Fred Barnes

[Atheist]

Anyone know anything about him? I think he wrote the words or music for 'When Father Papered the Parlour'.
He used to keep a pet marmoset on his shoulder and was a fan of rent-boys.
Surely someone here knows him! I'm only going back a near-century.
I was a pal of one of his descendants, who was equally talented in the show biz trade.

[TantP]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Barnes_(performer)

not difficult google search :-)

[Buenchico]

If you've got three quarters of an hour to spare, Atheist, I think that you might find this very interesting:
https://archive.org/details/how-success-ruined-me-roy-hudd

. . . and/or, to read about his life, this book might be to your liking:
Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[Atheist]

Thank you both.
The descendant was my boss for some years, but sadly popped off with prostate cancer. He was a talented mimic and wit and was completely at home on a stage. He was an excellent manager and a good friend.

[Buenchico]

>>> "He . . . was a fan of rent-boys. Surely someone here knows him!"

Is this site particularly popular with extremely elderly rent boys then?

;-)

[Atheist]

Buen; There was a para break after "Rent-boys". And the following sentence facetiously referred to the age of some ABers. I'm not trying to 'out' people for their sexual preferences, just gently tease them about their age.

[jno]

I hardly like to ask, but what's a music hall star 'in the Greek style'? Playing a bouzouki? Or did Greek stars have a lot of marmosets?

[sandyRoe]

Could 'the Greek style'
have been an oblique reference to the Greek Vice?
Roy Hudd was very good in that radio drama.

[TantP]

How can you descend from someone who was gay and had no children?

[Atheist]

Sandy; The Greek Style is just what we used to label foreigners with unnatural vices. The Greeks, and French, and probably every other country, often labelled such vices as 'English Vices'
Of course, you knew that anyway!

[Atheist]

Somuchtheworse: Gay people can have children! :-)

[jno]

I did wonder, sandy. Perhaps he had a double act with Vesta Tilley.

[TantP]

Athiest, not in 1920! I knew you would get my username :-)

[Atheist]

Tant; you explained it recently. I probably wouldn't have noticed otherwise. In fact I wondered why you weren't 'Tante' instead od 'Tant'.

[Atheist]

Sorry Tant; I said 'wouldn't have' instead of 'wouldn't of'.
That must have upset many here! :-)

[Atheist]

Tant...; BTW I'm not Athiest, not even Athier, or even Athy. I'm Atheist.

[TantP]

I thought you lived in France. Its a well used expression. Must have got you mixed up with someone else. Ah well 'Tant Pis' as they say. ( rough translation more like 'hard luck' 'suck it up' or 'get over it'.

[TantP]

BTW I make spelling mistakes, usually, for some reason involving ei and ie. Tant Pis as they say. :-)

[Atheist]

Tant, I have a small house in a lovely French village, and I shall be going there soon. Sadly, we will have to return within 90 days, thanks to our leaving the EU. Tant pis. Bonne fin d'journee. bisou.

[TantP]

Merci, vous aussi :-)