One of Britain's most treasured entertainers, the most glamorous drag queen ever Danny LaRue is dead.
Noel Coward called him: "The most professional, the most witty...and the most utterly charming man in the business."And indeed he was. Born in Dublin, evacuated to Devon during the war, Danny began his entertainment career in Royal Navy Concert parties. On returning to civvies, his debut in the West End was in revue, alongside long-term friend Barbara Windsor.
Dame Anna Neagle called Danny La Rue "One of the kindest and most generous men I've ever met".
Remarking on his talents as an entertainer, Bob Hope called him "The most glamorous woman in the world".
In the foreword to his best-selling autobiography, From Drags to Riches, actor Donald Sinden described Danny as "truly original".
After many years in panto and spectacular burlesque-style shows he eventually opened his own nightclub, which was such a success he attracted many of the biggest names of the 60s - including Judy Garland, Warren Beatty, Shirley MacLean, Dorothy Squires, Shirley Bassey, Noel Coward, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Elizabeth Taylor and even Princess Margaret (who notoriously performed on stage with Danny and walked in on him naked in his dressing room!).
We have an original LP recording of one of his shows at "Danny's Club", and quite clearly heard in the audience is our Babs Windsor, her unmistakable laugh contributing to the rapturous audience appreciation of the grand dame's talents.
Always true to the traditions of Music Hall and the "old school" art of female impersonation, Danny wore the biggest and most outrageous frocks (the envy of any drag queen), yet made sure his audience knew that under the feathers and the sequins it was a "bloke" who was performing.
His biggest coup was the starring role as Dolly Levi in Hello Dolly! - the first "comic in a frock" (his choice of words) to do so - and of course he was an enduringly popular choice for Royal Variety Performances (both The Queen Mother and HM The Queen were big fans, apparently!).
Madame Arcati remembers his star quality first hand (while working at the Theatre Royal in Plymouth); when the stage manager refused to let Danny's hideous toy dog backstage he dismissed him imperiously with, "No dog - no show!" We last saw him (as a man) at the tribute show for John Inman a couple of years ago, and he looked frail then. Apparently he had been very ill for years, and even had to cancel some shows (unheard of for Danny La Rue!).
RIP - a legend. There will never be another like him.
From Drags to Riches: My Autobiography by Danny LaRue.
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