per ardua per mare per terram Posted 25 February , 2009 Share Posted 25 February , 2009 After a flippent remark elsewhere on the forum, I got to wondering about Wilson Keppel and Betty. Did any of them see WWI service? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanCurragh Posted 25 February , 2009 Share Posted 25 February , 2009 From Wikipedia - Jack Wilson (29 January 1894- 24 August 1970), was born in Liverpool in England, and emigrated to the USA at a young age, making his stage debut in 1909 as a high-kicking dancer. He then travelled to Australia, where he joined Colleano's Circus. During the First World War Wilson served with the Royal Navy. Returning to Australia after the war, he met Joe Keppel (May 10, 1895- 1977), who was born in County Cork in Ireland. Like Wilson, Keppel had emigrated to the USA at a young age, and in 1910 made his stage debut in Albany as a tap dancer. During the First World War he served in the Royal Flying Corps, and after made his way to Australia, also joining Colleano's Circus, where he teamed up with Jack Wilson. Travelling to the USA together they appeared in New York in 1919 as a comedy acrobatic and tap dancing act. They started their trio act with Kansas born Betty Knox at Des Moines in Iowa in 1928. Knox had been a stage partner of Jack Benny. The act came to Britain to appear at the London Palladium for a few weeks in 1932 and stayed permanently. Over the years there were between 8 and 12 'Bettys', most of these appearing during the act's later years. Betty Knox retired from the act in 1941 to go into journalism, becoming a war correspondent during the Second World War, and reporting on the Nuremberg Trials for three years as the correspondent for the British Beaverbrook press's Evening Standard. For that newspaper she was among the first to report the suicide of Nazi leader Hermann Göring Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-ted Posted 25 February , 2009 Share Posted 25 February , 2009 Oh no! Now you've got me started on yet another project. I don't know if either of them served but now I feel compelled to find out. Were they the sand dancers? More googleing required me thinks!!!!!!!! All the best John Just seen post 2which answers part of the question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Clay Posted 25 February , 2009 Share Posted 25 February , 2009 I know that evry one sneers at wikipedia - but a quick google tells me, via wiki, that both Wilson and Keppel served: Jack Wilson (29 January 1894- 24 August 1970), was born in Liverpool in England, and emigrated to the USA at a young age, making his stage debut in 1909 as a high-kicking dancer. He then travelled to Australia, where he joined Colleano's Circus. During the First World War Wilson served with the Royal Navy. Returning to Australia after the war, he met Joe Keppel (May 10, 1895- 1977), who was born in County Cork in Ireland. Like Wilson, Keppel had emigrated to the USA at a young age, and in 1910 made his stage debut in Albany as a tap dancer. During the First World War [Keppel] served in the Royal Flying Corps, and after made his way to Australia, also joining Colleano's Circus, where he teamed up with Jack Wilson.[1] source: well, what do you think? SNAP Mr Rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 25 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 25 February , 2009 Were they the sand dancers? Yes they were. Thanks for the rapid responces! This is the source quoted: http://www.lukemckernan.com/wilsonkeppelbetty.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 25 February , 2009 Share Posted 25 February , 2009 I have a particular interest in the music hall and variety theatre and the information on Wiki is correct. Yes , they were sand dancers and their act barely changed over the years . They even provided their own particular type of sand, which needed to be sharp to make the required shuffling sound. They continued until the early 1960's. If you want to see them at work, go to U Tube and type in their name. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Strawbridge Posted 26 February , 2009 Share Posted 26 February , 2009 I have a simple little group to a professional roller skater. That is his employment on his naval papers. I cannot imagine that there would be many of these around in 1914. Would he have worked anywhere else than in a fair ground or an end-of-the-pier attraction? Would Equity or a similar union have been around then and have they got records and archives? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 26 February , 2009 Share Posted 26 February , 2009 Jim My great aunt was one half of a roller skating act just after WW1. They also appeared on stage in variety theatres. No records for these people, unless you are lucky enough find a handbill or newspaper advertisment for the show they were in. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 26 February , 2009 Share Posted 26 February , 2009 All very well and fascinating - is there no end to the expertise on this forum. I saw W.K & B as a very small boy, whilst queing for the theatre with my mother and father - I believe it was a for a Brian Rix farce. They scared me absolutely stiff, in my innocence, I had never seen a busker before. BUT - I ask - what about Betty's wartime service. We should be told - and which Betty, since I understand there were a number of them . Is there Betty list? Best regards David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremym Posted 26 February , 2009 Share Posted 26 February , 2009 Jim, Terry et al I remember seeing Wilson, Keppel and Betty live in Manchester - I think at the Hippodrome - some time in the late 1940s. My father was a great fan of theirs and took every opportunity to see them live. As for roller skating, it was a very popular leisure pursuit, especially for teenagers (though of course they weren't called that then), in the years immediately before WW1. My mother was a keen roller skater at that time and she gave me the impression that many northern cities had rinks. jeremym (Jeremy Mitchell) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 26 February , 2009 Share Posted 26 February , 2009 Jim At the beginning of the 20th century there were also roller skate endurance races (usually round and round a stadium) which were grueling events but provided substantial prizes (there was much betting on the outcome as well). I believe that there were a small number of pro roller skaters just as there were pro cyclists at the time so he wouldn't necessarily have been a stage performer although I wouldn't rule that out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 26 February , 2009 Share Posted 26 February , 2009 Yes - but what about dear old Betty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 26 February , 2009 Share Posted 26 February , 2009 Ah yes, Betty.. Rumour had it they were deliberately swapped for a newer, younger model about every 5 years or so to keep the female attraction fresh. I'm not so sure about Wilson and Keppell though. Their legs were a bit spindley in the 1930's, heaven knows what they looked like after 40 years of sand dancing TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 26 February , 2009 Share Posted 26 February , 2009 Yes - but what about dear old Betty? Already covered in post 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 26 February , 2009 Share Posted 26 February , 2009 I have a simple little group to a professional roller skater. That is his employment on his naval papers. I cannot imagine that there would be many of these around in 1914. Would he have worked anywhere else than in a fair ground or an end-of-the-pier attraction? Would Equity or a similar union have been around then and have they got records and archives? Professional roller skaters were still touring as variety acts after WW2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 26 February , 2009 Author Share Posted 26 February , 2009 If you want to see them at work, go to U Tube and type in their name. I'm ahead of you there. After making the quip I googled: Betty sand dance as I couldn't remember the other names; watched a clip thought they were old enough to have served in WWI and started the topic. Thanks for all the replies so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Strawbridge Posted 27 February , 2009 Share Posted 27 February , 2009 And thanks to the replies to me as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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