Grand Cinema
Title
Grand Cinema
Description
A 3d programme for a variety show to be held in the cinema with reports of the success of the production to a full house. There are also advertisements for a fundraising drive of £80,000 to fund 16 Spitfire aircraft, accompanied by a sketch of a Hurricane.
Date
1943-06
Temporal Coverage
Language
Format
One printed sheet and four newspaper cuttings and one printed sketch on two album pages
Publisher
Rights
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Contributor
Identifier
SHowardHF1158144v10035, SHowardHF1158144v10036
Transcription
Grand Cinema, Thame
[break]
THAME & DISTRICT
WINGS FOR VICTORY
R.A.F. HALTON
presents
“Victory Variety”
In the
Grand Cinema
on
Sunday, June 20th, 1943
at 8 p.m.
PRICE – – 3d.
F.H. Castle and Co. Ltd., Thame.
[page break]
“VICTORY VARIETY”
Arranged and presented by HENRY HOWARD and WALLIE OKIN.
Compere – – CONRAD VINCE.
R.A.F. Swingtette
2. Sketch, “Service Efficiency”
The Officer – HENRY HOWARD
The Corporal – WALLIE OKIN
The Typist – CONRAD VINCE
The Flight-Sergeant – JIM CUMMINGS
3. Flight-Lieutenant GOTTLIEB Operatic Tenor
4. HARRY ILLINGSWORTH and his Crew
5. “Cries of London” – WALLIE OKIN
6. DIANA MALE – Soprano
7. “For Adults Only” – HENRY HOWARD
8. “The Great Gabbo”
Gabbo – JIM CUMMINGS
His Assistant – WALLIE OKIN
INTERVAL – with the R.A.F. Swingtette.
[page break]
9. “Compere’s Corner – CONRAD VINCE
10. Sketch. “All Quiet”
The Guide – HENRY HOWARD
1st Britisher – JOE GOTTLIEB
2nd Britisher – JIM CUMMINGS
3rd Britisher – WALLIE OKIN
11. GEORGE CARTER – Pianoforte Solo
12. HARRY ILLINGSWORTH Entertains
13. Flight-Lieutenant GOTTLIEB Operatic Tenor
14. “Holy Smoke” – JIM CUMMINGS
15. DIANA MALE – Soprano
16. “Flannellers Incorrigible” HENRY and WALLIE
Accompanist – GEORGE CARTER.
[page break]
Thame & District Wings for Victory Week
[break]
The Sunday Concert.
In our notes of last week we specially drew attention to the concert to be given in the Cinema and, judging by the patronage given to it, this event undoubtably proved a most popular attraction. Every ticket was sold some time before the day, but in the hope of gaining admission otherwise than by ticket there were something like 200 hopefuls who queued up, but only a very limited number were able to gain admission by reason of a few not claiming their seats.
The concert was given by the Halton R.A.F. All-Star Concert Party, and presented under the title of “Victory Variety”; the title proved to be aptly described, for it afforded the greatest pleasure to the audience, bringing forth repeated demands for an encore where possible.
The compere was Conrad Vince, who with his ready witticisms and jokes, soon won the hearts of the audience, causing as he did, much laughter.
The programme opened with a selection from the R.A.F. Swingtette, followed by a sketch entitled “Service Efficiency,” which evoked much amusement. Then followed songs by Flt-Lt. Gottlieb (operatic tenor) and Diana Male (soprano), who gained well-merited applause. Harry Illingsworth and his crew next entertained with much appreciation from the audience. Henry Howard was also very amusing in his monologue “For Adults Only.”
A further amusing sketch on “The Great Gabbo,” by Jim Cummings and Wallie Okin, was well done.
In the second half of the programme the artistes again contributed and a thoroughly enjoyable programme extended to 2 1/2 hours, but despite the length of it only a very few left the building before it was over.
Owing to time and pressure of space further detailed comment is reluctantly curtailed, but sufficient to say that it was a splendid concert, as Mr. H. M. Purser put it in his thanks to the artistes at the close. He also made his apologies to those who were disappointed at not being able to gain admission, but made the announcement that the artistes would be making another appearance in the near future.
[break]
Ye People of Thame and District
Be it known that on the 19th day of June, 1943, and for seven days following, Ye are specially asked to lend moneys to his Gracious Majesty’s Government for the provision of various Ships of the Air at a cost of £80,000 and so to speed the Wings for Victory. God Save The King.
[break]
June 19th – 26th
THAME & DISTRICT
TARGET £80,000
The cost of sixteen Spitfire fighters
[picture]
[break]
THAME & DISTRICT
WINGS FOR VICTORY
R.A.F. HALTON
presents
“Victory Variety”
In the
Grand Cinema
on
Sunday, June 20th, 1943
at 8 p.m.
PRICE – – 3d.
F.H. Castle and Co. Ltd., Thame.
[page break]
“VICTORY VARIETY”
Arranged and presented by HENRY HOWARD and WALLIE OKIN.
Compere – – CONRAD VINCE.
R.A.F. Swingtette
2. Sketch, “Service Efficiency”
The Officer – HENRY HOWARD
The Corporal – WALLIE OKIN
The Typist – CONRAD VINCE
The Flight-Sergeant – JIM CUMMINGS
3. Flight-Lieutenant GOTTLIEB Operatic Tenor
4. HARRY ILLINGSWORTH and his Crew
5. “Cries of London” – WALLIE OKIN
6. DIANA MALE – Soprano
7. “For Adults Only” – HENRY HOWARD
8. “The Great Gabbo”
Gabbo – JIM CUMMINGS
His Assistant – WALLIE OKIN
INTERVAL – with the R.A.F. Swingtette.
[page break]
9. “Compere’s Corner – CONRAD VINCE
10. Sketch. “All Quiet”
The Guide – HENRY HOWARD
1st Britisher – JOE GOTTLIEB
2nd Britisher – JIM CUMMINGS
3rd Britisher – WALLIE OKIN
11. GEORGE CARTER – Pianoforte Solo
12. HARRY ILLINGSWORTH Entertains
13. Flight-Lieutenant GOTTLIEB Operatic Tenor
14. “Holy Smoke” – JIM CUMMINGS
15. DIANA MALE – Soprano
16. “Flannellers Incorrigible” HENRY and WALLIE
Accompanist – GEORGE CARTER.
[page break]
Thame & District Wings for Victory Week
[break]
The Sunday Concert.
In our notes of last week we specially drew attention to the concert to be given in the Cinema and, judging by the patronage given to it, this event undoubtably proved a most popular attraction. Every ticket was sold some time before the day, but in the hope of gaining admission otherwise than by ticket there were something like 200 hopefuls who queued up, but only a very limited number were able to gain admission by reason of a few not claiming their seats.
The concert was given by the Halton R.A.F. All-Star Concert Party, and presented under the title of “Victory Variety”; the title proved to be aptly described, for it afforded the greatest pleasure to the audience, bringing forth repeated demands for an encore where possible.
The compere was Conrad Vince, who with his ready witticisms and jokes, soon won the hearts of the audience, causing as he did, much laughter.
The programme opened with a selection from the R.A.F. Swingtette, followed by a sketch entitled “Service Efficiency,” which evoked much amusement. Then followed songs by Flt-Lt. Gottlieb (operatic tenor) and Diana Male (soprano), who gained well-merited applause. Harry Illingsworth and his crew next entertained with much appreciation from the audience. Henry Howard was also very amusing in his monologue “For Adults Only.”
A further amusing sketch on “The Great Gabbo,” by Jim Cummings and Wallie Okin, was well done.
In the second half of the programme the artistes again contributed and a thoroughly enjoyable programme extended to 2 1/2 hours, but despite the length of it only a very few left the building before it was over.
Owing to time and pressure of space further detailed comment is reluctantly curtailed, but sufficient to say that it was a splendid concert, as Mr. H. M. Purser put it in his thanks to the artistes at the close. He also made his apologies to those who were disappointed at not being able to gain admission, but made the announcement that the artistes would be making another appearance in the near future.
[break]
Ye People of Thame and District
Be it known that on the 19th day of June, 1943, and for seven days following, Ye are specially asked to lend moneys to his Gracious Majesty’s Government for the provision of various Ships of the Air at a cost of £80,000 and so to speed the Wings for Victory. God Save The King.
[break]
June 19th – 26th
THAME & DISTRICT
TARGET £80,000
The cost of sixteen Spitfire fighters
[picture]
Collection
Citation
“Grand Cinema,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed February 16, 2026, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/collections/document/42905.