One of the greatest drag ENTERTAINERS that ever lived! Danny La Rue, July 26 1927- May 31 2009, known for his singing and cross-dressing performances, not to mention spectacular frocks! I thought a Saturday evening in the parlor could be entertaining.
The closing of the 1st half of the show, This spectacular costume cascades down the stage. Gives me chills and what a way to make an entrance!
The legendary Danny La Rue in a T.V. Documentary shown on May 11th 1999. Introduced by Bob Monkhouse. There is a very short clip with Dan as Mae West with his leading man of many years, David Ellen; who was also Director and Choreographer for most of Danny's shows. David joined Danny in 1966 and stayed with him until the end. What a superb short documentary.
Danny La Rue performs a 'Hello Dolly' routine and then a little Joan Collins.
These are wonderful piece of footage and history - thanks for sharing it with us. I loved Danny La Rue, and probably my first taste of drag performance.
ReplyDeleteLoved this man he was simply the best. Definitely a drag inspiration for me.
ReplyDeleteThere was a mystique about this guy and his act. My Dad would show his disapproval of anything remotely camp or gay on mainstream television in the 1970s/80s. But for some reason, La Rue was accepted, like RuPaul today. In the same vein as Lilly Savage, possibly. Although La Rue's act was classier and O'Grady's intentionally coarse.
ReplyDeleteNow that was a legend for sure!
ReplyDeleteIt is impossible to measure the success of Mr LaRue in the UK - as Miss Lady Finger rightly observes, he was treated as a "national treasure" in a time when homosexuality was illegal, and became one of the UK's most popular artists of any genre. He performed for HM the Queen, and ran his own hugely successful club in swanky Mayfair, hob-nobbing with all the top stars (everybody who was everybody, including The Beatles, Warren Beatty, Shirley Bassey, Noel Coward, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Dame Elizabeth Taylor, King Hussein of Jordan, Peter Sellers, Judy Garland, Lord Snowdon and Princess Margaret!)
ReplyDeleteJust this week, we watched a repeat of the very last episode (1983) of the long-running BBC variety Music Hall show The Good Old Days, which Danny headlined. He was astonishing!
RIP Danny La Rue Jx
I often enter work the way Danny did in that first video ... though with a few less ostrich feathers.
ReplyDeleteHe was fabulous!
A legend.
ReplyDeletewow, its like watching the mistress during the week here
ReplyDeleteDanny has always been one of my inspirations since I started doing drag. We don't see his caliber much these days.
ReplyDeleteThey sure don't make them like that anymore!!!!
ReplyDelete