BILLY
RAYMOND
1955-60
During 1956 he appeared in The Empire Theatre, Greenock, The Metropole Theatre, Glasgow in “Hielan’ Fling”, “Revels of 1956” at The Harbour Pavilion, North Berwick, The Autumn Show at the Palladium, Edinburgh, all as an impressionist, and introduced “Stars of Tomorrow” at The Theatre, Paisley, week commencing Monday 31 December 1956.
In 1957 Billy was “called up” to serve in the Royal Air Force, commencing 22 January 1957. However, he was discharged on 20 April 1957 after he sustained a spinal injury. “I slipped while having a shower.” is the only quote he gave. He subsequently had to wear a “spinal jacket”, as it was described in a news article.
During this time he appeared on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 March in “Lights Up” at the Empire Theatre, Greenock. Thereafter, he appeared in a variety show in the New Empress Theatre, Glasgow, starring the famous magician Al Koran. Billy also appeared in Dunoon’s “Revels of 1957” which starred Russell Hunter.
Please now read the article Billy wrote which appeared in the Scottish Music Hall and Variety Theatre Society’s (SMHVTS) Newsletter, “Stagedoor”, Summer 2004.
In 1957 Billy was “called up” to serve in the Royal Air Force, commencing 22 January 1957. However, he was discharged on 20 April 1957 after he sustained a spinal injury. “I slipped while having a shower.” is the only quote he gave. He subsequently had to wear a “spinal jacket”, as it was described in a news article.
During this time he appeared on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 March in “Lights Up” at the Empire Theatre, Greenock. Thereafter, he appeared in a variety show in the New Empress Theatre, Glasgow, starring the famous magician Al Koran. Billy also appeared in Dunoon’s “Revels of 1957” which starred Russell Hunter.
Please now read the article Billy wrote which appeared in the Scottish Music Hall and Variety Theatre Society’s (SMHVTS) Newsletter, “Stagedoor”, Summer 2004.
During the late 1950s Billy also appeared many times on the BBC’s pop show “The Six-Five Special”, transmitted from London’s Riverside Studios and other outside broadcast venues such as the Lyceum Ballroom on The Strand and “Cool for Cats”.
Billy says: We frequently did outside broadcasts with “The Six-Five Special”. I did heaps, but one, at the Lyceum Ballroom in the Strand in London (now home to “The Lion King” I think) is frequently on my mind. As always, the kids were dancing to the music - it could have been the Ted Heath Band - and some of the kids were having a ball annoying the performers. The microphones in those days were not like now - they were 9/10 inches long and very heavy!). While Lita Roza was singing a guy was playing with and tickling her toes - not easy to cope with when singing a ballad ... Soooo ... During the musical break, when the cameras cut to the band for a few seconds, I looked across the floor and Lita’s “tormentor” had disappeared. Lita had got so angry that she had banged the guy on his head with the mic and knocked him out! No more troubles and there were no complaints from the nutter who was annoying all the performers!
Billy says: We frequently did outside broadcasts with “The Six-Five Special”. I did heaps, but one, at the Lyceum Ballroom in the Strand in London (now home to “The Lion King” I think) is frequently on my mind. As always, the kids were dancing to the music - it could have been the Ted Heath Band - and some of the kids were having a ball annoying the performers. The microphones in those days were not like now - they were 9/10 inches long and very heavy!). While Lita Roza was singing a guy was playing with and tickling her toes - not easy to cope with when singing a ballad ... Soooo ... During the musical break, when the cameras cut to the band for a few seconds, I looked across the floor and Lita’s “tormentor” had disappeared. Lita had got so angry that she had banged the guy on his head with the mic and knocked him out! No more troubles and there were no complaints from the nutter who was annoying all the performers!
