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| Ralph Reader |
Hi guys, sorry this is
a bit late. Had a busy weekend, and next weekend will prove to be even busier!
But never fear, the show must go on, and so shall this blog!
After our brief
history lesson last week on how Gang Show started, I thought this week we would
look at the one person in particular who is responsible for all of it.
Affectionately known as 'The father of Gang Show', we're going to look at the
wonderful Ralph Reader.
William Henry Ralph
Reader was born on 25th May 1903 in Crewkerne, Somerset, England, the son of a
Salvation Army bandmaster. Joining the Scouts aged eleven, he began
his theatrical career by putting on Scout Shows as a Patrol Leader in the 2nd
Newhaven, Denton and Heighton Troop. After working in USA in various menial
jobs, while he acted and directed in off-Broadway shows, he returned to England
where he continued producing and choreographing several West End
productions.
So how did he actually
start the gang show? Well in his words...
"My tale really begins on the day I met the Holborn Rovers, and -almost before I knew it- became one of them. It was for these boys that I wrote all the sketches and songs for a single concert. It was the first time I'd ever attempted such a thing. Not that I was ever very happy about that word "concert". You see, my life had been spent in the professional theatre, first as an actor and producer on New York's famous Broadway, and then in London. Indeed, when the plans for the first "Gang Show" were being laid, I was rehearsing a new show at the Palace Theatre. No, I was determined, once we were committed, that any entertainment we would put on with the Holborn Rovers and their friends would be a real production: no trek-cart displays or drilling or any of the routine items which seemed always to be included in my Scout "concert".
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| Ralph Reader relaxing |
The Holborn Rovers
production went off without a hitch, and as a result, Ralph was asked to
produce another show, to help raise funds for a swimming pool at Downe Scout
Camp. As you will know from last week's blog, that was just the start of what
has culminated in an eighty year tradition of gang show. After the success of
the first gang show, Ralph was immediately asked to produce a second show. The
show was another sell out and continued to be produced right up until the out
break of World War II.
In 1939, following the
outbreak of the Second World War, Ralph was commissioned into the Royal Air
Force as an intelligence officer. As a cover for his activities, twelve members
of the pre-War Gang Shows were formed into the first Royal Air Force Gang Show.
The Royal Air Force saw this as a great opportunity for future Royal Air Force
Gang Shows to make perfect cover for Ralph’s activities. During the war years,
the London Gang Show had to cease production. However, Ralph Reader established
25 RAF Gang Show units. Gang Shows were even produced in POW camps, the gang
show spirit shining through in tough times. For his services to the Royal Air
Force, Ralph was awarded an M.B.E. of the Military Division 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. 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. With characteristic generosity, Ralph gave his vast store of
material for the use of the Scouts of the world for all time.
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. 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.
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| Ralph Reader's Blue Plaque |
Without his enthusiasm
and endless imagination, Gang Show wouldn't exist today. In his lifetime he
produced 19 shows on Broadway, 34 in London's West End and 50 shows in the
Royal Albert Hall. He also wrote 15 books of plays, played in five films and
composed over 400 songs. His prolific output of sketches, songs, and musical
numbers ensure his spirit lives on in the lives of each new gang show member
all around the world.
As I mentioned last week, we're celebrating the 80th Anniversary of Gang Shows, and on 10th June at the Birmingham Hippodrome a special one off gang show is being staged. Tickets are still available and four of our own SE Berks cast members will be taking part. It wouldn't be a gang show without featuring at least one of Ralph Reader's songs, so if you want to hear the songs for yourself, be sure to go and watch. For more information and to buy tickets, go to their website here. Remember to say which gang show you're from though!
Whatcha
Gotta do?
Smile!!!
I was not only a personal friend of Ralph, but, honored as non-actor, my parents and I were asked by him to appear on the stage of the Royal Albert Hall in approximately 1962 for The Burma Reunion - as ' my Salvation Army family ' - I forget his exact words. Yet he became my second father, that in every way advised me until within about 5 months of his passing. I used to see him once or more a week for some years when he was retired, and he helped me to become a pianist-composer rather than a piano player. I saw all the Gang Shows from 1961 to 1974-5, and my own mother passed away within 5 days of his passing on 18th May 1982.
ReplyDeleteThe most important ethic that he instilled in me was to sit back and learn from the greats, and, such as these I am more than honored to have regarded, are such as Roger Rees. I guess my love for the theatre which was not initially there, was in essence, a bereft misplacing in my heart to the essence of the truer placing of History in the curriculum: to regard this our past as truly greater than the present, since the present by some psyche can not really exist can it?
Few will remember me, although I was always referred to others by him as Butch.
Of course, I guess Roger will have remembered my parents more than me, since my parents and his mother got on really well when we were happy then to watch various of Ralph's plays and shows.
Howard Cuell