Quite a while ago, before I started the blog that you are reading, I put up a series of web pages about nostalgia.
They contain my own personal memories of the 1950s and 1960s rather than being another news archive but in one of them where I am recalling theatre and variety acts, I mentioned a comedy duo named Dailey & Wayne, who I remembered seeing in variety shows in Blackpool.
I'd searched the Internet and found nothing about them and so I suppose anyone else searching for them would have eventually found my page listed on Google.
And so I got an email from Claire, who's Dad's cousin was Billy Wayne. I replied asking her if she had a photo of the act as I'd found it impossible to find any and she promised to try to find one. She also mentioned the sad news that Billy had passed on some years ago.
Anyway she was as good as her word and the other day this autographed photo arrived and is now, as far as I know, at time of writing, the only photograph of Dailey & Wayne on the web!
Hi John
ReplyDeleteThe straight man from Dailey & Wayne is my Dad. If you would like any information on this act I can give you more than enough
Regards
Dinah May Lee (Dailey)
I remember Dailey and Wayne very well.Very funny guys.I worked with them in the late 70's.I was the keyboard half of the duo "Taste of Honey".Our manager at the time was Johnny Laycock.He would book us to back and compere the big shows he "bought"for the week.Sandie Shaw,Paul Melba etc.Dailey and Wayne were booked by Johnny for the week.One of the nights was my birthday and they sung Happy Birthday to me.The venue was Hackney Swimming Baths.Nice memories.Regards,Ray Ellis.
DeleteHello, I know Johnny Laycock, he is 91 in March, he lives near us on the Costa del Sol, he is a member of an Ex pats club in Sitio de Calahonda. What a Life he has had, Great. George Birnie
DeleteHi As a kid in the 60s/70s I used to live opposite Paddy on Beacon Road in Bredbury Green. Lovely bloke, had about four daughters. Always bought presents when he came back from Australia etc. I Remember when he was on the royal variety and one daughter telling us she was a "Stars Daughter Now!" Made us laugh. We missed them all when they moved.
DeleteCheers
Andrew
That would be great - as far as I have been able to find any info on the web, it's been a bit negative unfortunately as it concentrates on ill feelings between them. Yet whilst I can't remember details of the act, the fact is I remember them as being a good comedy double.
ReplyDeleteYou could post here as a comment or email me (contact details in the left column) and I'll add as a new entry?
John
Hi John
ReplyDeleteThe "MYTH" of Dailey & Wayne not getting on is a rumour put out by people who have never known Paddy & Bill otherwise they would seen for themselves, that no one could make an attack on one or the other without finding themselves in a very situation.
The reason they split up was that Paddy felt, that as they had done everything on the Variety side of the business in every part of the World, it was time to make inroads into the legit Theatre. They were offered at least three comedy plays, The Odd Couple, The Sunshine Boys, Boeing Boeing. Unfortunately Bill was only interedted in Live Performing, which of course was his forte.
My Dad always speaks of his old partner with great effection and often recalls the funny things they experienced together. He is currently writing all of this down for "posterity". Remember Dailey & Wayne were the last of the Varity acts and the first into Clubs.
Paddy went to see Bill when he was in hospital,just before he died and according to my Dad's account they cried together recalling old times. The nurse who looked after Bill in his last days, approached Paddy at the funeral and said she knew all about him. My Dad said "I hope it was all good". She said she had never heard anyone speak so highly and so much about another person, consequently she felt she had to meet this Paddy. Iguess that about sums up the "MYTH". Dad says he always enjoyed going to Blackpool. He first appeared there at Feldman's Theatre, which later changed it's name to "The Queen's". They opened the ABC in 1963 with Cliff Richard, the Shadows, Arthur Worsley, Norman Collier.
If you would like more. I can give you the full history from 1950 up to 1983. Photos, Video clips, programmes etc.
Regards
Dinah May Lee (Dailey)
Dinah May, I am so pleased to have the opportunity to help set the record straight.
ReplyDeleteI went to the ABC show in 1963 at least 3 times during that season at the age of 9 with my parents. Mum was (and is) a huge Cliff fan and on one trip he drove past us as we came in through Preston causing great excitement!
You obviously have a knack of writing as your comment shows - why not put the memorabilia together and help your Dad write it up as a book?
Please give your Dad my regards and tell him that I still remember (if vaguely!) the act with fondness.
Best regards,
John
Hi John
ReplyDeleteMy dad sends his best regards to you and your Mum. He said you obviously like the light entertainment scene. If you are interested, you can see what we have been doing in the past and what we will continue to do in the future. The website is near completion, but you can get a gist of what's going on.
Dinah May Lee (Dailey)
P.S Would you like some publicity stuff on Dailey and Wayne + Pictures?
I'd love some photos and material please. My email address is shown in the left hand column. Just put the appropriate symbols where I've used [ ] brackets.
ReplyDeleteIf they are paper based, if you email me directly I can send my postal address back - I can't answer you by email from your comments as your email address isn't included.
Best regards, John
Hi John
ReplyDeleteI've sent you some material on D&W.
I'm wondering if you received it?
Regards
Dinah(Dailey)
Nothing as yet - bispham2@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteWonderful! Got them now Dinah, many thanks and please see the follow-up post
ReplyDeleteJohn
This a message for Dinah May. My name is Hilary and a was a very good friend of Collette O'Brien when we were girls. Her father Fran was Paddy's brother and we met him several times as a girl. I particularly remembering going to see Dailey and Wayne in Manchester with Val Doonican and we went backstage afterwards to your dad's house. I lost touch with Collette and her family after I got married. Anyway I often wondered what happened to Dailey and Wayne and I am glad I decided to google their names and found this site. All the best to you and your father.
ReplyDeleteHilary Turner
I was delighted to accidentally stumble across this site and see your blog about Dailey & Wayne.
ReplyDeleteI was a boyhood school friend of Billy Blower (later to become Bill Wayne and have cherished memories of both him and the act. I also met Paddy Dailey (aka Pascal O'Brien) on a number of occasions over the years when I went to see the act.
I remember particularly their entry into the world of Variety when I saw their debut in 'The Hollywood Doubles Show' at The Hulme Hippodrome in Manchester in 1952.Their Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis act stealing the show. That bill also included Irish balladeer Ronnie Carroll amongst other unknown artistes at the time who went on to gain showbiz fame. Their selection to appear on the 1972 Royal Variety Performance was a just reward for a very talented duo.
I have always followed their career and was extremely proud of what they both achieved in the business. Bill particularly who like me came from a very poor working class background was an inspiration. His early death aged 48 in 1984 was a very sad loss. It came after he took ill on an overseas engagement in South Africa with his new partner. He died some weeks later in the Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
In my opinion they were one of the top comedy duos of their time who enjoyed a fantastic career together that lasted for thirty years.
I believe that Paddy and Bill did have some differences from time to time, but what normal partnership doesn’t ? The fact remains that there came a time when they had to go their separate ways. Paddy chose a different path and Bill carried on the act with a new partner but kept the name Dailey & Wayne. Would that have happened if the parting had not been amicable ? I think not.
Roy Riley.
Hi John
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I sufered a few senior memory moments in my last post re Dailey & Wayne.
Their Royal Variety Performance took place in November 1971 not 1972.
I know that Bill was born on 14th June 1936 and died aged 49yrs (not 48)in 1985 not 84. My apologies.
Roy Riley.
I fancy you have answered my question, at the very bottom of my post here:
ReplyDeletehttp://matthewconiam.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/smoking-is-cool-and-pipe-smoking-is.html
Another photo of the boys for you to enjoy!
(PS: Lovely blog - do I recognise you from the Dennis Wheatley site?)
Hi Matthew and thanks for the link to the pic - clickable here and the pic of Dailey and Wayne right at the bottom.
ReplyDeleteYes I enjoy Mr Wheatley's Duke deRichleau and Gregory Sallust books!
Darren Blower is the son of Paddy, I think. He would be happy to give you any info I'm sure. Darren was the singer with Zoot Stax soul band (me, keyboards) & he always spoke with great affection about his father's partnership and professionalism. Arthur C Throovest (George Sandoz)
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing Dailey and Wayne at the Princess Theatre Torquay in a summer season with Val Doonican when I was 9 or 10 (I'm
ReplyDelete58 now!). I enjoyed their act a lot and have always remembered the amazing green jumpsuit with a massive Elvis type collar and sequins. Funny the things that stick in your mind. Loved reading all of these comments about a well loved act.
I remember seeing Dailey and Wayne with a group of friends at Marrickville RSL Club, Sydney, Australia in 1975. I thought they were brilliant. I only just came across this web page today 19/02/23 and was sad to hear that Bill had passed away so young. I remember him singing Glocca Morra and making fun of it. We had a great laugh. I was 32 then and now going on 80. Great memories.
DeleteHi is your blog still ongoing I was so happy reading about their career they were super
ReplyDeleteThe blog is still ongoing, but is based mainly on my personal memories so, as I do not have any association with Dailey and Wayne, the number of articles about them is and will probably remain limited to the two existing articles.
DeleteHi just watched 1975 summer time special on You tube l from Torbay featured D&W and was integrated to find out more about this comedy duo l came across you blog and the relatives and friends that also commented on here about the comedy partners sad to hear Wayne had died at such young age any know if his partner is still alive,?
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm afraid I don't know Paddy Dailey, I swapped some emails with his daughter and Paddy himself left a couple of comments on my follow-up to this article - see here - in 2013 and 2016. Best regards John
DeleteOver the last couple of days I've had a torrent of comments that I am NOT going to publish. Will the people sending them (anonymously) please stop as no one will see them at all.
ReplyDelete