A Guide to War Publications of the First & Second World War by Arthur Ward

Author:Arthur Ward
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Bisac Code 1: HIS027100; Bisac Code 2: HIS027090; HISTORY / Military / World War II; HISTORY / Military / World War I
ISBN: 9781473852891
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books
Published: 2015-02-27T16:00:00+00:00

‘Hitler’s Crazy Gang’ may have been an apt epithet for the hard-line Nazis who surrounded Hitler and put his radical theories in to practice. It was no joke, however, to those in occupied Europe, especially Jews.

Ever popular, like George Formby the Crazy Gang took their turn to entertain the troops during wartime, appearing in Normandy only a few weeks after D-Day.

With so many people, men and women, serving in the regular or auxiliary forces, both at home and abroad, it was clear that something better than simply relying on the naturally biased services of theatricals like Val Parnell and Lew Grade to select and arrange variety bookings had to be organised. So in 1939 the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) was established.

One of the founders of ENSA was Basil Dean, the English actor, writer and producer/director of both theatrical and cinema productions who founded Associated Talking Pictures, which later became Ealing Studios and who worked closely with stars such as Gracie Fields and George Formby. Basil had all the necessary clout to run the government-sponsored body responsible for bringing live performances to the armed services.

The other prime mover behind ENSA was Leslie Henson, an English comedian, actor, and like Dean, a successful producer for films and theatre, and a film director. Born in London’s Notting Hill Gate, Henson had made a name for himself as far back as the Edwardian era and starred in silent films and musical comedies to huge public acclaim – he was famous for his bulging eyes, malleable face and raspy voice.

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