You are in Show Listings from 1940
Show Listings from 1940
Researched by Barry Band (2007)
INTRODUCTION
These lists were produced to be a handy guide to the shows that have appeared at the Grand Theatre since 1940.
The Lists: Dates and names of shows, and principal artists, were taken from programmes held in the theatre archives. Where programmes were not available the information was taken from the local newspaper archive at Blackpool Central Library.
The Bookings: Shows up to the closure of the Grand in 1972 were plays or musicals booked for one or two weeks. They opened on Mondays unless otherwise stated. Summer season shows ran for about 16 weeks.
The reviews: A selection of reviews from 1940to 1972 were set in type copied from Gazette cuttings. Some have been slightly edited. New headlines have been written to give a quick reference to particular plays and players.
The Reviewers: Gazette reviewers were usually identified
by initials at the end of the reviews. They were:
H.W.- Harford Willson / F.E.L. - Eric Littler
H.R.G. - Harold Grime (editor)
Phyllis - Phyllis Smith / B.B. - Bill (Buddy) Burgess
B.H. - Brian Hargreaves (later editor)
J.H-D. - John Hewitt-Dean / D.L.H. - Derek Hitchen
K.McC - Kerstin McClure / K.P. - Ken Price
M.E.B - Michael Berry (the comedian Lennie Bennett)
D.K. - Dennis Kilcommons / J.M.H - Jackie Heap
S.G. - Susan Greenhalgh
The reviews are reproduced by permission of The Gazette. It should be noted that they are the copyright of The Gazette and they should not be republished without the editor's permission.
This record was researched and typeset by Blackpool theatre historian Barry Band, a member of the Grand Theatre Trust Company, who was a Gazette writer and supplements editor for two periods in the 1960s and 1970s.
This page contains names of productions, in six sections:
1) Stars and Shows of the 1940s
2) Stars and Shows of the 1950s part 1
Stars and Shows of the 1950s part 2
3) Stars and Shows of the 1960s part 1
Stars and Shows of the 1960s part 2
4) Stars and Shows of the 1980s
5) Highlights 1990 to 2005
6) Star Parade and Sample Artistes' Appearances, listed alphabetically
The first stage appearance together of Michael Redgrave and daughter Vanessa was in A Touch of the Sun, by N.C. Hunter, which was premiered at the Grand Theatre in January 1958. They are pictured in number one dressing room.
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Downloadable PDF's
Stars and Shows of the 1940s
Stars and Shows of the 1950s part 1
Stars and Shows of the 1950s part 2
Stars and Shows of the 1960s part 1
Stars and Shows of the 1960s part 2
Stars and Shows of the 1980s
Highlights of the 1990s
Summary of Star Appearances
