Fantastic Surpise From Down Under.

[Bernie Burgess]

Hello Friends.

I have recently been exchanging emails with a couple of 'Ex Pats' who have been living in Australia for many years- Bill and Mary Hardman. They are life long fans of Ruby's and are currently doing a weekly broadcast in Queensland Australia. They contacted me to tell me that they came to see the pantomime that Ruby and I appeared in at The Royalty Theatre in Chester in 1963/4 - 'Puss in Boots'. After the show they came round to the stage door to see Ruby and were invited into her dressing room. They had a camcorder with them and took a small clip of film. They asked me if I would care to see it and obviously I jumped at the chance. Bill warned me not expect miracles as it is nearly 50 years old and also warned me that it was only very short but he downloaded the snippet onto a C.D.for me and sent it through the post. I was overjoyed when I played it back and immediately sent an email to tell both Bill and Mary how thrilled I was to receive it and to congratulate them on the way it was produced, it was so 'professionally done'. - IT GETS BETTER.

A couple of days ago they informed me that they had watched a television show that Ruby and I did together, I can't recall what year it was but I daresay either Bill or Mary, or both, will tell me exactly what year it was and hopefully the name of the programme and what television station it was. They obviously planned to make a sound recording of our duet and despite the fact that they probably had no choice of ways to record it they relied on simply holding a microphone about 2 to 3 inches away from the television speaker. Ruby and I were doing a song and dance routine incorporating 3 songs 'In The Good Old Summertime' - 'Take a Lady' (which we did as a counter melody) and 'Tiptoe Thru' The Tulips'. They must have jumped up to press the 'start' button on their amplifier to record our duet as there are a couple of notes missing from the musical introduction. The resulting recording, considering how they were carrying out the recording, was a fantastic

I will tell you the rest of this fascinating story very soon but by posting this part of the story I might conceivably get 'friends' to pass the word around to other 'friends' that there is a big surprise in store and tell them to look in on the website. I have already primed Gerald and he appears to be as excited about this as I am and is standing by to carry out his usual first class technical tasks. Both Gerald and are are hopeful that when this surprise is complete and on view for all 'Friends' to see we will have plenty of reaction and lots of comments - thats is SO IMPORTANT to us both.

More Annon 'Friends'

My very best wishes,

Bernie

[MARTIN FOSTER]

Hi Bernie,

How fascinating. I can't wait for this to come to fruition. Will there be just audio on the television show or will we see you and Ruby as well?

Best wishes.

Martin.

[Bernie Burgess]

Martin.

You won't see us but you will hear the complete duet. We are singing songs on a T.V. show that perhaps no 'friends' have seen or heard previously. Gerald and I are planning a little surprise - more later.

I will complete the story in another posting later. I hope that everyone will be pleased as it really is something quite different.

Adios Amigo. Bernie.

[Bernie Burgess]

Friends/Fans,

Further to the story concerning Bill and Mary Hardman from Queensland in Australia. When they told me about recording Ruby and I doing a duet on television I couldn't wait to hear what they had. They sent the recording via an 'attachment' in an email and when I listened to it I couldn't believe that I was listening to a recording via a hand held mike in front of a television set some 50 or so years ago, it just didn't seem possible. Bill has promised to send me the recording on a C.D. I am thrilled. Whilst with The Jones Boys I shied away from any form of solo work as I cannot stand the sound of my own voice. I accept my voice on this duet, whether I like my own voice or not, because it is such a rarity to hear us singing together. I can only hazard a guess that it must have taken place before our children were born so that dates it around 1958/9??? Ruby really enjoyed doing little routines together and she took to it so easily. I no longer have the straw hat and cane but I do have the parasol that Ruby bought especially for these song and dance routines.

Some time ago Gerald undertook a very difficult task of repairing an old photo of Ruby and I which had been badly damaged. I foolishly stored a pile of photos in a summer house that I had in a garden and unfortunately dampness got in and many of them became stuck to each other. In trying to separate them I should have taken some professional advice but I tried to carry out the task myself and inevitably they were damaged. Gerald has toiled over the photo and in the end he decided to replace my face from another photo. The exciting part is that the photo is of Ruby and I doing a step routine which was done on television. One such routine we did on 'Sunday Night at the London Palladium' which was staged at The Prince of Wales Theatre in the West-end to the tune of 'Do You Remember' This other television appearance is one that I cannot place but I have sent word to Bill and Mary hoping that they can name the date, the show and the television station.

Gerald tells me that he has everything standing by to upload . Stand by friends for a little gem. Don't be too harsh about my voice though - just listen to Ruby enjoying doing a television show, something that she would normally have been terrified of doing.

Gerald and I will now 'launch' the audio tape and the photo together (but on separate pages) with the ressurected photo of us doing a song and dance routine - a natural marriage of both.

Adios Amigos. Bernie.

[MARTIN FOSTER]

Looking forward to this Bernie and also your and Gerald's surprise treat! Please do hurry he he

[Gerald Lawrence]

You will now find in the library the very rare copy of Ruby and Bernie singing while performing on a TV show. This is in the section for Songs.
Also in the library, under photographs is a picture of them doing a routine together, such as might have accompanied the song. Here is a copy for a quick look:



I add my thanks to Bernie to the couple from Australia that have so kindly provided the original song for us to hear.

[Bernie Burgess]

Hello 'Friends'

Let's hear it for Gerald for uploading both the photo and the sound recording and for doing such a fantastic job on repairing the badly damaged photo, I have asked him if he could do the same replacement job on my real face? Another round of applause for Bill and Mary Hardman from Queensland Australia for sending us their recording.

Who knows what might turn up next? - Watch this space..

Adios Amigos. Bernie.

[MARTIN FOSTER]

Hi Bernie,

I am listening to the recording for the fourth time as I type this message, no the fifth. You both sound excellent. It's hard to believe it is from 50 years ago as the quality is remarkably good. It sounds quite a complicated song to perform with all the harmonizing between Ruby and yourself. What is it that makes you think it is 1958/59? To me it sounds more like early 60s but don't ask me why I think that. Just the sound I think.

Gerald, thanks for working your magic on this and the photo for us. You are a star and much appreciated.

Thanks also to Bill and Mary for providing the recording to Bernie in the first place. It makes one wonder how many other fans have such secret recordings hiding in the attic or garage.

Bernie, is this the surprise you mentioned or do we have something else exciting to come?

Best wishes to all friends.

Martin

[Bernie Burgess]

Martin.

Regarding the date, thinking about it, if this is the appearance that we did on 'Sunday Night at the Palladium' the date might have been later. We were out in South Africa when Ruby got the clarion call to return 'pronto' as they wanted her to deputise for Shirley Bassey who had fallen ill. At that time we had our daughter Julie with us and she was 11 months to 1 year old so that would indicate 1961. I cannot recall doing another television appearance doing that routine with Ruby but the grey matter is not what it used to be, it's a possiblility.

Regarding 'another' surprise - watch this space.

Adios Amigo. Bernie.

P.S. Your contributions are very much appreciated Martin. For quite sometime now, especially since Timmer closed the means of posting in an effort to eliminate the objectionable postings, YOU, Gerald and myself have carried the flag so I hope that you continue to do so. I only wish that others, who have the means to 'Post', would do so more often so that the work that is continuing to be carried out is appreciated,

[rockyqld]

We think that it was in "Sunday Night at the Palladium" and 1961 would be about the correct year as we had the recording for a while before we left England in early 1963.
Gerald has done a great job on the photograph.
Cheers
Bill & Mary

[MARTIN FOSTER]

Hi Bill and Mary,

Thank you for the information, very interesting.

Bernie, thanks for your comments, much appreciated. I am not online as much these days but always this is my first port of call whenever I do log on.

Apart from yourself and Gerald, I hope our other friends are well, Graham and John in particular.

Martin

[Gerald Lawrence]

Thanks to Bill and Mary sending Bernie a DVD made from a cine film, and Bernie then sending it on to me to put into the correct format for this website, we are now able to proudly present a short extract from the famous pantomime "Puss in Boots" starring Ruby Murray and Bernie Burgess (Hurrah - loud applause!)

I am sorry to say that I never did see this panto when it was touring the UK, but this delightful excerpt has more than made up for that. I hope you all enjoy it too, especially Martin - you can start breathing again now!

You will find it in the library under Videos, and it will play with Windows Media Player.

[Bernie Burgess]

Friends.
When you have viewed the film clip, in the Video section of the Library, I think you will agree it really was well worth waiting for - hence "watch this space". Collectively we must all send our thanks and appreciation to Bill and Mary Hardman in Queensland Australia for not only retaining such a treasure for 50 years plus but for allowing us to share it. Similarly we must ONCE AGAIN thank Gerald for his expertise, he is a very busy man and I feel rather guilty for 'pushing' him to upload this latest treasure. Of all the treasures that have come to light in recent times I consider this film clip to be the most enjoyable. Having said that the audio track of Ruby and I singing (and dancing) on Sunday Night at the London Palladium gave me a tremendous thrill too and what about the action shot of the same occasion and the new face that Gerald managed to replace that damaged one with. I am looking forward to the promise from him that he will do a similar job on my real face.

Regarding the idea that I put forward to the powers that be in Belfast about trying to save Ruby's old home I feel that it's is being extremely optimistic on my behalf and I fear I might be chasing moonbeams but it's well worth a try. Chaplins Stage School proprietor - Belinda Collis (now Hill) is sending me some literature of her's to forward onto Belfast in the hope that they can see what a tremendous boon it would be for the young people of Belfast and the surrounding areas. We shall see what reaction we get.

Adios Amigos. Bernie.

[MARTIN FOSTER]

Hi guys,

Thank you VERY VERY much for this wonderful video. It is amazing. My favourite part is looking at a beautiful Ruby brushing her hair and powdering her face before going on stage. I also love the clip of Ruby enjoying a cup of tea and having a cheeky banter with Bernie, who is also looking very well by the way!

Bill and Mary, thank you so much for sharing this gem with us. You are very generous to our website.

Gerald, I think my breathing has actually deteriorated since viewing Ruby looking so lovely! Thanks for setting this up for us to view.

Bernie, hope you are well. I am sure this must have brought many memories back to you. Was that Julie at the end waking Ruby up from her nap?

Take care.

Martin

[Bernie Burgess]

Martin,
The lady who puts the record on and falls asleep on the settee is Mary Hardman - Bill's wife. I would guess that the little girl who wakes her Mother up by slamming the door must be their daughter. Bill did a remarkable job on devising the plot and filming it, especially considering that it took place over 50 years, he would have made a good television Producer.

I am so grateful to Bill and Mary for unearthing the two treasures - The audio clip of our duet on Sunday Night at the London Palladium and the pantomime film at The Royalty Theatre in Chester. One little surprise about that panto film, during the piece of film there is a very small clip of a vocal group who may have been playing The Brokers Men or similar. That group were The Black Abbotts and as many may recall Russ Abbott was part of that group. The manager of the Royalty Theatre was Dennis Critchley, a very experienced professional. He produced the Pantomime and he also taught The Black Abbotts a great deal about showbusness.

Another interesting story about the Royalty Theatre. The wardrobe mistress for that pantomime worked underneath the stage where she took care of the entire wardrobe for the show. She had a son who played in the wardrobe department, he had a ventriloquist doll which he rehearsed with. He grew up to be a star name ventriloquist - His name - Keith Harris and his famous 'doll' was Orville the duck.

Adios Amigos. Bernie.