George Robey - Stage Career

Stage Career

Robey's London début was made at the Royal Aquarium, as assistant to Professor Kennedy, a burlesque mesmerist, in 1891. In this act he sang songs, pretending to be under hypnosis. He was soon performing in his own act, and was booked at the Oxford Music Hall in June 1891, aged 21.

Like many of his time, Robey's act consisted of patter and song, with elaborate stage costumes, often appearing in drag. He was renowned for his double entendres, and ordering his audience to "Desist" and "Kindly temper your hilarity with a modicum of reserve", in the manner adopted by later comedians such as Frankie Howerd. Naturally, these exhortations had the opposite effect.

During World War I he was known for his enthusiastic participation in recruitment drives for the army. In one theatre he promised "a shiny florin for every recruit who signs on tonight". He raised over £500,000 for war charities and at the end of the war he was offered a knighthood for his services, but declined, accepting a CBE.

In 1916, he appeared at the Alhambra Theatre in the musical/revue The Bing Boys Are Here.He was given the leading male part, Lucius Bing, opposite Violet Loraine as Emma. It became one of the most popular musicals of the time. His duet with Loraine If You Were the Only Girl (in the World) became a "signature song" of the era and endured as a pop standard.

Robey continued to raise money for charity, raising over £2m for war savings in World War II, and in 1954 finally accepted a knighthood.

Robey was also an artist, and a number of pen and ink self-caricatures are in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery.