"Our Gracie" as she was lovingly known by at least 2 generations of people, the down to earth comedienne was a superstar selling 4 million records at the height of the depression.
10 Royal variety/Command Performances 1928-78. Gracie left hand coloured 1939 picture by myself.
Her war effort normally goes under the radar she raised millions for the British war effort, in Canada and America, she was the hardest working star of the lot.
It did her no good to be classed a traitor because it really was not true, she came to England three times during the war without Monty Banks who she married in March 1940.
When Italy joined on the side of Hitler Monty did not have nationalisation papers and as such would have been regarded as a prisoner of war, hence Gracie going to Canada and America who could blame her protecting her loved one? Both The Queen and Gracie were considered important enough to kill to lower moral with the English.
All was forgiven well almost in 1948, when she sang; "Take Me Too Your Heart Again" at The London Palladium. I personally feel her Hollywood years as a film star were the best. "Holy Matrimony" 1943 with Monty Wholley, her own favourite on you tube and; "Molly And Me" 1945 again with Monty Wholley is so popular on you tube 1.2 million views, her last film; "Paris Underground" a WW11 thriller again 1945, is so popular the star was Constance Bennett and quite a nasty bitch by all accounts
I uploaded the films because The offical Gracie Fields appreciation are to busy being Divas to do this... typical of their style for the last 13 years.
Many of her recordings are available some rare material on 3 cd's "Ramona" 1928-40, 20 tracks "Requests 1930-52" 20 tracks,and "The Real Gracie Fields" 100 tracks all supplied from my own collection...
A few years ago I was given many personal cards and letters of Gracie and Boris whom she wed in 1952, 2 years after Monty died on a train from a heart attack. I even have her Canadian Dollars signed too.
I have been a Gracie fan for 57 years since hearing her Gramophone records as a kid, I am still around and enjoying "Our Gracie" I watched her last Royal Variety performance in 1978, with my mother who cried her eyes out with sheer joy, sadly Gracie died 10 months later aged 81 at her capri home , Boris passing away in 1983.
Vera Lynn and Anne Shelton were the younger WW11 entertainers who stayed close to The BBC microphones, although Vera did a small tour in Burma and Anne sang and recorded 2 tracks with Glenn Miller both ladies had their own Radio shows Vera with "Sincerely Yours" and Anne with "Calling Malta"
Most of the hangers on are long gone too, I will mention no names, sometimes you can see the wood for the trees... Gracie toured many theatres of was more than all the others often on the front line, aged in her late 40's, after the war she continued to appear on telly in "Startime" for ATV and Gracie and Just Gracie for BBC "Her This Is Your Life" from 1960 can be seen on you tube again uploaded by myself
Left Gracie in "Mrs Arris Goes To Paris" 1958.
Stars On Sunday was Gracie Fields favourite show and she appeared on many times, sadly "A Gift For Gracie" 1971 from Yorkshire Television with Bruce Forsyth and others is considered lost...
That's a rap for now just enjoy Gracie Fields a true original and a superstar.
Chris Rogers 2023.
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