Ian Handford: The 'comic in a frock' who appeared in 1000 shows

Danny La Rue spent many summer seasons performing in "drag" in Torbay and when interviewed by John Hedge of the Herald Express confirmed "It's like a second home down here for me".

He even performed his first "straight role" in the hard hitting comedy - Privates on Parade - by Patrick Nicholls in 1991 at our Festival Theatre at Paignton and eventually returned in 1997 to set up his nightclub "Twilights" at Crossways Shopping Centre featuring shows with gay and lesbian actors.     

Daniel (Danny) Patrick Carroll (later La Rue) was born on 27th July 1927 in Cork the youngest of four siblings of an Irish Carpenter. He lost his father when nine and the family moved to London setting up home in Soho. With mother a seamstress when the home was bombed in the blitz she moved them all to Kenn a small village in South Devon.

It was not long before Daniel was involved with the local amateur dramatic society who with a shortage of girls let him pick a female role. Later having witnessed him performing "Juliet", he was so convincing his future as a female seemed destined. 

Having left school at 15 Daniel worked as a baker's assistant, a lift attendant and finally the role of a "window dresser" at a London store. By eighteen he had entered the Royal Navy and immediately joined the concert group acting as a native girl in their production "White Cargo".

Later he said "I looked stunning" and now perform as a female in revues for the next three years. He constantly assured his public - "I never wanted to be a woman and the lads knew that - although being attractive was very amusing". 

Demobbed from the Navy in 1947 he returned to window dressing while being auditioned for the revue "Forces Showboat" - an all-male show for those who could dance. Offered a role in the chorus he now met Jack Hanson and Harry Secombe who said he "was'nt the sort of chap who should be dressing up as a girl" but ignoring Harry's advice he appeared in  "Forces in Petticoats and and Soldiers in Skirts" while Jack then become his manager. He now met female impersonator Fred Getty who agreed to let him play top spot as a girl called Danny La Rue at his Churchill Club Mayfair.

His name was changed to ensure Daniel would not lose his job at the store. He was "a sensation" and soon was offered star billing by Bruce Brace at the "Winstons Club" where Danny remained until 1964 before opening his own nightclub in Hanover Square.

Glamour was always Danny's way of making a family show, employing no hostesses which was popular. His club eventually had 13000 members and it featured guests like Judy Garland, Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Margaret, Shirley Bassey and Warren Beatty until sold in 1972.

Forever popular with the BBC Danny never ever forgot he "owed his reputation to  theatre". He was the first impersonator to appear before Her Majesty in the Royal Variety Show 2002, a time when he had bought a country house hotel called Walton Hall in Warwickshire, describing it " his pension scheme" although by 1983 he had sold it to a Canadian who ultimately stole a "£million.

Being a staunch Catholic Daniel was asked "where is your God now"  his reply - "He's still there, he probably thought I needed teaching a lesson". Jack Hanson his companion for 40 years revealed "he was hysterical with grief" and so toured extensively devoting his time to hospitals and hospices all across Australia, New Zealand and America raising money for the "Aids Charities". He said in Australia he was to marry but later admitted "he could not face going through with it".

Given his OBE for his work with charities in 2002 he then worked into his seventies before suffered a stroke and surviving until age 81. He died peacefully from cancer with his "beloved companion" Annie Galbraith (dresser) at his side.