Jack Pleasants was born in Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England in 1874. After entering a talent contest in Leeds, he had his first music hall appearances there. He made his London debut in 1901, but was not an immediate success and returned to provincial theatres for several years, gradually increasing his popularity in the north of England. In 1907, he appeared with George Mozart in pantomime in Bradford.[2]
From then his status as one of the top Northern dialect comedians grew. Billed as “The Bashful Limit”,[3] he typically played the part of a "bashful fool", whose ostensible lack of experience with women could turn out to reveal hidden purpose.[4] He wore make-up, a black frock coat, trousers, and a bowler hat, and sported a large marguerite flower.[2]
He popularised the songs “I’m Twenty-One Today” and “I’m Shy, Mary Ellen, I’m Shy”, which remain the songs for which he is best remembered.[5]
The pantomime began to seem jinxed. The 7 February 1924 edition of Variety carried the following report:
"Francis Laidler's[8] pantomime at Prince's Theatre, Bradford is having a particularly unhappy time. First, the principal comedian, Jack Pleasants, died shortly after the production opened, and now the principal girl, Winifred O'Connor, has been nearly burned to death. She was shampooing her hair with spirit mixture assisted by her mother when the stuff caught fire, setting the room ablaze. The screams of the two women brought their landlord to the room, and he flung a carpet over them. Winifred O'Connor was so seriously burned that it will be some time before she can return to work."[9]
Pleasants's widow, Jessie, lived in London and died just after World War II.
Triviaedit
Both Will Fyffe and Sandy Powell began their careers by doing impressions of Jack Pleasants and other music hall performers.[10]
Referencesedit
^Rainer E. Lotz, German Ragtime & Prehistory of Jazz, 1965, p.292
^ abBusby, Roy (1976). British Music Hall: An Illustrated Who's Who from 1850 to the Present Day. London: Paul Elek. p. 139-140. ISBN0 236 40053 3.
jack, pleasants, born, squire, pleasants, august, 1874, january, 1924, english, music, hall, comedian, singer, bornsquire, pleasants, 1874, august, 1874bradford, west, riding, yorkshire, englanddied2, january, 1924, 1924, aged, bradford, west, yorkshire, engla. Jack Pleasants born Squire Pleasants 27 August 1874 2 January 1924 1 was an English music hall comedian and singer Jack PleasantsBornSquire Pleasants 1874 08 27 27 August 1874Bradford West Riding of Yorkshire EnglandDied2 January 1924 1924 01 02 aged 49 Bradford West Yorkshire EnglandOccupation s Music hall comedian and singerYears active1901 1924Known forI m 21 TodayI m Shy Mary Ellen I m ShySpouseJessie maiden name unknown 1924 Pleasants s death Contents 1 Life and career 2 Death 3 Trivia 4 References 5 External linksLife and career editJack Pleasants was born in Bradford West Riding of Yorkshire England in 1874 After entering a talent contest in Leeds he had his first music hall appearances there He made his London debut in 1901 but was not an immediate success and returned to provincial theatres for several years gradually increasing his popularity in the north of England In 1907 he appeared with George Mozart in pantomime in Bradford 2 From then his status as one of the top Northern dialect comedians grew Billed as The Bashful Limit 3 he typically played the part of a bashful fool whose ostensible lack of experience with women could turn out to reveal hidden purpose 4 He wore make up a black frock coat trousers and a bowler hat and sported a large marguerite flower 2 He popularised the songs I m Twenty One Today and I m Shy Mary Ellen I m Shy which remain the songs for which he is best remembered 5 Death editJack Pleasants died in 1924 aged forty nine 5 He died of a perforated appendix after an evening pantomime performance of Little Red Riding Hood 6 at the Prince s Theatre Bradford 7 One source suggests that Pleasants dropped dead on stage and that he had been only subbing for Arthur Lucan and Kitty McShane of Old Mother Riley fame The pantomime began to seem jinxed The 7 February 1924 edition of Variety carried the following report Francis Laidler s 8 pantomime at Prince s Theatre Bradford is having a particularly unhappy time First the principal comedian Jack Pleasants died shortly after the production opened and now the principal girl Winifred O Connor has been nearly burned to death She was shampooing her hair with spirit mixture assisted by her mother when the stuff caught fire setting the room ablaze The screams of the two women brought their landlord to the room and he flung a carpet over them Winifred O Connor was so seriously burned that it will be some time before she can return to work 9 Pleasants s widow Jessie lived in London and died just after World War II Trivia editBoth Will Fyffe and Sandy Powell began their careers by doing impressions of Jack Pleasants and other music hall performers 10 References edit Rainer E Lotz German Ragtime amp Prehistory of Jazz 1965 p 292 a b Busby Roy 1976 British Music Hall An Illustrated Who s Who from 1850 to the Present Day London Paul Elek p 139 140 ISBN 0 236 40053 3 78man Presents WordPress 2018 Retrieved 24 July 2018 Jack Pleasants 1874 1924 Monologues co uk website 2018 Retrieved 30 July 2018 a b Prince s It s Behind You website 2018 Retrieved 30 July 2018 Laidler Pantomimes 1902 1955 Bradford amp Elsewhere It s Behind You website 2011 Retrieved 30 July 2018 The Prince s Theatre Manchester Road and Victoria Square Bradford West Yorkshire Arthur Lloyd website 2018 Retrieved 30 July 2018 How impresario Francis Laidler built and developed a theatre that has seen a host of stars Telegraph amp Argus 2014 Retrieved 30 July 2018 Winifred O Connor burned Variety 1924 Retrieved 24 July 2018 Double Oliver 1997 Stand Up On Being a Comedian Methuen Publishing p 42 ISBN 0413703207 External links editText collection of Jack Pleasants song lyrics Jack Pleasants I m Shy Mary Ellen I m Shy Jack Pleasants I m 21 Today Jack Pleasants I Shall Sulk Jack Pleasants I Said Hooray Jack Pleasants I m Longing To Go Back Jack Pleasants John You re in the Way Jack Pleasants Where Do Flies Go in the Winter Time Jack Pleasants Watching The Trains Come In Jack Pleasants Ding Dong Jack Pleasants I m Learning a Song for Christmas Jack Pleasants s Discography at Discogs Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jack Pleasants amp oldid 1184593085, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
