Page 16 - Colin Wheeler's Memories

Redditch Heritage My Palace Theatre and other Memories

You can gather from now that my main interest has been variety, comedy, music

and band music, I have never followed, or been involved in the activities, of the
legitimate theatre or the local operatic societies, although I have in my

possession a near complete record of the plays etc.

Next came someone, who in my opinion was the most professional manager that
the theatre has had during my lifetime, I refer of course to Jack Leuty, 1947
-1952, he, like Bertie Adams from the Birmingham Hippodrome was always

present in the foyer, immaculately turned out in a dress suit with a welcoming
smile and a friendly word to all newcomers, and always eager to listen to listen

to patrons comments at the end of each performance.

Upon his death, I was asked to do and obituary for him for the Stage Newspaper,

copy attached, I made one small error, a short time afterwards I had phone call
from Bernard Cribbins to say that he did not appear at the Palace.

Jack tried every type of entertainment, and I remember his twice nightly variety
shows with great enjoyment. One that comes to mind is one headed by a virtually

unknown cockney comic call Sam Kern whose gimmick was that he could put his
tongue out and touch his chin. His real claim to fame however is that in the

Express Dairies, in the Edgeware Road in London, when he was unemployed and
starving he composed, on the back of a Woodbine Packet the song Mary From

Page: 16 © Redditch Heritage 2018