Shirley by Burgess Muriel

Author:Burgess, Muriel [Burgess, Muriel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House
Published: 2013-08-31T07:00:00+00:00

11

MARRIAGE AND MEN

THURSDAY, 8 JUNE 1961, The South Wales Echo

SHIRLEY BASSEY WEDS

Shirley Bassey, the singer from Cardiff, wearing a pink costume with toque hat and veil to match arrived at the Paddington, London, Register Office just before 9.30 a.m. in Mr Hume’s light coffee coloured Bentley – registered number KH 14. About two minutes after the bride had entered the building Mr Hume arrived wearing a dark blue suit with a rose in his lapel. About fourteen minutes later bride and groom appeared arm in arm. A group of housewives with prams shopping in the busy street wished her ‘Good luck, Shirley.’

It was Shirley’s first marriage. She was twenty-four. Shirley had several times refused marriage proposals from film producer, Kenneth Hume. But now she had married him. Shirley herself offered one reason why she gave in at last. She said, ‘Kenneth was eleven years older than me. My father left my mother when I was about two and for a long time I was looking for a father figure in all my men.’

The news of Shirley’s marriage was not well received by all. Someone said, ‘All he does is strut down Wardour Street and pretend to be a film producer. He’ll spend all her money on gambling.’ Even actress Diana Dors, who was well known for her good sense of humour as well as her bad taste in men, wasn’t too keen on Kenneth Hume. ‘I haven’t always picked the right men, but I certainly was lucky when I missed that one.’

But with Shirley, Kenneth seemed to show another side. He was a better manager for her than Michael Sullivan. Apart from being her legal husband there was always an element of protectiveness in Kenneth’s attitude to Shirley. From the beginning of their marriage they would have slanging matches with each other and the air would turn blue with expletives, but Shirley was used to such scenes; her noisy quarrels with Sullivan had been well known throughout show business. If you wanted a quiet life with Shirley you let her make the decisions, but the men in her life often enjoyed the drama of an argument.

Kenneth Hume had an office of his own in Wardour Street when he married Shirley. He had staff, and connections in the profession whom he could call on. Sullivan had started his management of Shirley on a shoestring, and apart from Sylvia and Berry, never delegated anyone else to look after her. But Kenneth Hume made sure there was always someone with her on tour who would take care of her. He did not tour with her himself, although he’d sometimes make a quick visit to wherever she was, but he never put himself in the position of being at her beck and call. She could telephone him wherever she was in the world and complain and he’d listen, but he didn’t always act.

Hume was very lucky to have an exceptional office manager in Leslie Simmons, who would arrange timetables, hotels and planes to perfection. All Shirley’s tours were well planned and if the boss didn’t interfere nothing would go wrong.

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