Beatrice "Binnie" Mary Hale-Monro (22 May 1899 – 10 January 1984) was an English actress, singer and dancer. She was one of the most successful musical theatre stars in London in the 1920s and 1930s, able to sing leading roles in operetta as well as musicals, and she was popular as a principal boy in

pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment, generally combining gender-crossing actors and topical humour with a story more or less based on a well-known fairy tale, fable or ...

. Her best-remembered roles were in the musicals '' No, No, Nanette'' (1925) and '' Mr. Cinders'' (1929), in which she sang " Spread a Little Happiness". In the 1930s she also pursued a film career and later had a radio show together with her brother Sonnie Hale. She continued to act and sing on stage through the 1950s.

Life and career

Hale was born in

West Derby West Derby ( ) is an area of Liverpool, Merseyside, England, in the east of the city. At the 2011 Census, the population was 14,382. History West Derby Mentioned in the ''Domesday Book'', West Derby achieved significance far earlier tha ...

, Liverpool. Her father, John Robert Hale-Minro, and younger brother, Sonnie Hale, were actors. Hale was one of the most successful stars in London in the 1920s and 1930s, known for her vivacity, and able to sing leading roles in operetta as well as musicals and

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatre, theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketch comedy, sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural pre ...

. Green, Stanley
"Hale, Binnie"
''Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre'', Da Capo Press (2009), p. 169 She debuted in 1916 in three productions: the musical comedy ''Follow the Crowd'', followed by the revue ''We’re All in It'', both at the old Empire Theatre, and in the small role of Annette in the musical '' Houp La!'' at the newly opened St. Martin's Theatre. After this, she played in several revues and musical comedies, including ''150 Pound Revue'' (1917), Charlotte in ''The Kiss Call'' (1919), ''Just Fancy'' and ''Jumble Sale'' (1920), Betty in ''My Nieces'' (1921), Helen in the London production of '' Katinka'' (1923), ''Puppets'' and ''The Odd Spot'' (both 1924). In 1924, she married the English actor Jack Raine, with whom she had appeared in '' The Dippers'', by Ben Travers in 1922 and in ''The Odd Spot''. They had a daughter, Patricia, born in 1930. The marriage ended in divorce in 1935. She finally starred in the title role of a hit musical, '' No, No, Nanette'', in 1925 at the Palace Theatre. She also played the title role in the London production of '' Sunny'' (1926). She began her film career in 1927 in the short film ''On with the Dance'', with Leslie Henson and her brother. She was Jill in the long-running British musical '' Mr. Cinders'' (1929). Kenrick, John
"Who's Who in Musicals: Hale–Harris"
Musicals101.com, 2007, accessed 6 February 2015 Her recording of the song " Spread a Little Happiness" from that musical is possibly her best remembered recording. ''Mr. Cinders'' was the first of three shows in which she appeared with Bobby Howes. Next, she starred in the title role of '' Nippy'' (1930); in ''Bow Bells'', together with her father (1932); and '' The Dubarry'' as Jeanne (1932 UK tour). From 1933 to 1937, Hale made five films. On stage during these years, she played Peggy in ''Give Me a Ring'' (1933), Sally in ''Yes, Madam?'' (1934, with Howes, who later starred in the film version), Anne in ''Rise and Shine'' (1936), and Cochran's Coronation revue ''Home and Beauty'' (1937). In 1937, she starred as Roszi in '' Magyar Melody''. In the 1940s, and through most of the 1950s, she played as the principal boy in

s and appeared in and variety shows, musicals such as ''Up and Doing'' (1940) and ''Flying Colours'' (1941), and revues such as ''One, Two, Three!'' (1947, with her brother Sonnie) and ''Four, Five, Six!'' (1948, with Howes). She was in ''Out of this World'' (1950,

Frankie Howerd Francis Alick Howard (6 March 1917 – 19 April 1992), better known by his stage-name Frankie Howerd, was an English actor and comedian. Early life Howerd was born the son of a soldier Francis Alfred William (1887–1934)England & Wales, Deat ...

's debut), and ''The Punch Revue'' (1955). She and her brother also had a radio series, ''All Hale''. In her last West End role, she played the Duchess and Queen of Hearts in ''Alice in Wonderland'' at the

Winter Garden Theatre The Winter Garden Theatre is a Broadway theatre at 1634 Broadway in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York, U.S. Originally designed by architect William Albert Swasey, it opened in 1911. The Winter Garden's current des ...

(1959). She then retired to

Battle, East Sussex Battle is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Districts of England, district of Rother District, Rother in East Sussex, England. It lies south-east of London, east of Brighton and east of Lewes. Hastings is to the south- ...

. She died from

bronchopneumonia Bronchopneumonia is a subtype of pneumonia. It is the acute inflammation of the Bronchus, bronchi, accompanied by inflamed patches in the nearby lobules of the lungs. citing: Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition, Copyright 2014 ...

on 10 January 1984, at the age of 84, at St Helen's Hospital in

Hastings Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...

, East Sussex.

Films

*''On with the Dance'' (1927) *'' This is the Life'' (1933) – Sarah Tuttle *''

Hyde Park Corner Hyde Park Corner is between Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Mayfair in London, England. It primarily refers to a major road junction at the southeastern corner of Hyde Park, that was originally planned by architect Decimus Burton. The juncti ...

'' (1935) – Sophie *'' The Phantom Light'' (1935) – Alice Bright *'' Take a Chance'' (1937) – Wilhelmina ("Bill") Ryde *'' Love from a Stranger'' (1937) aka ''A Night of Terror (USA)'' – Kate Meadows *'' Magyar Melody'' (1939) (TV) – Roszi Belvary *''One, Two, Three!'' (1948) (TV)

Selected stage roles

*'' Houp La!'' (1916) at St Martin's Theatre with Gertie Millar *'' No, No, Nanette'' (1925) at the Palace Theatre *'' Sunny'' (1926) *'' Mr. Cinders'' (1929) at the

London Hippodrome The Hippodrome is a building on the corner of Cranbourn Street and Charing Cross Road in the City of Westminster, London. The name was used for many different theatres and music halls, of which the London Hippodrome is one of only a few survi ...

with Bobby Howes *'' Nippy'' (1930) at the

Golders Green Hippodrome The Golders Green Hippodrome was built in 1913 by Bertie Crewe as a 3,000-seat music hall, to serve North London and the new London Underground Northern line expansion into Golders Green in the London Borough of Barnet, London, England. Tak ...

. *''Give Me a Ring'' (1933) at the London Hippodrome *''Yes Madam?'' (1934) at the London Hippodrome, with Howes *''

Jack and the Beanstalk "Jack and the Beanstalk" is an English fairy tale with ancient origins. It appeared as "The Story of Jack Spriggins and the Enchanted Bean" in 1734 4th edition :File:Round about our Coal Fire, or, Christmas Entertainments, 4th edn, 1734.pdf, On C ...

'' (1935) – Pantomime,

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and listed building, Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) an ...

*''Flying Colours'' (1943) at the Lyric Theatre, London *''Four, Five, Six'' (1948) with Howes * ''Out of this World'' (1950) at the

London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in Soho. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1910. The auditorium holds 2,286 people. Hundreds of stars have played there, many wit ...

with

Vaudeville Postcards (4)
*''Peggy Ryan and Ray McDonald'' (1950) at the Empire Theatre Newcastle
* ''The Punch Review'' (1955) at the

Duke of York's Theatre The Duke of York's Theatre is a West End theatre in St Martin's Lane, in the City of Westminster, London. It was built for Frank Wyatt and his wife, Violet Melnotte, who retained ownership of the theatre until her death in 1935. Designed by ...

, London with

Alfie Bass Alfie Bass (born Abraham Basalinsky, 10 April 1916 – 16 July 1987) was an English actor. He was born in Bethnal Green, London, the youngest in a Jewish family with ten children; his parents had left Russia many years before he was born. He a ...

The Punch Review
', The Guide to Musical Theatre

Discography

*'' No, No, Nanette'' (1925) *'' Who?'' (1926) with Jack Buchanan, from the musical '' Sunny'' *''I'm a One Man Girl'' (1929) with Bobby Howes, and Al Starita and his Novelty Orchestra *'' Spread a Little Happiness'' (1929) from the musical '' Mr. Cinders'' *''The Debonnaire'' (date unknown) – with Jack Buchanan and

Elsie Randolph Elsie Randolph (9 December 1904 – 15 October 1982) was an English actress, singer and dancer. Randolph was born and died in London. She is best remembered for her partnership with Jack Buchanan in several stage and film musicals. She also a ...

*'' As Time Goes By'' (1932) with the Savoy Orpheans and Carroll Gibbons, piano *'' You're Blasé'' (1932) from the revue '' Bow Bells'' *''Yes Madam?'' (1934) with Bobby Howes *'' You Don't Know the Half of It'' (1935) from the film ''

'' *''A Nice Cup of Tea'' (1937) from the revue ''Home and Beauty'' by A.P. Herbert (lyrics) and Henry Sullivan (music) Hale made many other recordings between 1925 and 1941, the majority of which were for the Columbia label in London.Rust, Brian, with Rex Bunnett, ''London Musical Shows on Record 1897–1976'', General Gramophone Plublications Ltd, Harrow, Middlesex, 1977, pp. 462–64

References

External links

*
Hale at the National Portrait Gallery

Binnie Hale information at the Theatre Collection, University of Bristol
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hale, Binnie 1899 births 1984 deaths 20th-century English actresses 20th-century English singers 20th-century English women singers Actresses from Liverpool Deaths from bronchopneumonia Deaths from pneumonia in England English film actresses English musical theatre actresses Musicians from Liverpool People from Battle, East Sussex