LANCASHIRE LASS

Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1932, Page 8

LANCASHIRE LASS

RISE OF GRACIE FIELDS. Formerly a winder in a Lancashire factory, earning 24 s a week, Gracie Fields, the famous revu e and vaudeville star, is now one of the highest paid artistes on the English stage and talking screen. Miss Fieids’ early life wag a hard struggle, particularly at the outset, but success eventually crowned her efforts and f°r some time she has been the foremost character vocalist and revue arist on the British stage. Suoh, too, is" her versatility, that she has co-starn red in drama with Sir Gerald du Mauri©*.

"Born in Rochdale, Lancashire, in 1899, Gracie Fields made her first appearance on the stage when she won a singing competition in her native town. When she 'was twelve she joined a juvenile troupe. Then Gracie’s parents decided that she would go into a factory so that she would have a trade if her voice should break. So at fourteen she bt came a winder in a factory where ■?> could have earned 23s or 24s a week. In order to get her there at six o’clock her mother used to get up soon after five light the fire, make her a cup of tea/" and start .her off with a shawl over her head, like' a grown-up factory hand, find tw o tin cans, one with bread and butter and the other with tea for her breakfast, for which they istopped at 8 o’clock. At the factory she generally did her chief work before breakfast, for the girls woffld ask her to sing and dance for them, which she did with all her heart. Suddenly someone on the lookout would say, “I?he boss i s coming,” iv d Gracie would rush to her place and start winding vehemently. But the manager found that Gracie’s work v/ s being neglected, and .she was discharged after three months. After leaving the factory, she returned to appearing at benefits and concerts, and after a time she joined a revue in which the leading comedian was Archie Pitt, who suggested taking out a show of his own 'and asked Gracie Fields if she would join him. She agreed and they shook hands on it. Gracie remarking, “It’s a bargain!” The show was called “It’s a Bargain,” and ran for three years, having its nps and downs—more downs than ups.

- Pitt" then launched “Mr To'wer of London,” in which Grade Fields did not miss one performance during its lengthy run. After the run of “Mr Tower of London,” Archie Pitt (who, incidentally, is now Miss Fields’ husband) produced “By Request.” Then Sir Gerald du Maurier engaged Gracie Fields as his leading lady for “5.0.5.” i Soon after this Archie Pitt launched “The. Shpw> the Thing:,’.’ which, -played for a year p. t the Victoria Palace, the Lyceum, ,and the Wintbrgarden. • ' Since “The Show’s the Thing” finished, Miss, Fields has been playing in vaudeville and has made many appearances at the London Palladium, where She ip one of the biggest attractions London’ has known.