Water Rat register Number: 627. Initiated into the Order on 13 June 1965.

Proposer: Past King Rat Cyril Dowler. Seconder: Past King Rat Johnnie Riscoe.

Elected to the Office of King Rat for 1987.

I wanted to write this because Danny proposed me for the Order back in 1987. As one half of The Simmons Brothers I did four pantos with him (1984,85,86,87) and two major tours.

Daniel Patrick Carroll came to England from Cork when he was nine years old in 1937. His first paid job (£1 a week) was at Coulson’s Store, Exeter High Street. He was in the bakery section but didn’t like the heat from the ovens! He then became a lift boy – taking customers to different floors in the store. A lady he met during this time told him not to waste his life and got him a trainee’s job as a window dresser at Huttons in Exeter. He also did a three year spell in the Royal Navy. Then went back to Huttons. He thought his life lay in the rag trade and in a way – it did. He was transferred from Huttons in Exeter to their Oxford Street, London store and started arranging lunchtime fashion shows for them.

Spells with amateur dramatic companies gave him the taste for performing and the rest – as they say – is history. He became one of this country’s biggest stars. In the sixties his club in Hanover Square was the place to see and be seen. He appeared in countless hit West End Shows, pantomimes, summer seasons and tours. He appeared on three Royal Variety Performances, starred in the film ‘Our Miss Fred’ and even had a hit record – ‘On Mother Kelly’s Doorstep’. He was made an OBE in 2002 and was our King Rat in 1987. As King he did a great deal to promote the Rats even going on televisions Des O’Connor Show wearing his King Rats collar. He really was a one off; a true star; generous to a fault and always confident of his own ability. Our first panto with Danny was Mother Goose at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth.

Producer Duncan Wheldon asked The Simmons Brothers to travel down to Plymouth for a press call in August where we would also meet Danny for the first time. We were doing Summer Season on the Isle of Wight and the only way we could do the trip was by plane. We got a guy to agree to fly us from Bembridge airport (a grass runway!) in a little Cessna and then fly us back in time for the evening show. At the Theatre Royal Danny introduced his driver and we said ‘This is our pilot’ – the only time we were ever able to upstage him!!

I am proud that I was able to organise a tribute luncheon on behalf of the Water Rats for Danny on Friday 30th September 2005. You can see some photographs from this function on our past events pages. It was a great day with excellent contributions from Barbara Windsor, Ronnie Corbett, Barry Cryer and Roy Hudd and of course, the man himself!

If you get a chance – have a read of ‘From Drags to Riches’, his autobiography, first published by Viking in 1987.

I am really glad too that I had the chance to work with Danny. On one of the tours I actually did a ‘double’ with him, with me as Tom Jones! And in pantomime we used to do a slapstick kitchen scene where no mess was to get on Dan at all! He once called Joe Church and me to his dressing room because we’d had a fit of the giggles on stage. Dan told us we had to control ourselves – next performance it was even worse! I think he gave up on us after that!

Danny La Rue was one of the great characters in our business. He will be sadly missed and will always be remembered by an adoring public who flocked to his shows when he was at the height of his popularity.

Past King Rat, Preceptor Keith Simmons BM RoY KRA

In Memoriam

Like the stars may you shine

Be faithful and true

'Til death takes you from us

Or us from you

Water Rat register Number: 667. Initiated into the Order on 9 June 1968.

Proposer: Chic Murray. Seconder: Pat Dodd.

The respectability that tap-dancing now has – a study in university, a subject for festivals and seminars – is a million miles away from the social brutality from which it emerged. There were many black brothers dancing in the Clark Brothers home town of Philadelphia of the 1920’s. There was a ruthlessly competitive hierarchy of street-corners – the better the performer the better the street they danced on. It is impossible to write about Jimmy without writing about his brother Steve. They could make rhythm ‘on the spot’, which was to come in useful in hotel lounges as well as clubs and theatres. They took any job they were offered and didn’t ask too many questions.

Mention of the Mafia, says Steve, brings forth many negative views. “But they were very good to us, protecting us from bigotry – though I guess they were protecting their investments.” Steve should know – because two of the most famous gangsters - Al Capone and Frank Costello, were investors in the Clark Brothers talents. Costello was the most devoted patron and the Boys were engaged to open the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. But the Brother’s were horrified to watch the routine humiliation dished out by Sinatra and his Rat Pack of their cousin – Sammy Davis junior.

When interviewing the Brothers most of the talking is done by Steve, the older brother by two years, because Jimmy is rather shy. The names of the rich and famous they met and worked with during their career is like a Who’s Who. The Brother’s first engagement was at the Cotton Club in Harlem – when they were 15 and 17 respectively. Steve briefly joined the Harlem Globetrotters, but before long he and Jimmy went off to join the legions of other tap-dancers working on the circuit of the black vaudeville theatres.

It was Frank Sinatra who suggested that they move to Britain after the War. In fact one of their first engagements was with Gracie Fields at a private performance at Windsor Castle for King George VI.

The Brothers opened a dance school – The University of Showbusiness – in London, where Cliff Richard and Bonnie Langford were among their pupils.

They were both members of the Grand Order of Water Rats and were always ready to perform at charity Shows, especially when they retired.. It was only when Jimmy started to have difficulties with his legs that they he stopped dancing.

Jimmy had five children – all but one of whom were able to attend his funeral in Dunstable.

Steve has now retired to Brinsworth House in Twickenham

For a great read about the Brothers, and their life, get a copy of “Living With Legends” by Steve Clark click here

Secretary to the Trustees, John Adrian

Water Rat register Number: 628. Initiated into the Order on 13 June 1965.

Proposer: Terry Cantor. Seconder: Kenny Cantor.

Of the hundreds of ventriloquists who entertain us with their dummies, the majority of the inanimate partners are cheeky and jolly characters. To the best of my knowledge only Neville King ambled onto the stage with a battered suitcase from which he fought to extract a grumpy and almost sinister creature known generally as the Old Man or Grandad. In Neville’s hands and with his brilliant wit the two of them had audiences doubled-up with laughter with in minutes of appearing.

Neville is said to have started his career in ventriloquism as a youngster, after asking his parents for a baby brother. He made his first public appearance at the Radford Methodist Church harvest festival where he sang, accompanied by a Charlie McCarthy-like doll bought for him by his father. The character of the Old Boy was inspired, according to his first wife June, by “a boozy old man we met outside a Sheffield pub”.

In 1964 he joined the TV show 'The Black & White Minstrel Show' and stayed with them for 18 years. In 1965 he was one of the chosen few to appear in the Royal Variety Show and two years later was back at the London Palladium before Princess Margaret at a Royal Gala.

Neville entertained the troops for the Combined Services Entertainments in Ireland, South America, Cyprus and Germany. He did five world tours and worked in Johannesburg, Canada, Malta and Tasmania as well as the Sporting Club in Monte Carlo.

Neville was married twice and is survived by his wife Joan and Shane, his son by his first wife.

Secretary to the Trustees, John Adrian

Water Rat register Number: 763. Initiated into the Order on 12 June 1988.

Proposer: Peter Regan. Seconder: Johnny Maxim.

Having been born within the sound of Bow Bells Terry was a true Cockney; and like many cockney’s he had a wonderfully bright personality and a very straight forward attitude to people. He trained as a cabinet maker and became a master Cabinet maker. The Rats can see the quality of his work by looking around the head-quarters.

Terry began his ‘pro’ career in the theatre and worked numerous clubs as a comic. He worked for Peter Regan on the Thames cruises. He also worked for C.S.E. at various military camps (Brize Norton, Germany, South America and also did a stint on the Orient Express.

He had a passion for magic from his early youth and spent much of his pocket money in Davenport’s – in fact he had a ‘crush’ on Betty Davenport. In his spare time he worked in clubs and in private functions perfecting his craft in magic. However, his particular talent was the invention of new tricks and effects. Terry married Norma in 1953 and together they set up a successful Magic business. With his creative talents he invented many tricks, one of which was the 'Top Hat Bunnies'.

He was also involved with a lot of Charity work, particularly with the “Lest We Forget” association at St James’ Palace. He also taught the Princes William & Harry magic tricks when they were young. He was an active member of the Zodiac Society, the Magic Circle, the International Brotherhood of Magicians and the Vaudeville Golfing Society and, of course, the Grand Order of Water Rats

He was a very loyal person and if he had given his word then you could be assured that it was his bond.

Secretary to the Trustees, John Adrian

Water Rat register Number: 688. Initiated into the Order on 18 June 1972.

Proposer: Charles Lane. Seconder: Tommy Wallis (Plummer)

“Ted Durante was above all BLOODY FUNNY”. From his Classic tramp-clown routine, to his dynamic acrobatic cabaret act with wife, Hilda, Ted “made em laugh", wherever he went. Son of Britain’s strongest man and world weight lifting champion Edward Aston, Ted was a skilled acrobat and performed with his partner George Mooney for many years on the Moss Empire circuit with a dynamic balancing and acrobatic act. They performed at the 'Follies Bergere' in Paris and all the major London theatres.

Ted was cast in the classic 'Cinderella' opposite Kenneth Williams playing ugly sister in the Original London Cast with Tommy Steele, Jimmy Edwards, and Yana. He met his wife Hilda in a pantomime at the Camberwell Palace and they began a double act career that spanned half a century. Ted was resident compere of the ATV show “Comedy Bandbox” in the 1960’s.This was a comedy show that introduced up and coming talent. One of his first discoveries was Jimmy Tarbuck. He was a special guest star on the Tommy Cooper show, and was a regular with Ken Dodd, and Larry Grayson. He toured South Africa with Frankie Howard and Canada and the US with Max Bygraves show. Ted and Hilda were the act to book on the Cabaret circuit playing the Savoy, Dorchester and Hilton, sometimes doing 4 different venues in one night. Ted’s off beat zany humour delighted all audiences young and old. Ted and Hilda played summer season all over the country including Butlins at Filey and Skegness, Margate, Bognor, Folkestone, Yarmouth, Clacton and produced and stared in the 'Ted Durante Show' in Cromer for three hugely successful years.

Ted was initiated into the Grand Order of Water Rats in 1972 - one of the highest honours in the entertainment business.

Perhaps best known for their Old Time Strongman comedy routine, performed 20 times on BBC Variety classic “The Good Old Days”, with Leonard Sacks. Ted won the hearts of audiences and performers alike, appearing with Roy Hudd in the Panto, ‘Babes in the Woods’.

Ted developed Alzheimer’s in the early 1990’s, but still enjoyed a fun filled life with the help of his darling Hilda, still managing to be her consort when she was inaugurated Queen Ratling in 2000. Sadly, Ted’s condition became too severe and he was placed in care in Caterham where he has lived for 5 years. He is survived by son Lance and daughter Jay, Sister Jean and Brother Douglas.

“Lookout Pearly Gates you’re in for some big laughs”.

Written by his daughter Jay Aston