The Legendary Danny La Rue Takes Last Bow.

A dear, dear friend of mine, the legendary female impersonator, Danny La Rue, has passed away.
He died in his sleep last night just before midnight after a long and torturous battle with throat cancer.
His darling sister Annie has nursed him since he had a massive stroke a few years ago.

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Danny was a legend in the theatre world and a major star in the 70s and 80s.

He sold out the Palace Theatre on Shaftesbury Ave in 1974 for nearly 3 years, twice nightly and returned and did the same at the Prince Of Wales a few years later.


Always on TV in the 70s and 80s in his own TV specials along with thousands of guest appearances on other stars shows.
He held the accolade of being the only man ever to play Dolly Levi in 'Hello! Dolly'.

He became best friends with Judy Garland after she popped into his club late one night in Hanover Sq after she had done a London concert. She sang on stage especially at his request and the atmosphere was so great she did again and again for nearly two weeks -just for Dan.
He will be greatly missed by those now old enough to remember him.
I last saw him just after Christmas and he was in high spirits but very fragile.
R.I.P Dan
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Updated On: 7/14/09 at 03:03 PM

He played Albin a number of times.
Once at a cabaret venue in Leicester and again in an Semi Pro production a few years later.
Jersey Opera House also had a season of him in 'La Cage'.
All of these were in the mid/late 80s.

Danny also played Cpt Dennis in the first national tour of 'Privates On Parade'

Updated On: 6/1/09 at 06:48 PM

Played the Whitehall Theatre (now Trafalgar Studios) in 1966, it played for 423 performances and launched the idea for Danny's later film 'Our Miss Fred' in 1972.




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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6a7u1khJy8

Updated On: 6/1/09 at 08:08 PM

We have spoken many times you and I about Danny and I know you saw him a lot in Oz.

Sadly, the tradition of dimming lights for stars doesn't spread to the West End. The only time i think i remember this was when Lawrence Olivier passed away. I may be wrong even on that one?

Its already confirmed that hey will a huge spectacular tribute to him at this years Royal Variety Performance.

I saw Danny several times over the years and he was the kind of artist who created a world and invited you in. A true star!

I have giggled at one of his jokes today. It kind of ages me, but I still think it's typical of his inventive humour

"I've heard Fanny Craddock and Lionel Blair are going to form a double act. They'll be called Butch Casserole and the one dance kid"!!

May he rest in peace.

A gentle giant.
The gentle side was always there 99%, the giant came out very rarely and woe behold if you were in the firing line. I experienced his temper twice and I was terrified. In the early days when he was huge he was known to hold stage crew hostage until the early hours of the morning until an explanation was found for any slight mishap during a performance earlier that night.
The gentle side saw him buying gifts and sending cards to all occasions without fail.
I was honored to have made friends with him since a panto I did with him in 1989.
Without fail, every year my mum received a card and a new handbag off him every Christmas.
I miss him terrible as he was unable to take guests on a regular basis for the last few months.

I love that shot standing in front of rolls of kitchen foil!

What is the world coming to when someone of this man' stature dies penniless?

Well it took me by surprise, but why would she say that?

Dosent say she paid out herself though does it, she just made a begging call.

Widow Twanky in 'Aladdin'
London Pallladium 1978.
The show played from Dec 1978 until April 1979, twice daily, selling every seat at the 2500 seat Palladium.
This was the last old fashioned panto to play the West End.

Updated On: 7/14/09 at 09:55 AM

I know about those but they died a death. I saw every one of those in less than half empty houses.

'Cinderella' with Des O'Connor- the last stage appearance of Dame Anna Neagle!

Molly Sugden in 'Dick Whitington' as Sarah The Cook- a very rare occasion when a woman played dame!

This was the first Palladium panto I saw.
It was incredible to see all these TV stars on stage as the series was still a top TV audience puller.
Impossible these days!

Updated On: 7/14/09 at 07:37 PM