"Wakey Wa-a-a-key!" |
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Home > Adults' Programmes > Billy Cotton
The Billy Cotton Bandshow
"Wakey Wa-a-a-key!" |
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Click on the above picture for video clip |
Sound clip |
Click on the above picture for another video clip |
 Billy with the dancing troupe 'The Silhouettes' |
A highly popular variety
show starring Billy Cotton and his
Band in what seemed like an inexhaustible 50 minutes of
non-stop song,dance and comedy. Cotton's resident teams
of entertainers included Alan Breeze, Kathie Kay, Doreen
Stephens, the
Rita Williams singers and pianist Russ Conway.
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The show's relatively small budget meant that it couldn't hope to compete with 'Sunday Night at the London Palladium' but it still managed to attract performers like Tom Jones, Cliff Richard, Ted Rogers, Alma Cogan, Terry Scott and Hugh Lloyd.
The finale of a Billy
Cotton Bandshow. Alongside Billy are Renato Rascel, Russ Conway
and the great comedian Jimmy James with his stooge, Eli Woods.
Alan Breeze (1909-1980) was Billy Cotton's main singer for more
than 40 years and was highly adept at using different accents.
Seen above with Kathie Kay, who sadly passed away in 2005, he was
classically trained but swapped it for a life of variety. Sadly,
when he grew older, his contract was terminated by Bill Cotton
junior who was Head of Light Entertainment. It was a sad parting
for Alan and Billy senior who allegedly went their spearate ways
in tears. The background dancing girls in the above photo were
known as The Sillhouettes.
Alan Breeze's
biography is written by his daughter Michelle and is available
from his website here
Billy Cotton's theme tune was "Somebody Stole My Gal"
If you have any comments or further information of interest, please e-mail webmaster@whirligig-tv.co.uk
