Obituary of Johnny Ladd

Herald Sun, Friday, July 23, 2004 Obituaries www.heraldsun.com.au 91 JOHNNY LADD Skate prints in the sand Entertainer Reader's RAF Gang Shows Petunia Perkins in Robinson ter Music Hall (the former Born: February 19, 1924 with Dick Emery and Tony Crusoe on Ice: "Look," his Lido) and at Annabel's in Hancock — with whom he later Dame Petunia would chortle, " Alfred Place, and with partner Died: June 27, 2004 shared "digs". He entertained Skate prints in the sand!" Joe Latona he created a ship- troops in Europe and Asia, and Ladd decided to make Aus- board revue for Shaw Savill's ONE of this country's was in the first British revue tralia his home. In 1960 he Expo 70 cruise to Japan. company to tour Japan after joined John Bluthal's Gaslight most beloved enter- the war. On television he had featured Music Hall on TCN-9, a weekly roles in the police drama series tainers has left the stage. show in the tradition of the For most of his 80 years Back in Britain, work was The Link Men, and in the elusive, so Ladd made ends nostalgic Players' shows with Johnny Ladd made people which he was so familiar notorious Number 96, in which laugh. He was an expert jour- meet by working as a male he played a TV quizmaster, neyman comic whose artistry model. In 1948 he joined Clive After this came the national Jimmy Jock. He was also a sprang from the rich traditions Dunn and Hattie Jacques at version of The Bobby Limb the Players' Theatre, London's Show on the Nine Network, judge on the New Faces talent of British music hall, variety quest, which discovered come- and pantomime. only genuine Victorian music and Graham Kennedy's In Mel- hall. Here he presided as an bourne Tonight. dian Paul Hogan. Ladd went on Born in Shardlow, Derby- to produce comedy on Hogan's shire, Ladd was nine when his ebullient chairman and also Johnny was resident comedy television show for seven years. parents took him to see Robin- developed his loveable "Chel- producer and participated in son Crusoe at the Grand The- sea Pensioner" characterisa- Johnny Ladd many sketches. By the time he In 1978 Ladd and Latona atre, Derby. It was love at first tion, which he recycled for produced the entertainment Gondola, a bright new British left the show nine years later, sight! He decided there and many years. He also gained he had a hand in over 3000 for The Londoner, Dennis Gow- then that his would be the life valuable experience at the infa- musical that premiered at the ing's revamp of Annabel's. Theatre Royal in Windsor. The sketches. He also found time to of an entertainer. mous Windmill, where budding appear in Between Ourselves, Their J.J. Productions also cre- comics tried to divert male show went on to play for 673 an ABC variety series with Though his family had no performances in the West End, ated many trade shows, fashion theatrical connections, they patrons whose enthusiasms Tikki Taylor, Bill Newman and parades and special functions. encouraged him to present were mainly reserved for the and then toured Britain, with Kevan Johnston. tiny theatre's famous nudes. Ladd as resident director. Though his health deterior- plays at home, and at school he With Jill Perryman and John- ated in recent years, Johnny participated in a stream of In 1951 Johnny Ladd played In 1959 he was recruited by ny Lockwood, Ladd starred in plays and pantos. He was still retained his deep love of the in his first ice show. He stayed " Australian theatrical entrepre- When We Are Married, Tommy business and the people in it. at school when war broke out, on ice" for eight years, and neurs J.C. Williamson Theatres Tycho's musical version of J.B. and he made his farewell ap- The ready wit and the twinkle played "dame" in five ice pan- to direct and star in the show in Priestley's play, which had a in his eye remained right until pearance there as Mr Puff in tomimes. He wrote, directed this country. Grab Me a Gondo- successful run at Sydney's the end. Sheridan's The Critic. and played the title role in the la opened at the Empire The- Phillip Theatre in 1970. After In 1941 he enlisted in the enormously successful Queen atre, Sydney, on 2 May 1959 this Ladd found new audiences Johnny Ladd will be remem- Royal Air Force. With another of Hearts panto at the vast and subsequently played mer- in the convivial theatre restau- bered by friends and colleagues future comedy great, Frank Empire Stadium, Wembley. rily throughout Australia and rants that were thriving in at a gala tribute concert at the Thornton, he'ran a forces radio There were also many cheery New Zealand, though not in Sydney and Melbourne. Princess Theatre on Monday, station at Heaton Park base, summer variety shows at sea- Melbourne, where no suitable In the early 1970s he worked 30 August at lpm. after which he went into air side resorts like Bognor Regis theatre was available. in Sydney with Gloria Dawn at Everyone is welcome. crew training, initially at York and Bournemouth. After this Ladd transferred the Doncaster Theatre Restau- and later in Canada. Ladd's big break came in to the Tivoli Circuit, who fea- rant and at the Fishmongers' Frank van Straten, OAM, After the end of the war in 1956 when he was cast as tured him as a skating comedi- Hall Theatre Restaurant; and (Melbourne writer, broadcaster and perform- Europe, Ladd joined Ralph "juvenile lead" in Grab Me a an in Ecstasy on Ice and Dame in Melbourne at the Red Gar ing arts historian)