Report on 'My Life in Show Business'
We were delighted to welcome Howard T’Loosty to Glebe Hall on Monday 21st November to give the monthly talk on
“My Life in Show Business”
Howard was in this world for over 40 years and became involved with light entertainment in TV and Radio and met many household names.
He wanted to be a musician and played the violin and he entered this showbiz world by good fortune rather than talent. He left the East End of London and moved to Bournemouth in the mid 1960s and became involved with the local football club and used to do the announcements at the games. He was also involved with the theatre and theatre groups and by chance met Rolf Harris at the Winter Garden when he was
top of the bill. Rolf Harris gave Howard 2 signed paintings (he was a very good artist as well as entertainer). The funny part of this is that Howard not knowing their future value forgot about them and when he moved house left them lying in the garage!!
Howard used to let out his flat in Bournemouth for the summer season and rented it to Michael Barrymore (before he was famous). The subsequent scandals ruined MB’s life as we all know.
Howard then had the idea to put on Discos by using the Radio 1 DJs e.g. Tony Blackburn, Dave Lee Travis and many more which gave them visual exposure and made them more popular with the public. He then had the idea to promote live bands along the south coast at local
clubs or bars which really caught on “One Hit Wonder Bands”.
In one story he put on club nights with bands or discos on the Isle of Wight and at first did very well. He was then approached by The Kray Brothers’ henchmen to warn him off as he was competing with one of the Kray’s “clubs” also in Ryde. They started trouble at his events which resulted in the public being afraid to go any more.
He also met Frankie Vaughn through an associate he had helped. Frankie was a cousin of this person and through this he met FV. Frankie suggested Howard put on a UK tour for him and invited him to be his Manager/Agent/Driver/Tea Maker and Kalooki Partner!!
This relationship moved Howard into a different world of Show Business and he met people such as Tommy Cooper, Morcambe and Wise, Ken Dodd, Tom O’Connor, Des O’Connor, Freddie Starr etc etc.
Howard had many funny stories about them. They were good clean entertainers without smut or racism.
We had a very funny and entertaining morning.