Torquay was home to dancing legend Billy Dainty

Significant people who lived with in Torbay in the 20th century, not always famous, by Ian Handford, president of Torbay Civic Society. This week, 17 Billy Dainty
Born in Dudley, Worcestershire, in 1927, William Hooper Frank John Dainty was a child who would amaze family and friends with his amazing dancing.
Eventually, he would join the Betty Fox Babes in Birmingham before moving to London and a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Association (RADA).
His dancing skills became legendary and he really wanted to be a professional dancer. His nimble feet could create 'funny walks' and it may well be that this changed his thoughts about career, as he was an all-round entertainer and comedian.
By 1942, his dancing skill was put aside when appearing with stars like Norman Evans and Patricia Burke in pantomime at London's Coliseum. He was the rear-end of a donkey called Asbestos and was never in view unless in donkey costume.
A year later he joined the chorus of Strike A New Note at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London, a revue produced by George Black starring yet another undiscovered act - Morecambe and Wise.
When called for National Service at 18, Billy went to the Far East with the forces entertainment group called, appropriately, Stars in Battledress. When the war ended Billy came home although to Newquay in Cornwall.
This small seaside resort's theatre had survived the war whereas many inner city ones had not. He now appeared in Gaytime at the Cosy Nook Theatre and bought a home in Newquay called Gaytime House.
Having performed widely in the UK, he eventually found Babbacombe Theatre, Torquay, before in 1955 returning to London and joining the Johnny Ray Show followed by the Ted Heath Show at the Prince of Wales in 1958.
By now a star of theatre, like others in his profession he knew live performances on stage were in decline following the rise of television. But he found out-of-season pantomime and at Christmas 1956 even performed his Mother Goose at the Palace Theatre, Plymouth.
Now he spent a decade fashioning his Widow Twankey before in the 1960s more luck... his first break into television in Sunday Night at the Palladium.
Two years later his first record, If I’d Known You, was followed by Cry Upon My Shoulder but neither made the Top 20.
Acting as resident comedian at the Prince of Wales on Sunday Palladium, he was finally asked to act in a Carry On film for the large screen. But having many commitments, this was refused and he toured America and Canada and was well received.
On return to the UK and pantomime, he next appeared at Liverpool’s Empire Theatre playing his most popular role in Wishee-Washee. But then Bernard Delfont brought his company to Torbay to create Show Time at the Princess Theatre in 1964 and Billy became lead dancer, second only on the bill to star of the show Harry Worth.
Showtime came back in Torbay in 1969 and, later, he also appeared in Tom Arnold’s production of Up and Away at the Festival Hall in Paignton. By 1970 he was back again joining The Black and White Minstrel Show which did a second season here when Billy lived on Marine Drive, Torquay.
But it was at the Royal Command Performance in London he 'brought the house down' when undertaking a spoof of Rudolf Nureyev. Legend tells the Queen Mother laughed so much she later informed him about 'ringing her hanky out' during its interval.
An appearance in Stars in Your Eyes with Russ Conway, Cliff Richard and Edmund Hockridge at the Palladium followed before, in 1980, he appeared in Sleeping Beauty with Diane Lee, Jack Douglas and Arthur English at Bournemouth before later, in Bournemouth while appearing in Aladdin in 1985, he became unwell and finally, on November 19, 1986, at his home, Cobblers in Godalming, Surrey, he died aged 59.
A copy of an article about Billy Dainty may be obtained by sending two first class stamps and a small stamped addressed envelope to Torbay Civic Society, Suite 1, The Business Centre, 4 Palace Avenue, Paignton TQ3 3HA.
IAN'S COMMENT: With impressions of Fred Astaire and Nureyev (who Billy re-named 'nearenough'), Billy was a dancing genius
NEXT WEEK: John Chancellor