Eric Whitley
Wrexham entertainer who sang with the travelling Black and White Minstrels
- Born:
-
20
DEC
1910
- Died:
-
4
AUG
1991
- Place of Birth:
- Wrexham
- School:
- Grove Park School, Wrexham
- Biography:
-
Wrexham born Eric Whitley was the lead tenor in the travelling Black and White Minstrels, writes contributor Charles Cater. He had a long career in show business and played in theatres such as the Alhambra, Windmill, Palladium and many others. He made many records for Columbia and sang with the BBC Light Orchestra with conductors as Eric Robinson and Ray Jenkins. His most famous broadcasts were with Carroll Gibbons at the Savoy Hotel in London. Among the celebrities he worked with were artists such as Bandleader Harry Roy, Teddy Joyce and Jack Hylton. Comedians were also featured in his apearances, noteably the Crazy Gang at the Palladium in The Little Dog Laughed. One day while Eric was living near Oxford he had a most unusual request. MGM were making a film in their Borehamwood Studios with Gene Kelly. George Mitchell who was responsible for the pre-production sound recording, sent for Eric to sing for part of the soundtrack, and it was several years later, in 1962, while recasting the Black and White Minstrels that George Mitchell sent for him again, this time to replace John Boulter on a provincial tour, followed in 1964 by lengthy tours of Australia and New Zealand. He died on August 4th 1991 after a short illness. Wrexham should be proud of this wonderful artist and he should have his name known here.
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