Hetty King

Speaker 10:00

Hello, I'm Kirsty Young, and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Disc's archive. For rights' reasons we've had to shorten the music. The programme was originally broadcast in nineteen sixty nine.

Speaker 10:12

Desert Island Discs

Presenter0:24

Each week, a well-known person is asked the question, if you were to be cast away alone on a desert island, which eight gramophone records would you choose to have with you?

Presenter0:34

As usual, the castaway is introduced by Roy Plumley.

Presenter0:38

Our castaway this week, ladies and gentlemen, is one of the great ladies of the music hall, Hetty King.

Presenter0:44

Miss King, apart from the loneliness, what would

Presenter0:48

Worry you most about being on a desert island?

Hetty King0:50

Well, I I I really would hate sunflies.

Hetty King0:54

And I'd be frightfully nervous.

Presenter0:54

That's

Hetty King0:57

and I'd want to work out how I'd get something to eat.

Presenter1:01

Yes.

Hetty King1:02

True.

Presenter1:02

Do you play records very much?

Hetty King1:04

Yes, yes, I like records.

Presenter1:07

You've made

Presenter1:08

quite a lot yourself over the years, haven't you?

Hetty King1:10

Oh, quite a few. Yes, I have.

Presenter1:12

What sort of discs would help to break the monotony of a desert island life?

Hetty King1:17

I would choose some of the old ones. The old one.

Presenter1:19

The Old One.

Hetty King1:20

Yes.

Presenter1:20

Yeah.

Hetty King1:20

Yeah.

Presenter1:21

What's the first old one?

Hetty King1:23

Well, then now, just let me think. I think I would like to hear Frank Sinatra.

Presenter1:29

Mm-hmm.

Hetty King1:30

Singing

Hetty King1:31

Three coins and a fountain.

Presenter1:33

Why'd you choose that?

Hetty King1:34

Oh, well, you think it's so nice. And it's a little romantic, isn't it? And I love romance.

Presenter1:41

Coins and the founder.

Presenter1:45

Each one seeking happiness

Presenter1:51

Grown by three hopeful lovers Which one will the fountain bless?

Presenter2:03

Three hearts and a founder.

Presenter2:09

Each heart longing for its home Rank Sinatra.

Presenter2:15

What's your next record?

Hetty King2:17

My next record.

Hetty King2:19

Oh, well now I I love donkeys. Do you know I love donkeys?

Hetty King2:24

And I would like to hear Tony Martin

Hetty King2:27

Sing him The Donkey Serenade.

Presenter2:31

The song in the air

Presenter2:35

But the fair signorita doesn't seem to care.

Presenter2:41

For the song in the air

Presenter2:46

So I'll sing it to the muse.

Presenter2:51

If you're sure she won't think that I am just a fool, Serenading a mule.

Presenter3:03

Tony Martin singing Donkey Serenade. What a pity to have all that sand on the desert island and no donkey rides.

Hetty King3:09

Yeah.

Presenter3:10

Risking your parents for music hall performers, went.

Hetty King3:13

Yes, they were, my father.

Presenter3:13

Uh

Hetty King3:15

Really, he was a black face comedian. Well, he used to do other characters, of course.

Presenter3:18

Holly

Hetty King3:21

And uh I think that's where I got a lot of this character stuff myself from my old daddy. Little red nose comic.

Hetty King3:28

little Irish woman with a black eye and another red nose, and I used to dance.

Presenter3:33

I believe you were left to put over your songs in your own way.

Hetty King3:37

Yes. My dad believed my working out my own personality.

Hetty King3:42

He would teach me my words,

Hetty King3:44

when I was very young.

Presenter3:45

Yeah.

Hetty King3:46

And then he would say, Come on, little one.

Hetty King3:49

Let me see how you'll work that.

Hetty King3:51

And I would work it in my little way.

Hetty King3:54

and then we'd forget all about old He would for a few days

Hetty King3:59

And then he'd bring it out again, and say, Oh, that lovely little song we did Will you do it again for me, love?

Hetty King4:05

And I'd probably do it a little better, and that's how we went on.

Presenter4:07

Yeah.

Presenter4:08

They have you were traveling all the year round.

Hetty King4:11

all the time, never stopped.

Presenter4:13

What about school?

Hetty King4:14

Oh, that was when the board I think they call them school boards or something.

Presenter4:19

Yes.

Hetty King4:20

One night I had to hide under my mother's crinoline.

Presenter4:23

When the school boardman came

Hetty King4:25

I hid under her crinoline. She was ready to go on in the sketch. I under the skirt I went.

Hetty King4:30

Unfortunately, I saw the funny side of it, and I commenced to tickle her ankles. And poor mummy

Hetty King4:36

Scared to death in case the man would see the crinolin move in.

Presenter4:40

But

Hetty King4:40

But we got out of that difficulty all right. He went.

Presenter4:43

But you had to go to school sometime.

Hetty King4:45

Oh, I had to go, yes. Sometimes we'd go in the morning, my sister and I, or sometimes in the afternoon.

Presenter4:51

Yes.

Hetty King4:51

Which school we had to go.

Presenter4:53

Whichever town you were in.

Hetty King4:54

Yes, all every time.

Presenter4:56

When did you decide to be a male impersonator?

Hetty King4:58

When I got thoroughly fed up doing imitations, I loved one of the impressions I did that was of George Lashwood. I thought, if I could only be like the great George Lashwood, he was wonderful.

Hetty King5:10

So I save my few Bob every week.

Hetty King5:14

and I kept it a dead secret until I had my little suit made.

Hetty King5:19

and ma got a shirt and shoes and collars, ties, everything.

Hetty King5:25

And, believe me, it was a lot of money. I had to pay a whole five pounds for my tails. It was a fortune.

Speaker 35:33

Mm-hmm.

Hetty King5:33

And I had to get songs, so I got two songs and I paid a whole five shillings each for them.

Presenter5:40

And how did it go at the first performance?

Hetty King5:42

Well, the first night I put it on

Hetty King5:44

Yeah, I was a great success.

Hetty King5:47

They thought I looked like Tilly.

Presenter5:49

First italy.

Hetty King5:50

Mr Dilly, yes.

Hetty King5:52

I well, I haven't seen Vestidilia, but it is true I did look like her when I was young.

Speaker 35:57

Mm-hmm.

Hetty King5:58

And I was very fortunate that night instead of being on first turn, which I usually would put on first turn, I think of I was a third or fourth.

Hetty King6:07

and as I tell you, when I went on I got a reception.

Hetty King6:11

In my two songs I only had the two.

Hetty King6:15

When I came off the audience wouldn't stop applauding. I was a terrific success, and that night

Hetty King6:22

Just fate

Hetty King6:24

Luck was in my way.

Hetty King6:26

A theatre manager was in front.

Hetty King6:29

and he said, I want you to come to my office to morrow.

Hetty King6:33

and he said I'm going to make you

Hetty King6:36

The finest principal boy in England

Hetty King6:40

Oh, why should I am so sorry

Hetty King6:43

I couldn't possibly be a principal boy. I'm too skinny.

Hetty King6:48

I legs are so skinny.

Hetty King6:51

You don't worry, little lady, he said we'll pad your legs and make you a fine principal boy.

Hetty King6:56

And that was the beginning of my being a mailing person. Yeah.

Presenter7:00

Let's have your next record, what's number three?

Hetty King7:04

Well, a dear girl that I used to know.

Hetty King7:06

admire so much.

Hetty King7:09

Josie Collins.

Hetty King7:11

In singing Love Will Find a Way from the Maid of the Mountains.

Speaker 37:16

Faith for my friends, I say, No faith can fill me with dismay. The long wounds are he who is set to me free and the love will fall.

Presenter7:48

Jay-Z Collins in a song from The Maid of the Mountains.

Presenter7:53

Oh, Miss King, you told us about your first big chance.

Presenter7:56

This led you to being top of the bill almost at once, didn't it?

Hetty King7:59

Diamond.

Hetty King8:00

What we call wines and spirits that week, just a little streak on the bill.

Presenter8:04

Yeah.

Hetty King8:05

And the next week

Hetty King8:07

I was stopping the bell.

Presenter8:08

Yes. Now, you were a male impersonator. You were really a character comedian, weren't you? You became a different character for every song the soldier, the dude, the sailor.

Hetty King8:16

So

Hetty King8:18

Yeah.

Hetty King8:19

Yeah, so all that.

Presenter8:21

I remember the great detail uh in when you were a sailor. You cut and rolled

Presenter8:26

plugged tobacco expertly and and put it in a pipe and smoked it.

Hetty King8:30

That's well I

Hetty King8:31

Went on board ship one time on an old freighter.

Hetty King8:35

And I watch one of the men

Hetty King8:37

Cutting his tobacco, and I thought that's a good bit.

Hetty King8:41

And he rolled it.

Hetty King8:43

And put it in his pipe and

Hetty King8:46

That's how I learned to do the rolling of the tobacco and

Hetty King8:49

That

Hetty King8:50

The good bit of business has been become famous as far as Hetty King is concerned.

Presenter8:55

Yes.

Presenter8:56

Then there was the story of the drill sergeant who told his squad, If you want to see arms drill done proper, go and see Hetty King.

Presenter9:04

You're always beautifully turned out. Your uniforms are made by the the best military tailors of your

Hetty King9:09

Yes, my uniforms are made by the best. Oh, but I must tell you this one.

Hetty King9:14

I thought one day my

Hetty King9:16

Naval officer uniform was not looking quite as

Hetty King9:20

Beautiful as it should.

Hetty King9:22

The gold raid looked rather dull, so down to the

Hetty King9:26

So this shop I went and I said, Now, look, will you press my suit, my uh uniform? And

Hetty King9:33

Do cease do something to the gold braid.

Hetty King9:36

and I'll call for it at five thirty.

Hetty King9:40

Right enough, I called, and I said, and don't put it in a box. I'll just carry it over my arm.

Hetty King9:47

I was working out at Stratford that's a long way from the West End so right enough I land in the theatre.

Hetty King9:55

Open the tunic.

Hetty King9:58

Hang it up, and I nearly had a fit.

Hetty King10:01

One side of the of the uniform,

Hetty King10:05

covered in ribbons.

Hetty King10:07

and gold braid nearly up to my elbow.

Hetty King10:11

Good Lord what have they done to my uniform?

Hetty King10:15

Oh, my goodness me, I put it on

Hetty King10:17

And I said they've done something to the sleeves. The sleeves are too long.

Hetty King10:22

Well, whilst I'm throwing a fit, bang, bang, bang on my dressing room door.

Hetty King10:27

And a man rushed in, and said,'Oh, take it off, Miss, take it off

Hetty King10:31

I said, take it off. I said, I can't go on with it. What have you done to my uniform? He said, It isn't yours, madam, it isn't yours. I said, And who's it? He said, It's His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. Oh, collapse of me I said, Where is my uniform? He said, It's all right, one of our men have gone to the palace. I said, What palace? He said, Buckingham Palace.

Presenter11:01

You both got your uniforms back.

Hetty King11:03

Oh, I have my own frame cap.

Presenter11:04

Time for engagement.

Hetty King11:05

Yes, at the time I'll never forget seeing those ribbons.

Presenter11:09

Yes

Presenter11:10

Let's have your fourth record. What shall we have now?

Hetty King11:12

Hiking.

Hetty King11:14

Paul Robeson.

Hetty King11:16

Singin' Old Man River, that's lovely.

Presenter11:20

I get weary and sick of trying.

Speaker 311:26

Um I'm tired of living and

Presenter11:52

Paul Rebson.

Presenter11:53

I miss King, you've had a lot of success, but every career has its ups and downs.

Presenter11:58

Are there any downs that come to mind?

Hetty King12:00

Oh, yes. I'll never forget going to Greenwich.

Hetty King12:04

I went on the stage there.

Hetty King12:07

you know, immaculate

Hetty King12:08

And I hadn't opened my mouth to say anything, when a voice from the store said Get off

Speaker 112:13

Get off.

Hetty King12:16

I raised my hat, I said,'All right, young man' and off I went.

Hetty King12:21

Well, the man was tight.

Hetty King12:23

And his pals did him, What did you say that for? What did you say that for? Well, he said,

Hetty King12:29

I don't want to see that feller.

Hetty King12:31

I'd pay to see Heddy King.

Presenter12:34

Yeah.

Presenter12:37

Miss King, how long have you been a performer?

Hetty King12:40

Oh, I don't forget I started from training when I was five.

Hetty King12:44

Working when I was eight, about seventy eight years, I said. Do you know I'm getting on I'm no teenager.

Hetty King12:50

I'll be eighty six this month.

Presenter12:54

You are wonderful.

Presenter12:55

You're the last of a great line of male impersonators. But you'll never try to make your impersonation completely convincing. You always use your own voice and give an occasional wink.

Hetty King13:06

Oh, yes. I always like them to know that the woman is under the male clothes.

Presenter13:11

Don't you ever feel you want to work in frilly dresses?

Hetty King13:13

No, not on the stage. No, I don't. Don't fancy it at all.

Presenter13:18

Well, you're still working hard after seventy eight years in the business. What are your present plans?

Hetty King13:25

Well, I'm hoping to do another television.

Hetty King13:28

And then I go to Eastbourne for a summer show.

Presenter13:31

Good. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Hetty King13:33

Yeah.

Presenter13:34

Let's have record number five.

Hetty King13:37

Oh well, I think we'll have

Hetty King13:39

I'll read In That's Life.

Presenter13:41

When you're sad and feeling blue and trouble starts to trouble you, don't ever despair. We all get our share. That's life.

Presenter13:55

Dreams you build inside your heart just tumble down and fall apart. When fate takes a turn, you've just got to learn. That's life. How bright you make things when you take things as you find them. I'll read, that's life. What next?

Hetty King14:18

Oh one that I always love to hear.

Hetty King14:22

Dear old Bing Crosby

Hetty King14:24

In night and day

Presenter14:34

Under the heart

Presenter14:38

There's an oh such a hungry yearning burning inside of me

Presenter14:46

And its torment won't be through Till you let me spend my life making love.

Presenter14:55

Today and

Presenter14:57

Miss King, what are your interests outside the theatre?

Hetty King15:01

Going into the theatre and getting everything ready for the next night.

Hetty King15:05

Seeing that my clothes are fresh right.

Hetty King15:08

Turned into my pipe tobacco cigars

Hetty King15:12

Then I may

Hetty King15:14

Get all my letters together.

Hetty King15:17

Fan mail, business letters, back home

Hetty King15:21

Up with my feet, rest for an hour in a big easy chair, if there's one about.

Hetty King15:28

Then back to the theatre and do my work.

Presenter15:31

Are you a good housekeeper? Are you a domesticated person?

Hetty King15:33

Yeah.

Hetty King15:35

I'm not a big girl.

Hetty King15:36

I let everybody do it for me.

Presenter15:39

Ever done any fishing?

Hetty King15:41

Oh, yes, and I love fishing. Oh, I I never thought about that. I love fishing. Yes, that's what I do. It would be often have to live on fish all the time, wouldn't it?

Speaker 315:50

Uh

Presenter15:50

Yeah.

Hetty King15:51

I think I get scales.

Presenter15:53

Let's have your next record. What next one?

Hetty King15:55

Oh, uh, my dear old friend,

Hetty King15:59

Habishekum.

Presenter16:00

Yes, you've worked a lot with Harry, haven't you?

Hetty King16:01

Yes, I worked a lot in twenty weeks at the Palladium and then we went on to Manchester for eight weeks and Brighton was all oh, wonderful time.

Presenter16:12

What are we going to hear him sing?

Hetty King16:14

All through the night.

Speaker 316:17

And love her so that we

Speaker 316:33

Yeah.

Presenter16:44

Harry Seacombe. And now we get to your last record. What's that?

Hetty King16:48

Well, it's getting very late on the island.

Hetty King16:52

And what would I like to hear?

Hetty King16:56

I know.

Hetty King16:57

My dear boy, my friend

Hetty King17:01

Frank Ivan.

Presenter17:02

Uh

Hetty King17:02

and give me the moonlight.

Presenter17:02

Yeah.

Presenter17:04

You helped Frankie a lot when he was starting.

Hetty King17:06

Well, I don't like to say that I helped him.

Hetty King17:09

Let's say that he just used to stand at the side and watch me.

Hetty King17:14

And probably he got one or two little ideas.

Presenter17:17

So really he's too removed from George Lashwood.

Hetty King17:20

Oh, he's not quite like Rachel, but he's very wonderfully Israeli.

Presenter17:25

She's gotta be

Presenter17:29

If there's anyone in doubt and they'd like to try me out, give me a look

Presenter17:40

Well give me the card.

Presenter17:44

And leave the rest.

Presenter17:55

Frank Yvaughan. Well, there are your eight records.

Presenter17:58

Have you thought of one luxury that you'd like to take to the desert island with you?

Hetty King18:02

Oh, now let me see, yes.

Hetty King18:06

I think'cause I'm alone on that island.

Hetty King18:10

I would like a little talking parrot.

Hetty King18:14

I once had a talking parrot, and it used to be

Hetty King18:18

A period pleased that you would have appeared in one of my songs.

Hetty King18:21

Yes, that would be lovely. I promised I wouldn't eat it.

Hetty King18:25

All I want is with the

Presenter18:26

Well, we are really breaking the rules, because we always say that luxury articles have to be inanimate, but uh a parrot would be so at home on that desert island. Would look so right.

Hetty King18:35

That desert island would look sad.

Hetty King18:37

It yes, I'm sure it would, and I'd love it.

Presenter18:40

You shall have it.

Hetty King18:40

In one colour.

Hetty King18:42

A little green Amazon.

Presenter18:43

Right.

Presenter18:44

And one book. You already have the Bible and Shakespeare.

Hetty King18:48

Well, I'm very fond of history.

Hetty King18:52

and I would like a book on the world's history.

Hetty King18:55

And that will bring all the countries

Hetty King18:59

Towns and places Ivan visits what about that.

Presenter19:02

Yes, all right, the biggest history of the world we can find.

Hetty King19:05

I'm not sure.

Presenter19:05

And thank you, Hetty King, for letting us hear your desert island.

Hetty King19:08

I've enjoyed every moment and thank you.

Presenter19:12

Goodbye, everyone.

Speaker 119:20

You've been listening to a podcast from the Desert Island Discs Archive. For more podcasts, please visit bbc.co.uk/slash radio four.