Danny La Rue: Life's a Drag

Peter-underwood

ISBN 10: 0352398264 ISBN 13: 9780352398260

Publisher: Star/WH Allen, 1975

Synopsis

Life's A Drag! - an evocative title for a very contemporary and compelling book!

While it is true that there have been forms of drag, both private and public, since earliest times, as a form of modern entertainment drag in recent years has developed into a phenomenon which is now a world-wide multi-million pound entertainment industry in itself.

This penetrating study, giving a depth background of the world drag scene is, however, primarily a book about one drag artist - the hugely-successful Danny La Rue, himself a veritable Industry of Drag and unquestionably the highest-paid performer of his type in the world. Strangely, no one has previously written a book about Danny la Rue, probably because he is a very private person despite his huge public persona. 

To write this work, Peter Underwood, the well-established author of the highly-successful Boris Karloff biography, Horror Man (Leslie Frewin) and other books, researched widely and interviewed nearly seventy people close to the drag star - people who have worked with Danny la Rue both on and off stage over many years.

The result is this absorbing story of a unique star which intimately surveys the life and work of the Irish Danny la Rue. He started on the stage in a village hall, later joined the Navy at 17 and became in turn a window dresser, chorus boy and then left the stage to work in a shop, returning to the theatre and the chorus to become a dancer and drag artist in an all-male show (which he left because he couldn't stand it). He was eventually spotted in a small revue at London's Irving Theatre and offered his big chance in cabaret at Bond Street's Churchill Club.

So began the real success story of the fabulous Danny la Rue - a succession of successes: His own exclusive night club, recordings, countless pantomime hit shows, two Royal Command Performances, his first film, his three homes, three cars, greyhounds and racehorses, his hugely successful summer seasons, television appearances and the acclamation by the Variety Club of Great Britain as 'Show Business Personality of The Year'.

Surrounding the story of the inimitable Danny la Rue is a vivid examination of the Drag Scene which has projected Danny's success - how it has become a major entertainment phenomenon in top theatres, on TV, films and in pubs and clubs throughout the world. Author Underwood relevantly appraises the lure of drag, the pleasures and the pain, the hard work, the dangers and the impact of what is daily becoming an ever-growing phenomenon of the twentieth century's Permissive Age.

Life's A Drag! is essentially a Leslie Frewin 'Book of Our Time': it is copiously illustrated.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About this title

About the Author

Renowned British 'ghosthunter' - psychical researcher, author and broadcaster on the occult and paranormal phenomena. President and Chief Investigator of the legendary Ghost Club for over thirty years, Underwood published prolifically - focusing in particular on ghosts and haunted houses. It was in the wake of the success of his biography of Boris Karloff that the same publisher commissioned Underwood to write this biography of Danny La Rue.

From the Back Cover

'People expect me to be naughty, and I am!'

'Naughty', perhaps, but no-one could ever claim he skirted success! There are his recordings, countless pantomime hits, two Royal Command Performances, the hugely successful summer seasons, the TV appearances (drawing 12 million viewers for his smash-hit TV spectacular), the acclamation as 'Show Business Personality of the Year.' And there are the rewards ... All built on an ending ability to make people laugh.

Edition details

• Publisher: Star/WH Allen
• Publication date: 1975
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0352398264
• ISBN 13: 9780352398260
• Number of pages: 160