Elton Hayes entertaining by his fireplace! I expect they were magical times, listening to the balladeer as he sang, 'with his small guitar,' through his repertoire.
Showing posts with label Elton Hayes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elton Hayes. Show all posts
Elton Hayes at Burnham Beeches
We were extremely lucky with the weather and the forest was beautiful. In the picture above Elton is fishing from a bridge at Middle Pond during a break from filming. This was probably during the recording of the romantic scene in which he sings ‘Whistle My Love.’
Below are a couple of pictures of Middle Pond at Burnham Beeches that I took in April 2009.
To read more about Burnham Beeches and Elton Hayes please click on the Labels below.
Robin Hood Capitol (78) DBX 313B
This is a continuation of a post on the start of a disc promotion for Walt Disney’s live action movie The Story of Robin Hood (1952). We looked at an article in The Billboard April 19th 1952 and below is a follow-up on the release of Capitol’s Robin Hood with its 20 page booklet and colourful illustrations from The Billboard August 16th 1952:
Robin Hood (2-10”)
Capitol (78) DBX 313B
"This is certain to be treasured by the many youngsters who will be lucky recipients of the album. What is etched on the two discs is just part of attraction. Bound into the album is a superbly illustrated 20 page book telling the Robin Hood story as it is given on the records. It is an excellent adaption of the Walt Disney pic by Capitol exec Alan Livingston. Nester Paiva is the narrator and songs are contributed by Eddie Pola, George Wyle, Elton Hayes and Lawrence E. Watkins with Billy May conducting the work. All do fine jobs. Dealers who tie in with the runs of the movie should move plenty of copies; also the set is capable of doing well enough on its own.
Based on reports received for August 6, 7 and 8 [1952] the records listed were those records selling best in the nations retail record stores (dealers) according to The Billboard’s weekly dealer survey".
The Billboard - April 19th 1952
The following text is taken from The Billboard on April 19th 1952 at the start of Walt Disney's promotion of his second live-action movie which was released as The Story of Robin Hood (RKO RadioPictures) in New York on 26th June 1952 (although the article puts in in July of that year). I hope you will find it interesting:
The Billboard
New York, April 12th 1952
"Capital Records have obtained the album rights involving the original cast of the forthcoming Walt Disney flick Robin Hood. Capital has become increasingly active in all phases of the album market. The company recently secured the rights to original cast recordings of the musical, Three Wishes for Jamie and Of Thee I Sing and is now riding high with the Jane Froman set, With a Song in My Heart.
Capitol intends to go all out promotion-wise with the Robin Hood album. It will be a two set record set, with an illustrated story included. In addition to the usual window displays and streamers to hype sales, the company is mulling the idea of Robin Hood archery contests, with archery sets as prizes for kids. For radio publicity, Capitol intends to make disc jockey interview records with the star of the flick, Elton Hayes, and will arrange personal appearances of the actor. A large newspaper and magazine advertising campaign is also skedded.
Simon and Schuster has latched on to the rights to release 25-cent discs of the Disney Robin Hood flick, for Little Golden Records, as well as the right to release one 10 inch platter for the Big Golden Records line.
The movie is set to open in theatres in July. Both Capitol and Simon and Schuster expect to have their waxings ready for release in July."
Elton Hayes Songlist
Elton Hayes (1915-2001) played the part of the minstrel Allan-a-Dale in Walt Disney’s live action movie The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952).
Today he is sadly almost forgotten, but Hayes was very well-known to radio and television audiences of the 1950’s as ‘the man with the small guitar’ and Paul McCartney recollects that it was his song Whistle My Love from Robin Hood that influenced the Beatles composition Little Child in 1963. There is also a belief by some that a certain Reginald Kenneth Dwight of Pinner, Middlesex, changed his name to Elton John in respect of the actor and guitarist.
Recently I posted a list of Elton Hayes’s songs that have been released on record down the years. I knew it was incomplete and asked for help. Luckily I was contacted by our regular visitor Geoff Waite.
A while ago Geoff sent me a wonderfully detailed obituary of Elton Hayes by Evelyn Branston which is available to be read on this blog. Geoff is a fan of the film and has extensively researched Elton Hayes’s back catalogue. He has now very kindly helped me update my list of Elton’s recordings and sent some interesting facts to go with it.
Many of my readers have complained that there is no CD collection of Elton’s songs available and Geoff agrees:
“Except for two tracks, none of Elton’s recordings ever made it from 10 inch 78rpm and 45 rpm vinyl to CD. ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’ continues to feature on an EMI ‘Hello Children Everywhere’ compilation CD whilst ‘Whistle my Love’ the only other Elton Hayes track to reach CD (again on an earlier ‘Hello Children Everywhere’ compilation) has not been available for some years now to my knowledge.
When I contacted them about the possibility of an Elton Hayes compilation, EMI told me that they now only own these two recordings, so a CD release of Elton’s Parlophone songs is sadly out of the question. It really is a great shame that his recorded music which amounts to some forty plus songs, not including the Robin Hood album, should be so shabbily overlooked by the CD generation.”
It certainly is a great shame that today’s children are unable to hear the wonderful songs of ‘the man with the small guitar.’ Surely something could be done to put some of his music onto CD!
ELTON HAYES SONGLIST
THE TABLE AND THE CHAIR / THE JUMBLIES
78 RPM Parlophone UK Released 1950
THE WILD COLONIAL BOY/ BACK TO HILO
78 RPM Melodisc Records 1950/51
JUST A WEARYIN’ FOR YOU/ THE PHANTOM
STAGE-COACH
‘Walt Disney’s Story of Robin Hood’
78 RPM 2LP Capitol US Released 1952
(Included 20 page colour story book)
(Included songs by Elton Hayes)
WHISTLE MY LOVE / RIDDLE DE DIDDLE DE-DAY
78 RPM Parlophone UK Released 1952
THE MILLER'S DAUGHTER / SPINNING WHEEL
78 RPM Parlophone UK Released 1952
I PASS ALL MY HOURS / COURTIN' IN THE KITCHEN
78 RPM Parlophone UK Released 1952
THE BROOM, THE SHOVEL, THE POKER AND THE TONGS / THE QUANGLE WANGLE'S HAT
78 RPM Parlophone UK Released 1952
THE LITTLE BLACK HORSE / NOT THE MARRYING KIND
78 RPM Parlophone UK Released 1953
LITTLE MOHEE / THE PHANTOM STAGE-COACH
78 RPM Parlophone UK Released 1953
THE DUCK AND THE KANGAROO / THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT
78 RPM Parlophone UK Released 1953
ALL AROUND MY HAT/ THE UNQUIET GRAVE
78 RPM HMV B1052 Released 1953
(Recorded under the auspices of the English Folk Dance and Song Society)
A FROG HE WOULD A WOOING GO/OH THE CUCKOO SHE’S A PRETTY BIRD
78 RPM HMV B1053 Released 1953
GREENSLEEVES / JOE THE CARRIER LAD
78 RPM Parlophone UK Released 1953
I HAD A HIPPOPOTAMUS / ADELPHI ARCHES
78 RPM Parlophone UK Released 1954
MY HEART IS LIKE A NIGHTINGALE / BOLD BLACK KNIGHT
78 RPM Parlophone UK Released 1954
‘FOR THE CHILDREN’
EP Parlophone UK Released 1955
The Table and the Chair/ The Jumblies/The Broom, the Shovel, the Poker and the Tongs/ The Quangle Wangles Hat / The Duck and the Kangaroo / The Owl and the Pussycat.
JAQUELINE / LITTLE BRIDGET FLYNN
78 RPM Parlophone UK Released 1956
‘Folk Songs’
EP 45 World Record Club 1956/57
SWEET MAID IF YOU MARRY / OH GOOD ALE / I PASS ALL MY HOURS/ THE LONDON BEAU/
’TISS TRUE I NEVER WAS IN LOVE/ THE VAIN DREAMER
‘Songs for Children’
EP 45 World Record Club 1956/57
THE CUCKOO CLOCK / THE SOLDIER /THE HOUSEWIFE AND THE HIGHWAYMAN / TWO PIRATES
‘Elton Hayes Sings to his Small Guitar’
EP 45 Parlophone UK Released 1959
JOE THE CARRIER LAD / THE MILLER’S DAUGHTER
THE PHANTOM STAGE-COACH / RIDDLE DE DIDDLE DE DAY
‘The Story of Robin Hood’
LP 33 RPM EMI Music for Pleasure MFP 1285
UK Released 1963
(Movie Soundtrack)
RIDDLE-DE-DIDDLE-DE-DAY
COME SING LOW, COME SING HIGH
‘The Story of Robin Hood’
LP 33 RPM Disneyland DQ-1249 USA Released 1963
(Alternative Cover)
(Movie Soundtrack)
RIDDLE-DE-DIDDLE-DE-DAY
COME SING LOW, COME SING HIGH
‘Disneyland Doubles’
45 RPM Disneyland Doubles UK Released 1971
THE BALLAD OF ROBIN HOOD
(Reverse side was the Ballad of Davy Crocket)
‘Hello Children Everywhere Volume 4’
(Various Artists)
CD Disc EMI Released 1991
WHISTLE MY LOVE
‘Hello Children Everywhere’
(Various Artists)
CD 3 Discs EMI 6999605 Released 2005
THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT
If you see any errors or have any more information that can be added to the Elton Hayes Songlist please get in touch and if you are a CD producer how about releasing some of these gems!
Please click on the Label Elton Hayes to read more about his life.
Elton Hayes by Evelyn Branston
Geoff Waite has kindly sent me a very detailed obituary of Elton Hayes. This was written by Elton's close friend, Evelyn Branston for the online Freefolk Magazine.
Geoff Begins:
“ I refer to the message you found about Elton on the Mudlark Café website from Evelyn Branston. When Elton died in September 2001 Evelyn, who personally knew him, wrote his obituary for the now defunct Mike Raven online Freefolk Magazine. I am attaching a copy which is probably the fullest account of Elton’s life you will find. Evelyn mentions Elton’s second film where his scenes ended up on the cutting room floor. This was ‘The Black Knight’ released in 1954 which starred Alan Ladd. However, Elton can still be seen in the opening credits as the minstrel on horseback riding up to the castle as he sings the title song (released on Parlophone 78rpm as ‘The Bold Black Knight’) Elton then rides right out of the film!
According to Evelyn, Elton told her that he sang the part of the maiden in Friar Tuck’s little ditty ‘Come sing low, come sing high’ in the Robin Hood film ……Is it in sport you pay me court with such low words as these?”
And this is Evelyn Branston’s wonderful Elton Hayes obituary:
"At the age of 86 Elton Hayes died peacefully in his sleep at the West Suffolk Hospital after a long illness borne with great courage.
As soon as you met Elton you realised that he was a man who would always keep a promise. There was an old-world courtesy about him. A smart dapper man with a penchant for bow ties: "The real thing not these clip-on or elastic things." With a twinkle in his eyes and his charming easy going manner he won many friends wherever he went.
A lifelong fan of Elton, I was indeed fortunate to make contact with him again about six years ago. We corresponded for a while; then, following the stroke, which made writing difficult for him, we continued our friendship by telephone.
The seriousness of his last illness was known only to his closest friends, so the news of his death was quite a shock. Elton left me his own 'Short Biography' and his friends, Bill and Sallie Walrond, who cared for him until his death, have entrustred me with his personal collection of photographs, press cuttings and other memorabilia, including 3 bow ties!
Born of theatrical parents on 16th February 1915 at Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, Elton faced the footlights at a very early age. The curly-haired, blue-eyed little boy first sang on stage when he was four. Aged not quite 10 years (illegally, being under age and having no permit), he appeared in the prologue of a pantomime at Canterbury, Kent in 1925/26, whilst also employed as a call-boy and stage manager, at the all-in salary of 5/- a week.
He was also studying music under Professor Fritz Keinly of Austria with a view to becoming a serious musician and concert violinist.
In his early teens he won a scholarship to Fay Compton's Academy of Dtamatic Art where he received an extensive theatrical education, from Shakespeare to Operetta, tap dancing to ballet and theatrical production. Not being prepared to sit around waiting for 'the big break' into theatre, Elton returned to the family tradition of variety, plus juvenile character parts in rep and chorus dancing in musical comedy. He demonstrated his amazing versatility with a speciality act, singing, playing the violin and tap dancing all at the same time.
As ''Eltonio' he entertained at one night venues such as social clubs etc. He then joined three brothers in a musical variety act, 'The Four Brownie Boys'. Elton said that he was very fit in those days. He needed to because in Cine Variety he sometimes gave five performances a day, plus late night cabaret, finally getting home after dawn. He toured Cornwall in 1937 with 'Musical Cheers Co' where he met his wife Betty Inman (ex Stuttgart Ballet). At the outbreak of war all theatres immediately closed, so driving a delivery van around the home counties became the means of paying the rent until ENSA invited him to put together one of their first mobile units.
He enlisted into the Army in October 1943. His decision to take his guitar with him was to influence the whole of his future career; within 6 weeks of army life he was entertaining his companions at army concerts. He was first a gunner in The Royal Artillery and later gained a commission in the Royal West Kent Regiment.
He was posted to South East Asia Command, and, while serving in India, contracted severe rheumatic fever and spent many months in hospital. Elton foresaw the end of his dancing and guitar playing days. With typical courage and determination, in his hospital bed he would lie on his back painfully strumming his guitar. Eventually, his fingers grew more supple and he found the tunes coming fairly easy. At Rawalpindi he formed a trio with a trumpet player and a pianist. They played as 'Bugs Rutter and his Rug Cutters.'
The Commanding Officer of ENSA India and SEAC, Col Jack Hawkins, requested that Major Hayes should join his Command and Elton became O.C. ENSA N.W. Frontier Provinces, India. Eventually he took over Jack's job and had the task of closing down all the troops' entertainment centres in Central Provinces India before demobilisation.
Shortly after arriving back in England, Elton visited Broadcasting House to renew his acquantance with the Children's Hour Dept. He was asked to write and perform a short series of programmes based on Edward Lear's Nonsense Poems and a spot on 'In Town Tonight' was arranged. The favourable reaction to the song he chose to sing, 'The Jumblies,' led to a guest appearance in the Carol Lewis Show. During the rehearsal of the show, Elton suggested to the BBC an idea for a one-off programme. To his great surprise it was not only accepted, but came with a contract for 13 weekly programmes of Elton Hayes 'He Sings to a Small Guitar.' The opening refrain began: "Sweet music and a small guitar, bring joy no matter where you are."
After the success of those first programmes there followed the late night series, 'Close Your Eyes', in which Elton invited you to close your eyes and listen to some music to start you dreaming. These two series alternated and ran for more than 10 years. This was in addition to spots in all the popular variety programmes of the day - Midday Music Hall, Worker's Playtime, Henry Hall's Guest Night, Top of the Town, Just Fancy, etc. etc.; also Housewives' Choice, both as presenter and popular choice, the most requested being 'Whistle My Love,'
'Greensleeves' and 'The Spinning Wheel'. On Uncle Mac's Children's Choice it was usually 'The Owl and the Pussy Cat' or 'The Jumblies.'
Yet another series was 'A Tinker's Tales' in which Elton, as an itinerant tinker, narrated a story which he and other actors dramatised as a musical play. Interspersed with radio came TV, both light entertainment and drama. Television proved the Elton's personality was as important to his act as was his small guitar. He took over the 15-minute period originally scheduled for 'The Harding Interviews' during Gilbert Harding's absence. He also introduced and sang in the 'Centre Show', was a frequent guest on the Leonard Sachs' 'Good Old Days' olde time music hall, appeared in the series 'The Minstrel Show' and travelled with the BBC Children's Caravan for three summer seasons, composing and performing special original material. Surprisingly to some viewers, he was cast in a straight acting role in Chekhov's 'Three Sisters' for which he also wrote the music.
In 1949, afetr seeing Elton in the play 'Maya' (with Freda Mayne) at the Arts Theatre, the actor manager, John Clements invited Elton to join him in the revival of the Restoration Comedy 'The Beaux Stratagem.' The production was a huge success and ran for 18 months, first at the Phoenix Theatre, Charring Cross Road, then the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue. The last night was as big a sell-out as the first. Elton said that he had just one small regret: "On the corner of the theatre, high above the entrance was a huge poster which could be seen from way along the street. On the poster in yellow letters two feet tall was a single name. Mine! How I wish I had taken a photograph."
When Walt Disney's 'Treasure Island' was made Elton had the task of arranging the old sea shanties sung on board the Hispaniola. This was followed by the job of researching ancient ballads for their forthcoming production of 'Robin Hood.' The producer, Perce Pearce asked him to assist in another actor's screen test, then sprang the surprise that it had been Elton on test and the part of Alan-a-Dale was his! So good was he in that role that, although it started as a few lines, it developed into one of the main parts in the film.
The success of the film led to a nineteen-city tour of the USA and Canada, making 113 radio and TV appearances in 8 hectic weeks.
Sadly his second film did not enjoy the same success. One of the film 'extras' inadvertently wore Elton's costume and was conspicuously killed in an early scene. Continuity failed to notice. Consequently all Elton's scenes were later consigned to the cutting room floor.
He sang in the Light Music Festival at the Royal Festival Hall, the Royal Film Performance at the Empire, Leicester Square, innumerable other concert appearances, private functions and then trips to the continent for recitals of higher academic standard to music societies, universities, international musicians etc. The nervous tensions of the concert platform began to take their toll and Elton realised that it was time for a change of career. Being a confirmed country lover the choice was easy; he became a farmer.
He bought a 47-acre farm at Hartest, near Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk and soon built up a prestgious herd of pedigree pigs. He now found time to return to his youthful hobby of horses. This brought him into contact with the members of the British Driving Society and the art of Carriage driving. Like everything else, Elton threw himself into this new interest with enthusiasm and was soon skilled enough to win awards for driving tandem (two horses, one behind the other).
This led to him learning to play and compose music for the Post and Coach Horns. Sadly a severe stroke in 1995 put an end to these activities and Elton had to give up his farm and move to live with friends at nearby Cockfield. With characteristic courage and determination he overcame many of the difficulties associated with the stroke but lost the brave battle he had with his final illness.
His funeral took place at the West Suffolk Crematorium, Bury St. Edmunds, on 3rd October [2001]. The sun was shining and the chapel was filled with friends and family who had come not just to mourn, but to celebrate the long, interesting and fulfilling life of ELTON HAYES: He Sang to a Small Guitar."
© Evelyn Branston
October 2001
For more information on Elton Hayes please click on the Elton Hayes Label.
Elton Hayes
I have recently received a very interesting email regarding Elton Hayes, from Geoff Waite who has been researching the life and recording career of the folk-singer and entertainer. This is the first part of his message:“Congratulations on your marvelous website about possibly my favorite film.
I am a big fan of Elton Hayes and his music – he was predominately a singer of old folk songs and ballads – and I have been trying to collect together his records, most of which are only on 78rpm, for some years now. The 45rpm Decca recording of Whistle my Love is a North American pressing. They were way ahead of us with vinyl whilst in the UK the song was issued on 78rpm on the Parlophone label in 1952 and (much) later it was included in a 1991 Hello Children Everywhere C.D compilation. The flipside of both the Decca and Parlophone recordings was Riddle De Diddle De Day from the Robin Hood film (‘O, I’ll sing a song a rollicky song as I roll along my way…’) This was subsequently included some years later in a vinyl EP collection of Elton’s songs called Sings to a Small Guitar also on the Parlophone label which is well worth tracking down.
You have mentioned the Beatle connection (the melody in Little Child) being inspired by Whistle my Love. Did you also know that a very young George Martin actually produced Elton Hayes singing the Edward Lear Nonsense songs The Table and the Chair/The Jumblies released October 1950 on Parlophone 78rpm and subsequently included in Elton’s EP collection For the Children. The Beatles of course signed for George Martin and Parlophone in 1962.
Some of Elton’s records are now extremely difficult to find and he has been sadly overlooked by the CD generation. Only The Owl and the Pussycat is currently available on compact disc. As for downloads, I only know of Whistle my Love and one other song. When Elton was filmed by British Pathe at the Parlophone Recording Studios for Film Fanfare, I think you will find that he was rehearsing and recording Jacqueline for the film starring John Gregson. This clip can be downloaded.
I also refer to the message you found about Elton on the Mudlark Café website from Evelyn Branston. When Elton died in September 2001 Evelyn, who personally knew him, wrote his obituary for the now defunct Mike Raven online freefolk magazine. Evelyn mentions Elton’s second film where his scenes ended up on the cutting room floor. This was The Black Knight released in 1954 which starred Alan Ladd. However, Elton can still be seen in the opening credits as the minstrel on horseback riding up to the castle as he sings the title song (released on Parlophone 78rpm as The Bold Black Knight) Elton then rides right out of the film!
According to Evelyn, Elton told her that he sang the part of the maiden in Friar Tuck’s little ditty ‘Come sing low, come sing high’ in the Robin Hood film ……“Is it in sport you pay me court with such low words as these?”"
Many thanks for getting in touch Geoff.
I will post the rest of Geoff's email soon. For more information please click on the Elton Hayes Label.
I will post the second part of Geoff’s email soon.
Elton Hayes and The Beatles
Elton Hayes played the part of the minstrel Allan-a-Dale in Walt Disney’s live action movie the Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952). Hayes was very well-known to radio and television audiences of the 1950’s as ‘the man with the small guitar.’ After making his radio debut on Children’s Hour, Hayes occupied the guest star slot on every major radio variety show including In Town Tonight, Workers Playtime, Variety Bandbox, Terry Thomas’s To Town With Terry, Eric Barker’s Just Fancy and occasionally Housewives Choice.But it was for singing Edward Lear’s nonsense rhymes on Children’s Favorites that he first became famous. Hayes’s version of The Owl and the Pussycat and many others were later recorded on the Parlophone record label. Elton Hayes published three 78-rpm records with Edward Lear songs, the first one in October 1950 (Parlophone R 3329) and containing The Table and the Chair and The Jumblies .
This was followed by Parlophone R 3602 (December 1952), containing The Broom, the Shovel, The Poker and the Tongs and The Quangle Wangle’s Hat, and Parlophone R 3692 (June 1953), with The Duck and the Kangaroo and The Owl and the Pussy-cat.
All six recordings were finally collected in the EP For The Children, Parlophone (GEP 8551) in 1955.
Another recording artist who started his recording career on the Parlophone label was Paul McCarntney. In the book Many Years From Now (1997) (Barry Miles’s biography of Paul McCartney) Paul claims that the melody behind the line "I'm so sad and lonely" from the Beatles song Little Child, was inspired by Elton Hayes’s Whistle My Love, from Disney's live-action 1952 film The Story Of Robin Hood And His Merrie Men.
Little Child later appeared on side 1, track 5 of the Beatles 1963 album With The Beatles.
Elton Hayes
I recently found this intersting article about Elton Hayes on the Mudlark Cafe website from Evelyn Branston:
"Like so many children growing up in the 1950s, Elton was a great favourite of mine and has remained so over the years. He was one of the country's best known entertainers in the immediate post-war years, particularly for his renditions of Edward Lear's nonsense verses.
In addition to his many radio and TV programs, Elton appeared on the West End stage in 'The Beaux Stratagem' at the Lyric Theatre and I saw him as the special guest singer in 'The Sooty Show' at the Adelphi Theatre in 1956. After playing the part of Alan-a-Dale in the film 'Robin Hood' (the 1952 Walt Disney production), he toured the United States and made innumerable radio and TV appearances. He even sang 'Whistle My Love' in a cowboy setting! The Small Guitar (which incidentally he bought from a junk shop and restored) accompanied him on all his travels.
In the mid 60s Elton retired from show business and began a new career as a farmer, breeding pedigree livestock. He was able to devote more time to his horses and took up carriage driving. Unfortunately, in 1995 he suffered a severe stroke and was in hospital for several months. Showing the same courage and determination that had helped him recover from rheumatic fever many years ago, Elton's health improved. Having no children, he decided to sell his show business memorabilia and move to live with friends. I heard about the auction just in time and was able to make successful bids for several items, including 'The Small Guitar'.
Now in his 87th [2nd August 2001] year, Elton spends his leisure time listening to classical music, doing crosswords and enjoying the company of his friends."
Elton Hayes died in September 2001.
Evelyn, if you have any more details of Elton's life that you would like to share. Please get in touch at disneysrobin@googlemail.com.
Whistle My Love 45rpm
How about this 'pop pickers!' Elton Hayes singing Whistle My Love on the Decca label at 45rpm. Did you have this in your record collection? What was on the B side?'Whistle My Love' Music Sheet
This is the music sheet of 'Whistle My Love' from my own collection, sung by Elton Hayes in Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood (1952). It originaly cost one shilling. The song was composed by Eddie Pola and George Wyle and copyrighted as early as 1950.(To see all posts about Elton Hayes please click on the label marked Elton Hayes in the right-hand panel or below).
Elton Hayes sings 'Whistle My Love'
I was pleased to find, uploaded on YouTube, Elton Hayes singing a version of 'Whistle My Love' from Walt Disney's Story of Robin Hood (1952). I believe Elton Hayes was filmed by British Pathe recording this song in 1957 for a feature on British Cinema called Film Fanfare, which was introduced by Paul Carpenter. To listen to 'Whistle My Love' just click on the music player in the right-hand column of the website.
Elton Hayes
Daily Telegraph Obituary 29th September 2001
"ELTON HAYES, who has died aged 86, was well-known to radio and television audiences of the 1950s as "the man with the small guitar".
Hayes specialised in old English folk songs and ballads such as From Priggs that Snaffle the Prancers Strong and The Ratcatcher's Daughter. He sang to his own guitar accompaniments with an easy charm that came strongly over the microphone.
After making his radio debut on Children's Hour, Hayes occupied the guest star slot on every major radio variety show including In Town Tonight, Workers' Playtime, Variety Bandbox, Terry-Thomas's Top of the Town and Eric Barker's Just Fancy. He occasionally presented Housewives' Choice; and on Children's Hour, he sang Edward Lear's nonsense rhymes. Hayes's version of The Owl and the Pussy Cat was recorded by Parlophone and became a regular item on Children's Favourites.
In 1954 he was given his own series Elton Hayes - He Sings to a Small Guitar, a misquotation from The Owl and the Pussycat that became his catchphrase. This was followed by Close Your Eyes, a late night "bedtime" programme of light music, and Elton Hayes in a Tinker's Tales, in which Hayes, as an itinerant tinker, narrated a story which a cast of actors then dramatised as a musical play. Hayes also wrote the music and songs for the series.
On television he appeared in The Minstrel Show (forerunner of The Black and White Minstrel Show) and BBC Caravan Time, and sang and acted in several television plays.
Hayes was the obvious choice for the part of Alan-a-Dale in The Story of Robin Hood and his Merrie Men (1952), directed for Walt Disney by Perce Pearce. So well did Hayes fill the role that although it had started as a few lines, it grew into one of the film's biggest parts.
Elton Hayes was born at Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, on February 16 1915. Both his parents were actors and he made his first stage appearance aged nine in the prologue of a pantomime at the Canterbury Theatre, while also employed as a call boy and assistant stage manager at a salary of five shillings a week. For years he treasured a presentation watch engraved "To Elton Hayes, the youngest call boy and stage manager 1925/26 from Cheerful Charlie Grantly", the actor who had played Buttons.
As a child, Hayes learned the violin and, in his early teens, won a scholarship to the Fay Compton School of Dramatic Arts, run by the Compton family of actor-managers. There he received an extensive theatrical education "from Shakespeare to operetta and from tap dancing to ballet and the mechanics of theatre production".
His first job was as assistant stage manager with the Old Stagers' Company at the Canterbury Theatre. In his spare time he sang as "Eltonio" at local social clubs, obtained small parts in theatre and pantomime, and took a small part as a dancer in the film The First Mrs Fraser. He also joined a tap dancing troupe on the cine variety circuit, and became part of a four-man musical variety act called The Four Brownie Boys.
Hayes took up the guitar shortly before the war when he accepted one as security from a friend who had borrowed 30 shillings. At the outbreak of war, he was invited by ENSA to put together one of their first mobile units.
Eventually, though, Hayes volunteered for military service and, after being commissioned in the Royal West Kent Regiment, was posted to South East Asia Command. After the Japanese surrender, he hitch-hiked to Bombay where he was appointed OC ENSA North West Frontier Province, based in Rawalpindi.
A few days after arriving back in Britain, he visited Broadcasting House, still in uniform, to watch a Children's Hour broadcast and was immediately taken on to write and perform a slot in the programme based on Edward Lear's Nonsense Rhymes, and given a slot on In Town Tonight. From then on, he was seldom off the air.
In 1949 the actor manager John Clements invited him to appear in The Beaux Stratagem, which ran for 18 months in the West End. It was his performance in this that caught the eye of Perce Pearce, who thought that he would make the perfect Alan-a-Dale in Robin Hood.
The success of the film led to a tour of America, where he made 113 television and radio appearances in eight weeks, including visits to Mexico and Canada. In 1952, he made a solo appearance in The Royal Film Performance and in 1956, appeared in The Sooty Show at the Adelphi Theatre.
Towards the end of the 1950s, however, Hayes found that he was becoming affected by nerves before his live performances. Believing that it would be stupid to continue, he decided to give up performing.
Hayes had already bought a small thatched cottage on the Essex-Hertfordshire borders and, after studying at a local agricultural college, he settled down to life as a farmer, breeding pedigree livestock.
In later life, he took up carriage driving and became a member of the British Driving Society. At the 1989 Lord Mayor's Show in London, he was to be seen dressed in a scarlet uniform, standing behind the team on a Post Office Mail coach blowing Clear the Road on a post horn.
After suffering a stroke in 1995, Hayes had to give up his farm and moved to live with friends, who cared for him until his death.
He married in 1942, Betty Inman, who died in 1982."
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