Michael Craig continues the stories of the men who create our world of entertainment Val Parnell : Part 2
He was the first British impresario to be dubbed Mr Show Business. His is a story of achievement: Val Parnell , perhaps more than any other man, revived the world of Variety.
I'd had a very bad patch, and he asked me to come back to the London Palladium, and I went back as bottom of the bill, and I had been top. I slunk into the theatre, I was very down - I'd lost my confidence and Val Parnell didn'alter his attitude to me one whit. (FRANKIE HOWERD) When it came to actually putting me in a show he baulked at that, he didn'like the idea of the business saying, Oh he's only getting on because his uncle's Val Parnell ' - that was always something he dreaded. (JACK PARNELL ) I don'think he's ever been equalled for putting together a bill, so that all bis acts achieved maximum impact.
(ALEC SHANKS) with Aileen Cochrane
Frankie Howerd Leslie Macdonnel
Robert Nesbitt. Jack Parnell Alec Shanks
Research BILL SULLIVAN Written by FRANK SALTER
Producer DAVID RAYVERN ALLEN