270:. He also served as the butt of practical jokes by the Gang; at one performance Flanagan and Allen took to the stage each encased in one leg of Brown's trousers while Brown frantically called from the wings trying to get them back. His relationship to the main members was similar to that of Eddie Gray. Another star who worked with the gang was the actor
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169:(with some input from Gray). They had all had entertainment success before the Crazy Gang but not of the same magnitude. It was natural for them to get together as they shared a similar style of comedy and worked on the same bills at theatres.
285:– their last was in 1961 – and they also did private performances for the royal family. Perhaps the best remembered of their gags is when an attractive girl in a grass skirt is followed across stage by Bud Flanagan wheeling a lawnmower.
113:. This caused Black to consider cancelling one of the couples. Nervo and Knox had a technique of entering other acts, and Black was persuaded to overcome the difficulty by letting this happen. The show, which was called
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is often credited with the formation of the Crazy Gang, the start was more complicated. In 1931, three double acts (Nervo and Knox, Naughton and Gold and Billy Caryll and Hilda Mundy) were tentatively booked at the
214:(1940). They kept people entertained during the war years with their irreverent comedy style, and Flanagan and Allen's songs also contributed to their success. All their films were directed by
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Chesney Allen did not regularly perform with the Gang after 1945, with the exception of Royal
Variety Performances, and Eddie Gray rejoined the group in 1956.
251:". Chesney Allen withdrew from live performances in later years due to ill health, though he outlived all the others. The Gang made a television series,
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230:, who was a frequent co-star of Will Hay, often turned up in their films. Eddie Gray, their associate and equally crazy comic, appeared in the later
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opened on 30 November 1931. Other Crazy Weeks followed with
Flanagan and Allen added. The name Crazy Gang was introduced in a show called
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were a group of
British entertainers, formed in the early 1930s. In the mature form the group's six men were
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Among the other acts who worked with The Crazy Gang was the tall and rotund
American percussionist
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Hope-Wallace, Philip (20 December 1956) "These
Foolish Kings: Crazy Gang's Hilarity",
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88:. The group achieved considerable domestic popularity and were a favourite of the
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The story and music of the Crazy Gang were featured in the 1981 musical
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features a poster for The Crazy Gang in the cafe scenes.
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208:(1937), and the best remembered was their war-time film
538:"Underneath the Arches – The Guide to Musical Theatre"
157:. Essentially the gang comprised three double acts;
567:Slapstick!: Illustrated Story of Knockabout Comedy
218:, the Frenchman who also directed films starring
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177:The gang appeared first in their own stage show
278:when he took time off for contractual reasons.
516:"Allen, (William Ernest) Chesney (1894?–1982)"
202:, they then made several films. The first was
121:at the London Palladium and on tour in 1933.
521:Oxford Dictionary of National Biographies
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313:– a revue at the London Palladium (1935)
307:– a revue at the London Palladium (1935)
255:, in 1956. The Gang was understudied by
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129:The members of the Crazy Gang were:
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337:– at the London Palladium (1939)
331:– at the London Palladium (1938)
325:– at the London Palladium (1937)
319:– at the London Palladium (1936)
281:The group were asked to do many
383:– at the Victoria Palace (1960)
377:– at the Victoria Palace (1959)
371:– at the Victoria Palace (1956)
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353:– at the Victoria Palace (1950)
18:Underneath the Arches (musical)
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606:from the BBC Guide to Comedy
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440:(filmed 1958, released 1960)
295:Life begins at Oxford Circus
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469:Chichester Festival Theatre
311:All Alight at Oxford Circus
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615:The Crazy Gang – A tribute
283:Royal Command Performances
33:The Crazy Gang (l. to r.)
610:TVCream's Crazy Gang Page
542:guidetomusicaltheatre.com
467:, first performed at the
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305:Round About Regent Street
274:, who often stood in for
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565:Staveacre, Tony (1986)
526:(subscription required)
499:The Manchester Guardian
473:Prince of Wales Theatre
630:British comedy troupes
584:Kindly Leave the Stage
514:Goldie, David (2004)
335:The Little Dog Laughed
198:After being signed by
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635:Music hall performers
465:Underneath the Arches
249:Underneath the Arches
200:Gainsborough Pictures
155:'Monsewer' Eddie Gray
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329:These Foolish Things
193:Sherman Fisher Girls
188:These Foolish Things
413:Alf's Button Afloat
369:These Foolish Kings
569:. Harper Collins.
445:In popular culture
357:Ring out the Bells
351:Knights of Madness
159:Flanagan and Allen
119:The Big Crazy Gang
92:, especially King
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421:The Frozen Limits
297:– a revue at the
243:(1958), starring
163:Naughton and Gold
16:(Redirected from
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111:London Palladium
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90:royal family
66:Bud Flanagan
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43:Bud Flanagan
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586:, Methuen.
363:Jokers Wild
289:Stage shows
264:Teddy Brown
257:Peter Glaze
139:Jimmy Nervo
125:Composition
74:Jimmy Nervo
47:Jimmy Nervo
624:Categories
547:3 November
479:References
179:Crazy Week
151:Jimmy Gold
143:Teddy Knox
115:Crazy Week
86:Jimmy Gold
78:Teddy Knox
62:Crazy Gang
51:Jimmy Gold
39:Teddy Knox
343:– at the
268:xylophone
104:Although
100:Formation
220:Will Hay
582:(1985)
429:Gasbags
211:Gasbags
181:at the
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502:. p. 5
459:Legacy
432:(1941)
424:(1939)
416:(1938)
408:(1937)
347:(1947)
301:(1935)
236:only.
173:Career
165:, and
484:Notes
398:Films
388:Note:
588:ISBN
571:ISBN
549:2017
149:and
84:and
60:The
53:and
239:In
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20:)
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