Danny La Rue
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Danny La Rue, OBE (26 July 1927 – 31 May 2009) was an entertainer known for his drag impersonations.
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Biography
Born as Daniel Patrick Carroll in County Cork, La Rue lived with his family in Horgan's Buildings, Magazine Road, Cork City, Ireland. The youngest of either four or five siblings, the family moved to England when he was six and he was brought up at Earnshaw Street in Soho, central London. When the family home was destroyed during the Blitz, his mother, a seamstress, moved her children to Kenn, a Devon village where young Daniel developed a keen interest in amateur dramatics. “There weren’t enough girls so I got the pick of the roles ... [M]y Juliet was very convincing”, La Rue recalled.
He served in the British Royal Navy as a young man following his father's footsteps, but he became famous as a female impersonator (or "comic in a frock" as he preferred to be called) in Britain and was featured in theatre productions, and in film, television, and records.
Career
Among his celebrity impersonations were Elizabeth Taylor, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Marlene Dietrich, and Margaret Thatcher. At one point he had his own nightclub in Hanover Square, and also performed on London's West End. In the 1960s he was among Britain's highest-paid entertainers. He used to own the Swan at Streatley hotel in the 1970s. In 1982 he played Dolly Levi in the famous musical Hello, Dolly!, and he was until his death still a regular performer in traditional Christmas pantomime shows in Britain.
In 1968 his version of "On Mother Kelly's Doorstep" reached number 33 in the UK singles chart.
He appeared in Every Day's a Holiday, The Frankie Howerd Show, Our Miss Fred, Twiggs, Decidedly Dusty, Entertainment Express, Blackpool Bonanza and the BBC Play of the Month. He made a guest appearance in the Mr. Bean episode, Mr. Bean in Room 426 in 1993.
Accolades
He was made an OBE in the 2002 Queen's Birthday Honours List. Other accolades included Royal Variety Performance appearances in 1969, 1972 and 1978, Variety Club of Great Britain Showbiz Personality of the Year (1969), Theatre Personality of the Year (1970), Entertainer of the Decade (1979) and the Brinsworth Award from the EABF for his outstanding contribution to the entertainment profession and the community.
Recently
He most recently appeared in Hello Danny a biographical show performed at Benidorm Palace, Spain on 11 November 2007. The part of La Rue was played by Jerry Lane, and La Rue appeared at the top of the show and then in an interview on stage in the second half. He also performed a number of songs, including Jayne County's "Queenage Baby", accompanied by Dave Peterson to a sellout crowd.
Death
La Rue suffered a mild stroke in 2006 and all of his planned performances were cancelled. He had suffered several strokes since then. He died at his home shortly before midnight on 31 May 2009 after suffering from cancer.
Personal life
La Rue would often perform parts of his show in men's clothes, and was often seen out of costume on television. In later life, he was more candid about his private life, including his homosexuality. La Rue lived for many years with his partner and manager, Jack Hanson, until Hanson's death in Australia in 1985, following a stroke.
Selected filmography
- Every Day's a Holiday (1965)
- Junfans Escape (1968)
- Come Spy with Me (TV movie 1977)
- Mr.Bean in Room 426 (1993)
