... JULIE LONDON It was rather a neat coincidence that shortly after Julie London made her initial impact in Britain, singing the torch ballad Cry Me a River in the spoof rock'n'roll movie The Girl Can't Help It, her former husband. Jack Webb, became a familiar face on our television screens with his immensely popular American police series Dragnet. For it was the financial security pro vided by ...

... GWEN VERDON Owen Verdon, one ot the foremost actress/dancers in Broadway history, and the winner of four Tony Awards, has died aged 75. In recent years she had assumed the role of artistic adviser for various restagings of work originally devised by her husband, director-choreo grapher Bob Fosse, and as such made significant contri butions to the current West End productions of Fosse and ...

... LESLIE FOLEY-COOPER Leslie Foley-Cooper died on November 22 aged 70 after a short, brave fight against cancer. He danced in the first British productions of many US musicals including Annie Get Your Gun and Kiss Me, Kate. He choreographed and danced in many television productions and Ernest Maxin asked him to create the Vernon Girls, a team which met with great success. He was widely respected ...

... Bill Dean Bill Dean, wtio died on April 21 aged 78, was a character actor of distinction whose craggy features made him one of the most recognisable faces in film and television. Best known as the grumpy pensioner Ham/ Cross on Channel 4's Brookside, Dean played the irascible character from 1983 until 1989. As the retired railwayman who had numerous rows with his lodger Ralph Hardwick, Dean ...

... WILLIAM GLOCK Influential music administrator William Glock, who completely revolutionised the BBC's classical agenda during his time as controller of music from 1959 to 1972, has died aged 92. With his radical, forward- looking attitude, he revitalised an organisation that had been in the doldrums for several years, and also transformed the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts, introducing more ...

... HAROLD NICHOLAS The younger half of the legendary dancing act The Nicholas Brothers, Harold Nicholas, died on July 3 aged 79 in America. Their appearances on stage and screen from the thirties onwards brought them international acclaim and high praise from the likes of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. Their dance routine Jumpin' Jive in the film Stormy Weather is widely regarded as one of the most ...

... Eric Morley Eric Morley was one of Britain's most successful entertainment entrepreneurs. Known internationally as the creator of the Miss World competition and the man who introduced commercial bingo into the UK, he also launched Britain's longest running tele vision series. Come Dancing. At the height of its fame Miss World was watched on televi sion by more than two billion people in 150 ...

... Jean Metcalfe Although she has been absent from public life for many years, millions of radio listeners will still recall vividly, and with immense pleasure, the distinctive, warm and appealing voice of Jean IMetcalfe, who died on January 28 aged 76 in Petersfield, Hampshire. She was bom in Reigate, Surrey, and joined the BBC as a secretary in 1940, shortly after leaving school. Having made ...

... STAN SIMMONS Stan Simmons, who died on January 11, aged 73, was by his sheer physical size and bulk one of the most recognisable figures in films and pantomimes. While his name was not always on every body's lips, he was regularly in work throughout his long career. Simmons started life as a roadie in the fifties on tour with some of the major pop stars of the day, including a notable season ...

... SYLVIA FLAHERTY Former variety artist Sylvia Flaherty, who has died at the age of 85, was one of the foremost campaigners in the fight to save the Theatre Royal, Chatham. The theatre was closed in 1955 and fell into disrepair, but local support led by Flaherty and many others ensured wide publicity and national headlines for the town's enthusiasm. She started a petition to save the building ...

... STAN LITTLE Diminutive variety artist Stan Little died on January 2 after a short illness. He was 89. Little joined the profession at a young age, teaming up with his friend and partner Stan Pell to form Pell and Little, which toured theatres for around 30 years. The act also went to South Africa with a follies show for George Black. In 1935, the duo joined Prince Littler's Humpty Dumpty ...

... SYDMARX Accomplished and successful, comedian Syd Marx embodied the spirit of the heyday of variety and music hall. Fair-haired and jovial, his was an act that proved popular with audiences of all ages. His billing matter, once a comic's important trademark, was Fool Marx for Comedy. He appeared in numerous summer seasons and panto mimes throughout the country and was rarely out of work, often ...