 20.00

(By permission of the Savoy Hotel, Ltd.) with OLIVE GROVES, WEBSTER BOOTH, THE CARLYLE Cousins, THE ROMANTIC YOUNG LADIES and THE TOPHATTERS.

Compered by LESLIE MITCHELL

ROMANCE IN RHYTHM – GERALDO AND HIS ORCHESTRA (SERIES) - National Programme Daventry, 12 May 1936 20.30. (By permission of the Savoy Hotel, Ltd) with OLIVE GROVES, WEBSTER BOOTH, THE CARLYLE COUSINS, THE ROMANTIC YOUNG LADIES and THE TOPHATTERS  Compered by LESLIE MITCHELL


MIRIAM LICETTE (soprano), WEBSTER BOOTH (tenor) MARY ABBOTT (pianoforte) - Regional Programme Midland, 15 June 1936 21.30
                                                          
                                                                

Miriam Licette

ROMANCE IN RHYTHM - GERALDO AND HIS ORCHESTRA - National Programme Daventry, 7 July 1936 20.00 (By permission of the Savoy Hotel, Ltd.) with OLIVE GROVES, WEBSTER BOOTH, THE RADIO THREE, THE TOP HATTERS and THE ROMANTIC YOUNG LADIES. The Programme announced by the Television Announcers ELIZABETH COWELL, JASMINE BLIGH and LESLIE MITCHELL
Geraldo backed a winner in Dancing Through; he has hacked another in Romance and Rhythm. It was his own idea, and so well has he carried it out that this is the eleventh edition.

Olive Groves, whose voice is always so effective on the air, has been in all but the first two broadcasts, when she was already working. Webster Booth has missed only one, when he was singing in Hiawatha at the Royal Albert Hall. The Romantic Young Ladies, the Top Hatters (men), and those well-known favourites the Radio Three (girls) all contribute to the singing of the great jazz numbers past and present that Geraldo has collected.

A feature of the programme is that the three Television Announcers are to be on the air together for the first time.                       Olive Groves

23rd July 1936 - Geraldo and his orchestra come before the microphone again on the Scottish National wavelength at 8.0 with ROMANCE IN RHYTHM. This programme will be compered by Leslie Mitchell, and Esther Coleman, Webster Booth, the Radio Three; the Romantic Young Ladies will also take part.

6.0 ROMANCE IN RHYTHM with Geraldo and his orchestra, compered by Leslie Mitchell, with Esther Coleman, Webster Booth, the Radio Three, The Top Hatters, The Romantic Young Ladies, and Arthur Tracey, the Street Singer.

FRED HARTLEY AND HIS NOVELTY QUINTET (SERIES) with WEBSTER BOOTH - National Programme Daventry, 4 August 1936 18.39. Souvenirs of Song No. 36 (All arrangements by Fred Hartley )

18th August 1936 6.30 THE TUNE YOU HEARD: A Selection of Original Tunes from recent Midland Productions; presented by Martyn C Webster; with Marjery Wyn, Webster Booth, the Southern Sisters, and the Revue Orchestra, conducted by Reginald Burston, from Midland.

CHARLES ERNESCO AND HIS QUINTET (SERIES) with WEBSTER BOOTH - National Programme Daventry, 21 August 1936 18.30

SHREWSBURY CARNIVAL CONCERT - Regional Programme Midland, 6 September 1936 21.00 from the Granada Theatre, Shrewsbury
GARDA HALL (soprano), WEBSTER BOOTH (tenor), RONALD GOURLEY (entertainer), THE ALFREDO CAMPOLI TRIO 

A HUNDRED YEARS OF OPERETTA - National Programme Daventry, 22 October 1936 18.40

THE BBC THEATRE ORCHESTRA

Leader, MONTAGUE BREARLEY

Conducted by VICTOR REINSHAGEN

WEBSTER BOOTH (tenor)

 21st November 1936 - A concert by The BBC Theatre orchestra (Conductors: Jean Gilbert and Harold Lowe) Tessa Deane (Soprano), Webster Booth (Tenor).

THE BBC THEATRE ORCHESTRA - National Programme Daventry, 21 November 1936 20.15

Leader, MONTAGUE BREARLEY

Conducted by HAROLD LOWE AND JEAN GILBERT

Music by Jean Gilbert conducted by The composer

TESSA DEANE (soprano) WEBSTER BOOTH (tenor)

ORCHESTRAL Selection: The Lady of the Rose

TESSA DEANE, WEBSTER BOOTH AND ORCHESTRA

Duet from Katja the Dancer

ORCHESTRA

Selection: The Girl in the Taxi

 27th November 1936 -Scottish 4.0 INCIDENTAL TO A PLAY: A Programme of Songs and Selections from the Legitimate Stage; devised by Douglas Moodie; Musical arrangements by Harry Bidgood; produced by William MacLurg, with Raymond Newell, Irene North, Webster Booth, Elsie French, Ivan Samson, and Douglas Moodie; Jack Clarke (Piano)

A WISP OF LACE - Regional Programme London, 27 November 1936 16.00

A Miniature Musical Play - Story, lyrics, and music by VIVIEN LAMBELET

Cast with Gustave Ferrari, Sydney Russell, and others.

Harry Bidgood 's Septet and a Section of the BBC Chorus under the direction of Harry Bidgood

Production by William MacLurg

A programme broadcast each Friday to listeners at home and in the Empire.

Characters

Lady Rosemary: Vivien Lambelet

Sir Julian Garde and The Highwayman: Raymond Newell

Lord Charles Melton: Webster Booth

Maryon: Irene North and Gustave Ferrari, Sydney Russel

MESSIAH - Regional Programme Midland, 15 December 1936 19.30

The Oratorio by Handel from the Albert Hall, Nottingham - Part I

THE NOTTINGHAM HARMONIC SOCIETY, STILES ALLEN (soprano), MARY JARRED (contralto), WEBSTER BOOTH (tenor), WILLIAM PARSONS (bass), HAROLD DAWBER (organ)

THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM ORCHESTRA

Leader, ALFRED CAVE

Conducted by LESLIE HEWARD

HEDDLE NASH and MARIA ELSNER IN GYPSY LOVE - National Programme Daventry, 31 December 1936 21.20

Freely adapted for Broadcasting from the English Libretto by Basil Hood.

Lyrics by ADRIAN Ross; Music by FRANZ LEHAR.

Violin solos by Rae Jenkins

The BBC Revue Chorus and The BBC Theatre Orchestra

Conducted by Stanford Robinson

The production by Gordon McConnel. Gypsy Love will be broadcast again tomorrow in the Regional programme at 8 45

Characters

Ilona,Dragotin's Daughter: Maria Elsner

Jolan, Dragotin's Niece: Helen Crerar

Jozsi, a Gypsy Musician: Heddle Nash

Dragotin, a Rumanian Noble: Horace Percival

Jonel, betrothed to Ilona: Webster Booth

Katejan, a Shy Young Man: Dudley Rolph

Lady Babby, an English Lady: Ursula Hughes

Andor, an Innkeeper: Alfredo Tomasini

Zorika, a Gypsy Girl: Doris Gilmore

1st January 1937
8.45 GYPSY LOVE: Freely adapted for broadcasting from the English Libretto by Basil Hood: Lyrics by Adrian Ross; Music by Franz Lehar; produced by Gordon McConnel, with Maria Elsner, Heddle Nash, Helen Crerar (by permission of Sidney Carroll), Horace Percival, Webster Booth, Dudley Rolph, Ursula Hughes, Alfredo Tomasini, Doris Gilmore; Rae Jenkins (Violin Solos); the BBC Revue Orchestra.

 9th January 1937 - Tomorrow - At 6.30, No 11 of VICTORIAN MELODIES will be presented by Nora Gruhn, Webster Booth, and Appleton Moore, with the BBC Revue Chorus and Theatre Orchestra.

WILD VIOLETS - Regional Programme Midland, 1 February 1937 20.00

A Musical Comedy Operetta by Bruno Hardt-Warden

Music by Robert Stolz

Adapted for Broadcasting from the English Version by Holt Marvell , Hassard Short , Desmond Carter, and Reginald Purdell

The BBC Chorus and Girls of Midland Revue Chorus,

The Revue Orchestra Conducted by Reginald Burston

Production by Martyn C. Webster

Characters

Paul Hoffmann: Webster Booth

Otto Bergman: Frank Drew

Erik Schmidt: Gordon Little

Madame Hoffmann: Dorothy Summers

Yvonne Dupres: Vera Ashe

Liesil: Marjorie Westbury

Mitzi: Mary Pollock

Lena: Elizabeth Mooney

Augusta: Vivienne Chatterton

Hans: Ernest Butcher

Algernon Rutherford: John Lang

Mary: Sylvia Welling

Dr Franck: Stuart Vinden

Carl Hoffmann: John Bentley

Greta: Barbara Helliwell

Narrator: Hugh Morton

MASCULINE FAME ON PARADE - National Programme Daventry, 9 February 1937 20.15

A Satirical Revue of Yesterday's Heroes

Book and Lyrics by Joan Young;  Music by Nene Smith

Additional Numbers - Cavaliers and Roundheads and King John by Ronnie Munro John Rorke, Webster Booth, Geoffrey Wincott, Max Kirby, Middleton Woods, Brough Robertson, Cyril Fletcher, Stanley Hoban

Commere, Joan Young

The BBC Variety Orchestra and BBC Male Voice Chorus conducted by Charles Shadwell

At the Theatre Organ, Reginald Foort

Solo violin, Rae Jenkins

Arrangements by Ronnie Munro

Produced by Douglas Moodie

THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY'S CONCERT - Regional Programme London, 11 February 1937 20.15 from Queen's Hall, London

THE HUDDERSFIELD CHORAL SOCIETY

ISOBEL BAILLIE (soprano) ELSIE SUDDABY (soprano) WEBSTER BOOTH (tenor) GEORGE HANCOCK (baritone)

THE LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

Conducted by MALCOLM SARGENT
(Sole Lessees, Messrs. Chappell and Co., Ltd.)

I REMEMBER - Regional Programme Midland, 24 February 1937 21.00

Presented by Percy Edgar

Marjorie Westbury (soprano), Webster Booth (tenor), Cuthbert Ford (baritone)

The BBC Midland Revue Chorus and The Revue Orchestra

Conducted by Reginald Burston

25th February 1937 Later Webster Booth sings in a concert with the BBC Theatre Orchestra.

10.20 The BBC Theatre Orchestra, conducted by Stanford Robinson with Webster Booth (tenor)

IVY ST. HELIER - Regional Programme London, 23 March 1937 19.45

and DAVY BURNABY in Let's Sing Something ENTRE NOUS

Irene Eisinger (soprano), Arnold Matters (baritone) Webster Booth (tenor) Esther Coleman (contralto)

The Pianists Gwen Williams, Wilfrid Parry

The Comperes: Ivy St. Helier and Davy Burnaby

Production by Gordon McConnel

CONCERT BY - Regional Programme London, 24 April 1937 19.30

The Railway Clearing House Male Voice Choir

Janet Howe (contralto), Webster Booth (tenor)

Ernest Lush (solo pianoforte)
Conductor, Stanford Robinson from the Kingsway Hall

MOZART - Regional Programme Midland, 28 April 1937 19.40

A Musical Biography - No. 4, Vienna, Earlier Years
Arranged and Presented by Eric Blom and Leslie Heward

Noel Eadie (soprano), Marjorie Westbury (soprano), Webster Booth (tenor), Geoffrey Dams (tenor)

The Griller String Quartet: Sydney Griller (first violin); Jack O'Brien (second violin);  Philip Burton (viola) ; Colin Hampton (violoncello)

The BBC Midland Orchestra led by Ernest Element

Conducted by Leslie Heward

Illustrations will be drawn from the following works:

Allegro moderato 1 (String Andante Quartet) Allegretto ma non tropppo (K. 421) Finale, Act II, Seraglio (K. 384)

Constanze, NOEL EADIE

 Blonde, MARJORIE WESTBURY

 Belmonte, WEBSTER BOOTH

 Pedrillo, GEOFFREY DAMS
Andante ] (Haffner Symphony) Minuet (K. 384)

3rd April 1937 Scottish National Sunday 7.0-7.50 VICTORIAN MELODIES; NO 13: A Musical Sequence; produced and conducted by Mark H. Lubbock, with Webster Booth (Tenor), Appleton Moore (Baritone), the BBC Revue Chorus and the BBC Theatre Orchestra.

17th April 1937 - Tomorrow At 9.5 Heinz and Robert Scholz will give a recital on two pianos; after which Webster Booth will sing with the BBC Variety Orchestra.
9.40 The BBC Variety Orchestra, conducted by Charles Shadwell; Webster Booth (Tenor) Arthur Sandford (Solo Pianoforte); Robert Hanlon (Solo Flute)
24th April 1937 Regional – Saturday  7.30 Concert by the Railway Clearing House Male Voice Choir; Janet Howe (Contralto): Webster Booth (Tenor); Ernest Lush (Solo Pianoforte); conductor, Stanford Robinson, from the Kingsway Hall.

MOZART - Regional Programme Midland, 28 April 1937 19.40

A Musical Biography - No. 4, Vienna, Earlier Years
Arranged and Presented by Eric Blom and Leslie Heward

Noel Eadie (soprano), Marjorie Westbury (soprano), Webster Booth (tenor), Geoffrey Dams (tenor)

The Griller String Quartet: Sydney Griller (first violin); Jack O'Brien (second violin);  Philip Burton (viola) ; Colin Hampton (violoncello)

The BBC Midland Orchestra led by Ernest Element

Conducted by Leslie Heward

Illustrations will be drawn from the following works:

Allegro moderato 1 (String Andante Quartet) Allegretto ma non tropppo (K. 421) Finale, Act II, Seraglio (K. 384)

Constanze, NOEL EADIE

 Blonde, MARJORIE WESTBURY

 Belmonte, WEBSTER BOOTH

 Pedrillo, GEOFFREY DAMS
Andante ] (Haffner Symphony) Minuet (K. 384) 

I REMEMBER - Regional Programme Midland, 10 May 1937 19.30

Presented by Percy Edgar with Olive Groves (soprano), Webster Booth (tenor), Harold Casey (baritone)

The BBC Midland Revue Chorus and The BBC Midland Orchestra

Conducted by Reginald Burston

This programme will recall the songs, tunes, and type of entertainment that were popular about the time of the accession and Coronation of Edward VII. Except that the period drawn upon will be more restricted, it will follow the general lines of the I Remember programme broadcast in February.

 14th May 1937 Scottish National Programme Songs I like Webster Booth (tenor)

VICTORIAN MELODIES No. 15 -National Programme Daventry, 23 May 1937 21.05

A Musical Sequence
Produced and conducted by Mark H. Lubbock

with Webster Booth (tenor) and Harold Williams (baritone)

The BBC Revue Chorus and The BBC Theatre Orchestra

Leader, Montague Brearley

THE TUNE YOU HEARD - Regional Programme Midland, 9 June 1937 20.00

A Pot-Pourri of numbers from Midland Shows with Webster Booth, Marjorie Westbury

The Midland Revue Chorus and The Revue Orchestra

Conducted by Reginald Burston

Compere, Hugh Morton

The programme devised by Martyn C. Webster

AMERICA CABARET AND BROADCASTS 1937
While Anne starred in Virginia as Anne Booth in New York, Webster did a few broadcasts with Will Rogers and sang at the Rainbow Room, New York.

20th September 1937 - 7.35 Webster Booth, with the BBC Revue Chorus.

24th September 1937 LIONEL AND CLARISSA - National Programme Daventry, 24 September 1937 16.00 a Comic Opera in a Pastoral Setting; written in 1768 by Isaac Bickerstaff; music by Charles Dibdin; adapted for broadcasting by Ursula Branston, music arranged by Alfred Reynolds; produced by William MacLurg, with Arthur Fayne, Foster Richardson, Webster Booth, Gordon Little, Frank Drew, Brember Wills, Kathleen Burgis, Jessica Page, Barbara Cochran-Carr, Colleen Clifford; orchestra led by Victor Olof, conducted by Jack Clarke.

Sir John Flowerdale: Arthur Fayne
Colonel Oldboy: Foster Richardson
Lionel: Webster Booth
Mr Jessamy: Gordon Little
Harman: Frank Drew
Jenkins: Brember Wills
Clarissa: Kathleen Burgis
Lady Mary Oldboy: Jessica Page
Jenny: Barbara Cochran-Carr

(Empire Programme)
Isaac Bickerstaff's pastoral comic opera, Lionel and Clarissa, was written in 1768 and produced at Covent Garden the same year with music by Charles Dibdin. Lionel and Clarissa is a typical late eighteenth-century piece. It obviously belongs to the world of She Stoops to Conquer and the comedies of Sheridan, and the characters -the earnest tutor who falls in love with the gentle heroine while teaching her astronomy, Colonel Oldboy, the sporting squire, and his foppish son - are all conceived in the convention of the period.

In adapting the piece for broadcasting, Ursula Branston has worked from the text used in Nigel Playfair 's production at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, in 1925. Alfred Reynolds 's arrangement of Dibdin's music, made for that production, will also be used.

THE BBC VARIETY ORCHESTRA - National Programme Daventry, 30 September 1937 22.30 Leader, Frank Cantell

Conducted by Charles Shadwell

Webster Booth (tenor), Robert Hanlon (Solo Flute)

HERO AND HEROINE National Programme Daventry, 24 October 1937 21.05

A Programme of Songs and Duets from Famous Operettas, with Hella Langdon (soprano), Webster Booth (tenor) and The BBC Theatre Orchestra.

 The programme arranged and conducted by Stanford Robinson

THE CREATION - Regional Programme Midland, 6 November 1937 19.30

by Haydn with Nora Gruhn (soprano), Webster Booth (tenor), Norman Walker (bass)

The Derby Choral Union

The City of Birmingham Orchestra

Leader, Alfred Cave

Conducted by Harold Gray from the Drill Hall, Derby

FRENCH OPERA BOUFFE - Regional Programme Midland, 4 December 1937 21.10 - A programme selected from the works of famous composers of French Comic Opera.

Marjorie Westbury (soprano), Webster Booth (tenor), Gabriel Lavelle (baritone)

The BBC Midland Singers - Chorus Master, Edgar Morgan

The BBC Midland Orchestra Led by Ernest Element Conducted by Reginald Burston

28th December 1937 Fred Hartley and his Sextet, Webster Booth (tenor). All arrangements by Fred Hartley.

THE VOICE OF ROMANCE – Webster Booth appeared as the supposedly anonymous  Voice of Romance with Fred Hartley’s sextet. The sextet included Hugo Rignold (violin), George Melachrino (clarinet) and Fred Hartley (piano). The Voice of Romance featuring Webster Booth

Jean Collen

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Updated 6 June 2016