A Celebration Of The Life And Work Of...

Dick Vosburgh

Louise Gold featured as one of the singers taking part in this memorial tribute to lyricist and broadcaster Dick Vosburgh, Finsbury Town Hall, Sunday 22 July 2007

Participants

Brad Ashton, Stephen Carlile, Barry Cryer, Pauline Daniels, Peter Gale, Louise Gold, Malcolm Jones, Denis King, Frank Lazarus, Tony Macauley, Ian Marshall-Fisher, Jessica Martin, Neil McCaul, Johnny Meyers, Michael Palin, Corrina Powlesland, Michael Roberts, Liz Robertson, Sheila Steafel, Beryl Vosburgh, Lizzie Vosburgh, Louisa Vosburgh, Matthew Vosburgh, Sherry Vosburgh, Tilly Vosburgh

Recorded Message – Ronnie Corbett

Archive Recordings – Frank Lazarus, Beryl Vosburgh, and, Dick Vosburgh

Organisation

 Devised By – Tilly Vosburgh & Amy Vosburgh

Content (this may not necessarily be the correct order)

1. Welcome Address – Beryl Vosburgh (Dick’s Wife)

2. A Tribute – Barry Cryer

3. Recorded Message – Ronnie Corbett

4. We’re In Rhyme – Sheila Steafel

5. The World’s In Rhyme (written by Bill Solly) – Denis King

6. Various Recollections – Sherry Vosburgh and Louisa Vosburgh

7. Just Like That (from A Day In HollyWood A Night In The Ukraine) – a demo tape of Beryl Vosburgh singing

8. Famous Feet (from A Day In Hollywood A Night In The Ukraine) – Frank Lazarus (the composer)

9. Samover The Lawyer (from A Day In Hollywood A Night In The Ukraine) – Frank Lazarus (as Chico), and, Michael Roberts (as Groucho)

10. Tinsel Town (cut from the American production of A Day In Hollywood A Night InThe Ukraine) – Louise Gold

11. Excerpts From The Snark And How To Hunt It (from The Snark And How To Hunt It)– Peter Gale, Stephen Carlile, and, Frank Lazarus (the composer)

12. A Song from Windy City (from Windy City) – Tony Macauley

13. Two Songs For Jessica Martin In the styles of Betty Hutton (probably Manitowoc) and Shirley Temple (? number) – Jessica Martin

14. Oklahoma! Brecht And Weill Style (arranged by Denis King) – Liz Robertson

15. Extracts From A Saint She Ain’t – Corrina Powlesland, and, Pauline Daniels

16. Cafe Sketch (from A Saint She Ain’t) – Michael Roberts, and, Matthew Vosburgh

17. Extracts From The Un-American Songbook (from The Un-American Songbook) – Johnny Meyers, Neil McCaul, Jessica Martin, and, Denis King

18. Triste (by Jobim and De Moraes, with English lyrics by Dick Vosburgh) – Tilly Vosburgh, and, Lizzie Vosburgh

19. Recounting The King Of Siam (including My Old Man’s The King Of Siam) – Brad Ashton

20. Sing Me A Sensible Song – an archive recording of Frank Lazarus, and, Dick Vosburgh

21. Finale: I Love A Film Cliche – Louise Gold and The Company (particularly including Beryl Vosburgh)

22. Closing Words – Malcolm Jones

Note: Ian Marshall-Fisher also spoke some reminiscences of working with Dick, but the sources your webmaster has read do not indicate where this fitted into the running order.

Louise Gold has previously performed at Jim Henson’s Memorial Service, and, Hubert Gregg’s Memorial Service.

Louise Gold has known, or been known to, various members of Dick Vosburgh’s family for many years. Dick’s daughter Lizzie was for a time at the Arts Educational School, at the same time Ms Gold was a pupil there. Then in 1981 Ms Gold appeared on film alongside Dick’s daughter Tilly in The Pirates Of Penzance (Film). This led to Dick himself suggesting her for the Kurt Weill musical Love Life. Ms Gold also appeared with Dick Vosburgh himself on a number of occasions:

Dick Vosburgh and Louise Gold were rival team captains on Let’s Do The Show Right Here, which Barry Cryer, Jessica Martin, and, Michael Roberts were guest contestants on, and for which Denis King wrote the theme tune (with lyrics by Dick Vosburgh).

Dick Vosburgh was involved with Noel/Cole: Let’s Do It, and the associated CD Noel/Cole: Let’s Do It (Recording), whose cast included Louise Gold, and, Liz Robertson.

Dick Vosburgh was also involved with Julia And Company.

Dick Vosburgh contributed great deal Ian Marshall-Fisher’s Discovering Lost Musicals Charitable Trust. Quite a number of performers in this tribute had also appeared in those shows including:

Louise Gold (volunteered by Dick) to appear in Love Life.

Peter Gale, and, Louise Gold in One Touch Of Venus (1992 Production).

Barry Cryer, and Louise Gold in Du Barry Was A Lady (1993 Production)

Louise Gold, and, Frank Lazarus, in New Girl In Town.

Louise Gold, and, Neil McCaul in Red Hot And Blue.

Louise Gold, and, Jessica Martin in Something For The Boys.

Louise Gold, and, Neil McCaul in Panama Hattie.

Michael Roberts, and, Louise Gold in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and subsequently in Darling of The Day, and, Mexican Hayride.

Louise Gold, and, Johnny Meyers in Oh Kay.

Louise Gold, and, Neil McCaul in 110 In The Shade.

And Louise Gold, an, Jessica Martin appeared along with Dick Vosburgh himself in One Touch Of Venus (2000 Production).

Louise Gold, and, Jessica Martin also contributed to A Lost Musicals Occasion, where Jessica surprised Dick (and Trevor Lyettleton) by singing one of their songs.

Stephen Carlile and Louise Gold went on to appear together in Next Door’s Baby.

Barry Cryer, and, Michael Palin may have taken part in Comedy Tonight.

Frank Lazarus and Louise Gold appeared on the radio in Let ‘Em Eat Cake.

Jessica Martin, and, Louise Gold both did voices for Spitting Image, and their work is on the album Spit In Your Ear. They took part in the documentary Best Ever Spitting Image. They also appeared on the radio together in Ned Sherrin’s Review Of Revue.

Ronnie Corbett had taken part in Kids At Heart, which Jessica Martin may have been in.

Louise Gold, Jessica Martin, and, Liz Robertson took part in the Regents Park 70^th Anniversary Gala.

Jessica Martin appeared at Dress Circle Grand Reopening (where she sang one of Dick Vosburgh’s songs, but made a very minor alteration of her own to one of his lyrics). She also appeared in A Love Letter To Dan, where she sang another of Dick Vosburgh’s songs.

Neil McCaul, Louise Gold, and, Tilly Vosburgh appeared in The Pirates Of Penzance (Film).

Neil McCaul, and, Liz Robertson took part in The Royal Variety Performance (1982) where Neil McCaul was involved with singing Dick Vosburgh’s lyrics.

Neil McCaul and Louise Gold appeared in the film Billy The Kid And The Green Baize Vampire, and on stage in Angry Housewives.

Neil McCaul appeared on television in A Week In The West End.

Michael Palin’s recording credits include Utterly Utterly Live Comic Relief.

Liz Robertson appeared in Chicago And Company, and, may have taken part in Will-Aid, and did take part in A Time To Start Living, CLIC’s 18^th Birthday Celebration, and, The Radio 2 Arts Programme Chichester Festival 1994. Her recording credits include Cole Porter Night And Day.

Louise Gold, and, Liz Robertson have appeared together many times, including in: Side By Side By Sondheim, the Side By Side By Sondheim 25^th Anniversary Gala, Happily Ever After, and, the Side By Side By Sondheim 30^th Anniversary Gala; and have gone on to appear at Shopping With The Stars 2008, and, Shopping With The Stars 2009.

Malcolm Jones listed here is a theatre archivist.

Ronnie Corbett may have previously taken part in Thing A Thon.

Ronnie Corbett, and, Michael Palin had previously taken part in Comic Relif 1986.

Michael Palin appeared in ITV’s 50 Greatest Shows.

Critics Comments

“The finale consisted of Louise Gold singing Film Cliche with every member of the cast contributing with a witty (and often appropriate) one-line cliche, the last to do so being Beryl who cast away her cane as she delivered her line to great applause” David Oldcorn, SONDHEIM THE MAGAZINE, September 2007, No 45, ISSN 1470=2401.

“Louise Gold belted the torchy ballad ‘Tinsel Town’, written for the American version of the show but inexplicably cut out of town”.... “The evening ended with Louise Gold leading the company in ‘I Love A Film Cliche’, a number dear to the heart of Dick, whose love of old movies was second to none. As an inspired touch, each contributor to the evening’s entertainment approached the microphone to utter a deathless cliche before leaving the stage, with Beryl stopping the show by throwing her cane to the ground as she exclaimed, ‘Look, I can walk!’” Tom Vallance, MUSICAL STAGES, Autumn 2007, Issue 55.

Links about A Celebration Of The Life And Work Of Dick Vosburgh

 Wikipedia entry for Richard Kennedy Vosburgh: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Vosburgh

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