Nor Kiddie

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).

Nor Kiddie was the stage name of the comedian, actor and juggler of the 1920s and 1930s, Norman Chilton Kiddie.

Nor and Gar Kiddie in the play 'O.K.', 1923

[edit] Life and Career

Nor was born to Elizabeth and Joseph Garibaldi Kiddie in Widnes, 1898.

Joseph (or 'Gar', b. 1864) was a locally successful music hall artiste, writer and promoter in the early years of the century. One of his early triumphs was his version of the "Little Bo-Peep" pantomime - featuring Walter Wade as the Baron - that he created and promoted.

When Nor Kiddie came of age, he joined his father’s act, the two of them being billed as, "Nor and Gar Kiddie." The two worked hard at polishing their act and were rewarded when, in the Summer of 1923, they headlined in the play, "O.K." (billed as "a Magical Musical Comedy - you will laugh 'til you cry."), which toured the country.

The next year, Nor appeared solo in J.A. Tunbridge’s, "The Globe Trot" alongside the author, P.M. Turner, Arthur Reece, Clarice Chesney, Harry Wilkinson and Marie Brayman. This play featured the songs, "I Shall Always Follow You", "I Must Have Some Novelette Love", "Send Her a Little Pansy", "Hawaiian Moon Maid" and "Hassan".

In the Winter Season of 1924/5, Nor appeared at the Prince's Theatre, Bradford in their pantomime of Robinson Crusoe alongside Cissie Sullivan, Dorothy Viggers, Marian Dawson and Naughton & Gold.

Nor appears to have broken into films in the early 1930s, appearing in Fred Karno’s "Bad Companions" as Pip, the lead role.

In 1936, he appeared in the more professionally produced, "(Mother) Don't Rush Me", in the smaller part of the Commissionaire. Again, this was another film that Fred Karno producer, but the direction was by the more renowned playwright, Norman Lee.

Having long since left the act, Gar passed away in 1943, aged 79 and was buried in his home town of Widnes. Nor continued with his career however and, despite being in decline, he appeared in a Bernie Delfont production at the Stockport Hippodrome in the 1950s.