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Barbara Windsor celebrates the life of Danny La Rue.

Daniel Patrick Carroll began acting in female roles when he was a boy evacuated from London during the war. John Gielguld, the great classical actor saw Danny in the Navy in a female role in Singapore and recommended a professional stage career. After the war, Danny La Rue (as he was now known) built a reputation in nightclub revues alongside Barry Cryer, Ronnie Corbett, Victor Spinetti and...Barbara Windsor (Barbara and Danny became life-long friends). This led Danny to open his own highly successful Mayfair nightclub which attracted Royalty, the Underworld and the crème de la crème of show-business. Danny was a workaholic and at the height of his popularity from the 1960's to the 1980's, he regularly appeared on the West End Stage in musicals tailored for him; in his own spectacular West End Variety shows which ran for years; in Summer Season, Pantomime and on Radio, Records, TV and on the Big Screen. Danny was hit hard financially in the 1980's by unfortunate property investments and instead of taking a well-earned retirement, he was forced to work on to pay the bills, despite recurring health problems. Danny la Rue passed away in 2009.
New interviews include: Barry Cryer, Denis Norden, Richard Mawbey (Danny's hairdresser and personal assistant), Annie Galbraith (Danny's Dressmaker and personal friend), Toni Palmer, Victor Spinetti, Agent Laurie Mansfield, Russell Davies, Johnny Mans and from the Archive...Danny La Rue himself.

57 minutes

Last on

Tue 10 Jan 2017 22:00

Broadcast

  • Tue 10 Jan 2017 22:00