Sam Mayo
Sam Mayo (1881-1938) was an English entertainer, who worked in the music hall business.
Sam Mayo | |
|---|---|
| Born | Samuel Cowan 31 July 1875 London, England |
| Died | 31 March 1938 (aged 56) London, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Other names | The Immobile One |
| Occupation | Music hall singer |
Life
Born in London on 31 July 1881, Mayo first worked in his father's shop while also getting sporting bets and singing in local pubs and clubs with his brothers.[1]
Mayo married Zillah Flash (performing name: Stella Stanley) in Brighton on 13 August 1904. His life-long addiction of gambling made him bankrupt three times. Mayo died in London on 31 March 1938.[1]
Career
Mayo developed a unique comic style as a music hall singer. Dressed in a dressing gown, or housecoat, he sang emotionless at the piano with nonsensical humour. He became known as "The Immobile One". Mayo mostly wrote his own songs and gave other entertainers, such as Ernie Mayne,[1] with material. He held the record for appearing at the biggest number of concerts in a single evening: nine performances at nine London venues on the evening of 21 January 1905.[2]
Trivia
The noted writer Katherine Mansfield quoted Mayo's lyrics in a letter from 1 November 1920.[3]
Other websites
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Baker, Richard Anthony (2011). British Music Hall: An Illustrated History. Barnsley, England: Pen and Sword Books. p. 244. ISBN 978-1783831180.
- ↑ "Sam Mayo (1875-1938)". The Lyrics: A Casquet of Vocal gems from the Golden Age of Music Hall. monologues.co.uk. 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
- ↑ Mansfield, Katherine (2011). The Collected Letters of Katherine Mansfield: Volume IV: 1920-1921. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. p. 94. ISBN 978-0198185321.