Josef Locke .........

[ferret69]

Watched the film Here My Song the other night and really enjoyed it, just got me thinking if Josef Locke ever appeared on stage in real life as Mr X or was it just in the film ?

[emmie]

In 1958, after he had appeared in five Royal Variety Performances, and while he was still at the peak of his career, the British tax authorities began to make substantial demands that Locke declined to meet. Eventually he fled the country for Ireland, where he lay low for several years. When his differences with the tax people were eventually settled, Locke retired to County Kildare, emerging for the occasional charity concert and reappearing in Blackpool in 1968. He later appeared on British and Irish television and in 1982 was given a lengthy tribute on Gay Byrne's The Late Late Show.
Hear my Song
The Josef Locke memorial in Derry

In 1991, the Peter Chelsom film Hear My Song was released. It is a fantasy based on the notion of Locke returning from his Irish exile in the 1970s to complete an old love affair, and save a Liverpool-based Irish night-club from ruination. Locke is played by Ned Beatty.

[emmie]

one of my favourite films by the way.

[murraymints]

[ferret69]

Thanks guys, enjoyed that link murraymints, but I'm still interested if he ever appeared as Mr X for real.

[emmie]

no i don't believe he did, it was as pointed out an invention for the film
lovely voice

[tonyav]

emmie, I saw Josef Locke in a show at Blackpool and it would have been around 1968. Parents made me go with them.

[Jomlett]

The mystery of Mr X solved! http://www.joseflocke.co.uk/josef/misterx.htm