The Albert de Courville Story
Written by Gale Pedrick
Narrated by Henry Oscar
The Singers:
Billie Baker , Joan Young
Clarence Weight
BBC Chorus
(Chorus-Master, Leslie Woodgate )
BBC Concert Orchestra
(Leader. John Sharpe )
Conductor, Charles Mackerras
Programme produced by John Tylee
A magic still lingers about thename of Albert de Courville , whose spectacular shows adorned the London Hippodrome around the 1920s. He brought colourful and exciting shows to a people who were tired of the drab austerity of everyday life. His successes began with Hullo, Ragtime in 1912, and many middle-aged listeners will find among their souvenirs the programmes of de Courville shows with such titles as Razzle- Dazzle, Zig-Zag, The Whirligig, The Whirl of the World, and Jig-Saw. It was de Courville who first brought the music of George Gershwin to this country, and the companies he engaged sparkled with famous names.