Old Mother Riley-Kitty

PROGRAMME BEGINS. Agricultural land. Zoom in on Boston in distance. Streets of Boston. St. Botolph's school gate. Exterior of the school. B/w photo of school class and PBU of Lucan.

Exterior of Shodfriars Hall. Interior showing it in present day use. B/w photo of the Musical Cliftons and PBU of Lucan.

Various b/w photos including street scene in Dublin and of the Queens in Dublin - door of the Shane household and of Kitty as a young girl and young woman. Newspaper cutting of Kitty in panto. B/w photo of Kitty and Arthur.

Poster Argyle Theatre - Birkenhead showing Lucan and McShane appearing in comedy act. B/w film of them in action - Lucan as Mrs O'Flynn. B/w film and photos of Lucan and McShane in the Match Seller.

B/w photo of Lucan and McShanes son Donald - doctor of medicine.

INTERVIEW Roy Denton. First feature film with Lucan and McShane in it.

INTERVIEW Roy Roland. B/w photo of Roy and Arthur together. B/w photos of Kitty and her lover on stage. B/w film of them on stage. B/w film of Lucan and McShane entertaining the troops.

PART TWO: WEMBLEY Lucan and McShane's house. Garden and rear of house. Garden and rear of house.

INTERVIEW Roy continues. B/w films. Poster Lucan solo GOING GAY review. Exterior of theatres changing uses. Lucans last film. Beauty Queens - Arthur Lucan judging contest and presenting garland. Review - heavy slapstick. Tivoli Theatre Hull programme. B/w photo of exterior to theatre.

INTERVIEW Steve King.

INTERVIEW Ellis Ashton. HULL Newspaper cuttings re: Lucans death. Graveyard. Children laying flowers on Lucans grave. B/w film - Old Mother Riley telling children a story. B/w Old Mother Riley driving car and riding bike. Locations: Middx., Wembley and Yorks, Hull.

[Information courtesy of Jon Black]

July 2006

Hull Daily Mail articles from 1954

You can now read the various articles from The Hull Daily Mail following Arthur's death in 1954 here

These detail his demise in the wings of the Tivoli Theatre and the funeral, including the substantial list of mourners.

June 2006

Roy Rolland

Roy Rolland was Arther Lucan's stand in and good friend for a number of years. For more details click here

The Towle Family Tree

Here is a link to a new page detailing the Towle family tree, including Arthur, going back to the early 18th century.

[Thanks to Glynis Benford for supplying this information]

May 2006

Donald Towle's BMA records

Here is a link to an extract of Arthur Lucan's son Donald Towle's entry in the BMA records detailing his education and medical qualifications. Interesting to see his interested in all things atomic!

As this is a .pdf file, you will need to download Adobe Reader to open it. You can download it FREE here

[Thanks to Anthony Russell for his research and supplying the details]

Below is an excerpt from The Times newspaper detailing Kitty McShane's estate following her death in 1964.

kittys will

[Picture courtesy of Roy Rust]

Allan Sherman's 'My Son The Vampire'

You can now listen to an extract of the Allan Sherman song 'My Son The Vampire', taken from the US film of the same name.

Just follow on the link below and click on Track 16:

MY SON THE VAMPIRE BY ALLAN SHERMAN

Arthur Lucan's bankruptcy

Extracts from The Times newspaper regarding Arthur Lucan's bankruptcy proceedings.

For more on this Click here

1891 and 1901 census detailing a young Arthur Towle

Below is an extract from the 1901 Census showing the Towle family, including Arthur, aged 16. Profession - Office Boy!

Extract from the 1901 Census for Boston.
[Picture courtesy of Roy Rust]

[Click picture for larger image]

Below is an extract from the 1891 Census showing the Towle family, including Arthur, aged five.

Extract from the 1891 Census for Boston, where the Towle family moved to from Sibsey.
[Picture courtesy of Roy Rust]

[Click picture for larger image]

Certified copy of Arthur Towle's birth certificate
[Picture courtesy of Roy Rust]

[Click picture for larger image]

This site was created and is maintained by Martyn Peter Wilkinson.

Quotes and images not my own remain in the copyright of the originator or else in the public domain. The information contained in this web site is intended for entertainment, educational, historical, and informational purposes only.

Kitty McShane.
[Picture courtesy of Lynton Black]

March 2007

Arthur Lucan's understudy dies

Frank Seton (1918 -2007)

Actor and book collector

Francis Wilfred Poupart (Frank Seton), actor: born Walton-on-Thames,

Surrey 29 March 1918; died Rosecare, Cornwall 28 February 2007.

When Arthur Lucan dropped dead in the wings of the Tivoli Theatre, Hull, on Monday 17 May 1954, Frank Seton stepped into the costume of Old Mother Riley, the music-hall, pantomime, radio and cinema character who had been created by Lucan in 1934. Roy Rolland, chief understudy for the part, was not present on the night and after only a short break Seton took to the boards. He was described in the Hull Daily Mail the next morning as "a repertory and touring actor" who "acquitted himself so well" it was "a miracle". Seton himself said afterwards: "You can't really take over a part like Old Mother Riley. It is entirely [Lucan's] own characterisation. You just can't mimic him."

[Thanks to Dan for this contribution]

lucan and mcshane

Arthur Lucan as Old Mother Riley with his wife Kitty McShane

January 2007

The Death of Arthur Lucan - An Eyewitness Account by Janet Karel

Here is a poignant e-mail I received from Janet Karel regarding the last moments of Arthur Lucan. I spoke to Janet on the telephone and she is an absolutely charming lady. She has kindly allowed me to share her memories of that fateful night. Here is her story...

"I was the female lead in Gaston and André’s fifties tour of Old Mother Riley in Paris, Arthur Lucan’s last show. Over the years I have heard and seen programmes where others of the company have talked of his death that night in Hull. Although I was never contacted about it I was certainly the last person that Arthur stood and talked with before he crashed into unconsciousness backstage at the Tivoli Theatre.

I well remember the tour of ‘Old Mother Riley in Paris’ and the death of its star Arthur Lucan, backstage at the Tivoli Theatre, Hull. I was playing the role of Mary, the girl next door to Old Mother Riley, and deeply in love with her wayward son Pat.

The performance, on that sad night, began quite normally. Arthur and I stood, as we usually did, awaiting our first entrance, wondering what the ‘house’ was like. I, ready to go ahead, putting across the story of Pat and I as childhood sweethearts (changing the words of the old song Mother Kelly’s Doorstep to Mother Riley’s Doorstep) and ending by breaking down in tears, which was Old Mother Riley’s cue to enter, and stand on her doorstep sniffing and dabbing her eyes with her apron.

We had both come down in good time at the ‘Overture and Beginners’ call. Arthur must have run back up to his dressing room, probably for a quick nip of something warming, because I remember marvelling at the athletic speed at which he flew back downstairs again, and the comic incongruity of this with his elderly lady character, which I suppose was the very essence of his appeal.

I was smiling as he came towards me, and he said “You’re looking lovely tonight, Mary”. His eyes were misty and I guessed he was actually thinking of his darling Kitty McShane. I brushed off the remark and he turned to the wall, leaning his head on his hand in a comic pose of rejection. Then suddenly, he staggered back, spinning almost full circle, still stiffly upright, then crashed backwards to the floor where he lay, his breath rasping, rattling and snorting, as others rushed to him. I heard my cue and went on stage. All the time as I sung, I was trying to make sense of what I’d seen happening to Arthur. The song ended, my tears flowed on cue, but there was no answering sniff, no quip from Mother Riley’s doorstep behind me.

I turned and looked upstage. Her door remained shut, her doorstep empty. I continued to stand quite still as the house lights came up, just staring at that empty doorstep, and it dawned on me that Old Mother Riley would never stand there, or indeed anywhere, ever again."

Janet Karel

Feature Article on Lucan & McShane on the Britmovie Website

For lovers of UK films, I can recommend the Britmovie website. You can read my article on Lucan & McShane on the the site here

The Search For Kitty McShane's Grave

One of my main aims for 2007 is to carry on the elusive search for Kitty McShane's last resting place. During last year I made various inquiries of various people and authorities without success.

She is out there somewhere and and if anybody has any information please contact me at the e-mail address at the bottom of this page. You need to remove the 'no spam' bit before posting the message.

November 2006

New Headstone On Arthur Lucan's Grave

AL new headstone

Arthur Lucan's new headstone in Hull's Eastern Cemetery - November 2006.
[Picture courtesy of Jon Black]

The black headstone has a rounded top with a picture of Arthur in his familiar Old Mother Riley garb.

The full inscription reads...

ARTHUR TOWLE
1885 - 1954
ALSO KNOWN AS
ARTHUR LUCAN
OLD MOTHER RILEY
"Matches Penny A Box
Stop Me And Strike One
I've Not Sold A Box Of
Matches For12 Months
My Shareholders Are Getting
The Wind Up"

From The Matchseller.

Inscribed on the reverse of the stone...

DONATED BY
TIMELESS MEMORIALS
29 - 258

You can view more pictures of the new gravestone here

Here is a copy of an article written by me for the Boston Standard newspaper and published on Wednesday 15th November 2006, regarding the new headstone on Arthur Lucan's grave.

Here is a copy of a letter to the Hull Daily Mail published on Wednesday 8th November 2006, regarding the new headstone on Arthur Lucan's grave in Hull's Eastern Cemetery.

The letter reads...

Famous figure's new grave doesn't reflect his true greatness

"I visit the Eastern Cemetery regularly, as some of my family are resting there.
Recently, having paid my respects, I decided to walk to the opposite side of the cemetary to a plot I have admired and respected for more than 40 years.
The stone was a one-off, with a distinctive top and was quite small.
I usually walk straight to the grave, but for some reason I couldn't find it. Had I walked down the wrong path? I searched but could not find the stone that had been standing there since 1956.
I ended up where I thought the stone should be, only to find it had been replaced with a new one.
The stone had a new shape, colour and inscription. The old inscription reflected a great man, the actor and entertainer arthur Lucan, also known as Old Mother Riley.
The new inscription meant nothing to me. I left the plot feeling empty and plan never to return."
SF, Hull

[Thanks to Bob Rich]

Lucan letter may inspire further learning

Here is my letter published in the Hull Daily Mail on Saturday 11th November 2006.

Letter published in Hull Daily Mail on 11th November 2006, picturing the Tivoli Theatre
[Thanks to Jon Black for the cutting]

[Click on cutting for larger image]

April 2006

The English Heritage blue plaque for Arthur Lucan in Wembley

There is a Blue Plaque erected (pictured below) in Arthur Lucan's memory at his former home - Lucan Lodge - in Wembley, London.

[Click picture for larger image]

Arthur Lucan's and Kitty McShane's home in Wembley, London (pictured below). Now a nursing home .
[Picture courtesy of Lynton Black]

According to the English Heritage website, who are responsible for erecting the plaques, Arthur was born in 1887 (see picture below).

I have e-mailed them to point out the fact that Arthur was actually born in 1885.

Blue Plaque

Blue plaque for Athur Lucan. Note the incorrect year of birth.
[Picture courtesy of Lynton Black]

Update - May 2006

English Heritage have added a correction to the Arthur Lucan entry on their website regarding his year of birth. It will be interesting to see if they also correct the actual plaque itself.

January 2006

YOU CAN NOW LISTEN TO THE COLUMBIA DISC RECORDINGS HERE!!

Just click on the relevant links below :

OLD MOTHER RILEY'S PAST

OLD MOTHER RILEY ON THE FARM

OLD MOTHER RILEY'S BUDGET

OLD MOTHER RILEY TAKES HER MEDICINE

OLD MOTHER RILEY IN THE POLICE FORCE

You may need a broadband connection to play these files effectively.