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TIMELINE (Continued) 1945-1964
1945 The film "OLD MOTHER RILEY AT HOME" is released in April 1945. World War II ends in Europe with VE Day. The couple make a number of new radio appearances during the year. 1946-49Further radio appearances on "VARIETY BANDBOX", "MUSIC HALL" and various other programmes. Lucan & McShane sign a five year contract with Renown Pictures for a new series of "Old Mother Riley" films. The first of which - "OLD MOTHER RILEY'S NEW VENTURE" - is released in 1949. Arthur Lucan recovers from a prostate operation to film the next film - "OLD MOTHER RILEY, HEADMISTRESS, which is released in 1950. 1950 "OLD MOTHER RILEY, HEADMISTRESS" is released and does excellent box office. The last two radio recordings are made. 1951 The last film to star Kitty McShane - "OLD MOTHER RILEY'S JUNGLE TREASURE" is released. The relationship between the couple had become so strained that many scenes involving dialogue between them had to shot seperately, on different days. Lucan & McShane's popularity is on the wain, with the emergence of new comedy duos like Jimmy Jewell and Ben Warriss, and radio shows such as "ITMA" and "UP THE POLE". 1952
Jimmy Gaston and Rosemary Andree took a show out called 'GOING GAY'. Arthur Lucan played the part of 'Silly Billy', Gale Douglas as Mrs Ginnochie Roy Rolland as Arthur's understudy. It also included Sheila Francis, Malcolm Thomas, Charles and Jupp, Ellis Ashton, Bernard and Barry Johns, Dot and Maureen, the Street Singers and Florence Whiteley's Dancing Girls. The other principal act in the show was Macey and Maine.
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Theatre poster for an appearance at the Empire, Middlebsrough 1952(continued) Following his split with Kitty, Arthur stars with ageing horror actor Bela Lugosi (Pictured below) in the last film in the series - "OLD MOTHER RILEY MEETS THE VAMPIRE".
Lucan & McShane tour with separate "Old Mother Riley" shows, with Kitty employing George E Beck (who had, at one time, being Arthur's understudy) in the drag role. 1953 Artur Lucan is declared bankrupt in August 1953. Arthur tours variety theatres with a new production -"OLD MOTHER RILEY IN PARIS". Following the box office sucess of the last film, Renown Pictures approach Arthur to make another - "OLD MOTHER RILEY'S TRIP TO MARS". This film was destined never to be made. Arthur had to fulfil his variety tour comittments before any shooting could start. Unfortunately, he died during the tour before the film could enter production. Ironically, the fee of the film - £20,000 - would have cleared Arthur's debts and made him solvent again. It was not to be. 1954 On 17 May 1954 Arthur Lucan collapsed and died in the wings of the Tivoli Theatre, Kinston-upon Hull, waiting for his cue to go on stage. He was sixty eight years old. After a Requiem Mass, Arthur Lucan was buried in Kingston-upon-Hull's Eastern Cemetery on Friday 21st May 1954. His funeral was attended by Kitty, his son Donald, the cast of the show, the Tivoli Theatre management and staff, numerous show-business friends and fans. The man himself was dead, but the much loved character of "OLD MOTHER RILEY" would live on in the years to come. 1964 Kitty McShane is found dead at her London home, on 24th March 1964, aged 65. The cause of death was not reported. ARTHUR LUCAN (1885-1954) KITTY MCSHANE (1898-1964) HOME | ||
