Famous People You've Never Heard Of
Our podcasts are a mix of conversations with a wide range of subject matter experts and enthusiasts, interspersed with the occasional audio drama. Each episode focuses on one person, a group of people or a genre from the world of entertainment that we wish to bring back to the spotlight and who has been lost to history or is in danger of being so.The Arts industries are currently in peril but this is nothing new. The Entertainment industry in all its guises has seen it all before. Political turmoil, plague, poverty, overnight success, sudden failure and the long term closure of theatres are not unique to the 21st century.We are not academics (although luckily some of our prestigious guests are) so don't expect forensic analysis or ground breaking research in every episode. We are entertainers, passionate about our craft, its heritage and its future. And we want to share our enthusiasm with you!
Episodes
33 episodes
Her Father's Daughter - Stephen Bourne & Patricia Hammond talk about Avril Coleridge-Taylor
Avril Coleridge-Taylor (1903-1988); Wikipedia says she was a "pianist". She was. She was also a composer and conductor (in fact she was the first female conductor of the band of the Royal Marines). She was also the daug...
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Season 3
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Episode 32
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26:12
"Damn Tom & Jerry" - Dr Mary Shannon Talks About Billy Waters. With Charlotte Campbell.
We're delighted and privileged to be releasing today's podcast on the 200th anniversary of the death of Billy Waters.Born in 1776 Waters was a familiar sight on the Strand in London. He was a black ex-sailor who had been inval...
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Season 3
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Episode 31
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31:55
"The African Mahler": Chenoa Murphy talks about Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) was a British composer.His mother was English and his father from Sierra Leone. He referred to himself as "Anglo-African" and was referred to by white musicians in the US as the "Black Mah...
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Season 3
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Episode 32
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18:03
Blood, Sweat and Vaginas , with Paula David - One Woman Wednesdays
Paula David's one woman show is a journey through menopause and a discovery of self.It is poetic and musical, has movement and dance and examines something that all women experience and few have the courage to speak about. It is also ...
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Season 3
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Episode 31
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11:06
She Wolves with Laura Careless - One Woman Wednesdays
This one-woman show, based on the book and television series She-Wolves: The Women who Ruled England Before Elizabeth by historian Helen Castor, depicts the lives of five of England’s most famous medieval queens (Empress Matilda, Elean...
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Season 3
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Episode 29
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14:12
Testament of Yootha - One Woman Wednesdays
Yootha Joyce, best known for "George and Mildred" was one of the best known TV stars of the 1970's. But she was so much more...Award -winning actress Caroline Burns-Cooke tells her story in the brilliant one woman show "Test...
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Season 3
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Episode 28
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9:30
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Isadorable! Elizabeth Blake Talks About Isadora Duncan
Isadora Duncan: dancer, muse, innovator, political activist and so much more was born in the USA in 1877. She died in Nice, France in 1927 in a freak accident that is sadly the thing that she seems to be most remembered for. W...
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Season 3
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Episode 26
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43:17
Sex, Love and Classical Music - Elena Mazzon talks about Clara Schumann
Clara Schumann, a pianist, composer and piano teacher. And wife of Robert Schumann.Clara Wieck had a fascinating life- a child prodigy, like Mozart before her she was touring as a concert pianist under the watchful eye of her domi...
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Season 3
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Episode 25
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38:12
Ally Sloper's Half Holiday
Ally Sloper's Half-Holiday was the name of a weekly comic strip which first appeared on 3 May 1884. Before Superman, Spiderman, Desperate Dan and Dennis the Menace came Ally Sloper. From 1884 until the 1920s,...
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Season 3
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Episode 24
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40:53
Who's Army...? David Crump talks about Fred Karno
Who was Fred Karno? and what was his army?We talk to David Crump whose biography of today's subject reveals all - and some!Karno was a giant personality who had a giant effect on theatre and cinema as we know it. The...
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Season 3
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Episode 22
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1:10:19
The 2nd Best Whore in London. With guest contributions from Moira Buffini and Lyn Brown
Back in the dark days of Lockdown number 2 at the end of 2020 Lottie and Linda were enjoying the TV series Harlots. Whilst chatting about it Lottie remembered seeing the blue plaque that is dedicated to Priss Fotheringham, th...
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Season 2
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Episode 21
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38:16
The Forgotten Talent of Amanda Ira Aldridge, with Stephen Bourne & Patricia Hammond
Amanda Ira Aldridge, one of the most important female composers of the 20th century has been all but forgotten.Daughter of the groundbreaking actor Ira Aldridge, Amanda, was also a singer and in her latter years a voice teache...
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Season 2
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Episode 20
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37:57
"It Seems That I'm Interested in Lots of Things"; In Conversation with Christopher Green
For this special episode we've moved away from talking about our long forgotten heroes of history to talk to our very much up to date award winning theatre-maker - and hero - Christopher Green.Christopher is a huge adv...
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Season 2
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Episode 19
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31:44
The Black Sheep of the Family - Christopher Green & John Orchard talk about Fred Barnes
Fred Barnes was a huge star in his time, but his fame, fortune and undeniable glamour hid a tragic story and self-destructive nature.Christopher Green and John Orchard talk to Lottie about Fred Barnes' tragic life and death, how h...
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Season 2
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Episode 19
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51:36
Jolly Good Luck! Ann-Lindsey Wickens & Chris Jaeger talk about Vesta Tilley. With Jessica Danheiser
Vesta Tilley was possibly the most famous male impersonator of all time and a huge star of the Victorian Music Hall. The girl from Worcester, who was treading the boards from the age of 3 was also the wife of an MP and "Britain's best rec...
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Season 2
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Episode 18
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23:03
"The Funniest Book in the World" & How We adapted it for the Stage - with Tim Shaw & Andy Smith
"The Diary of a Nobody" has long been a favourite book of both Tim Shaw and Andy Smith. They've seen it on stage, listened to it on the radio and, of course, read it.So one rainy August day in Edinburgh after seeing Rodney Bewes i...
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Season 2
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Episode 17
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43:03
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The Diary of a Nobody by George & Weedon Grossmith; adapted by Tim Shaw
This season's audio drama is :The Diary of a Nobody, by George & Weedon Grossmith, said by Evelyn Waugh to be the "funniest book ever written".The book has never been out of print and is available at all good bookshops.T...
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Episode 17
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56:15
The Victorian Somebody - Stephen Wade talks about George Grossmith
George Grossmith created many of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic baritone roles and was known for his delivery of the famous patter songs.He was also a writer and composer who entertained royalty in the parlours of palaces and a journa...
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Season 2
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Episode 16
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1:04:06
The Greatest Showman - Andrew van Buren talks about Philip Astley. With Chris Barltrop.
The original "greatest showman" was not P.T. Barnum, it was a chap from Newcastle Under Lyme in Staffordshire, who went by the name Philip Astley. Astley was a soldier and talented equestrian who went on to invent what we now recognis...
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Season 2
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Episode 15
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1:13:37
Into the Limelight with Margaret Monod; a special episode for BHMS Music Hall & Variety Day
Margaret Monod talks about her blog, "Into the Limelight" and her fabulous collection of Music Hall postcards .Today's Podcast:Host: LottieGuest: Margaret MonodEdited By: Jacob TaylorMusic: James ...
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Season 2
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Episode 15
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47:20
Series Two Trailer
Welcome back to "Famous People You've Never Heard Of"!We've some fabulous guests talking about some truly fabulous people and hope that you enjoy finding out about them all.Some of our contributors this season are:Stephe...
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Season 2
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Episode 14
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4:12
Update - Where Has Series Two Gone?
A short message to reassure our listeners that you're not abandoned!We've had a slight delay but Series Two will be up and running soon.In the meantime, check out the show notes for all of Series One , which have been upda...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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4:04
Music Hall Darlings (updated) Alison Young talks about Daisy Dormer & Her Sisters
Alison Young is the Secretary of the British Music Hall Society. She ran away from the law to research and write about her family connections with the Music Hall and has uncovered many little gems that she shares with us today."Da...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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34:47
Man of Letters (updated) Paterson Joseph talks about Charles Ignatius Sancho
Today's episode features writer and actor Paterson Joseph, author of the play "Sancho, An Act of Remembrance", which he has been performing for some 10 years and brings back to the theatre next year. He has also recently completed a book...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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33:15
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Well, La-Di-Dah! : The Team Behind "Marie Lloyd Stole My Life" Talk About Nelly Power
Nelly Power was a huge star of music hall who is now pretty much forgotten.In 2017/18 Blue Fire's Lottie Walker was researching the life of Marie Lloyd when she discovered Nelly, who was in fact the first person to sing the famous...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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46:40
