Cecil Sheridan (21 December 1910 – 4 January 1980) was an Irish comedian and actor who performed in variety shows and
pantomimes
Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...
in Ireland and Great Britain during a versatile career spanning over forty years.
Early life
Born at 31
Queen's Square, Sheridan was the son of a
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
upholsterer
Upholstery is the work of providing furniture, especially seats, with padding, springs, webbing, and fabric or leather covers. The word also refers to the materials used to upholster something.
''Upholstery'' comes from the Middle English word ...
, also named Cecil, and his wife, Catherine (Kate) Buckley. His mother died of
tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
when he was six and he and his siblings were raised by his father.
[''The Irish Times'', "Cecil Sheridan", 22 May 1976] He was educated at
Synge Street CBS
Synge Street CBS (colloquially Synger) is a boys' non-fee-paying state school, under the auspices of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust, located in the Dublin 8 area of Dublin, Ireland. The school was founded in 1864 by Canon ...
.
[''The Irish Times'', "Death of Cecil Sheridan", 5 January 1980] In a bid to cure a
stammer
Stuttering, also known as stammering, is a speech disorder in which the flow of speech is disrupted by involuntary repetitions and prolongations of sounds, syllables, words, or phrases as well as involuntary silent pauses or blocks in which the ...
he sought opportunities to perform in public.
[''The Irish Times'', "Cecil Sheridan – An Appreciation", 8 January 1980] He made his stage debut at the age of twenty when he won £100 in a talent show.
[''Irish Independent'', "Sheridan last old style Irish comedian", 5 January 1980] However, he continued to work in his father's business until 1937 when, after winning another talent contest, he decided to become a full-time stage performer.
Career
Sheridan's performances in
revue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own duri ...
s, variety shows, and pantomimes kept the spirit of the old
music hall
Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as variety. Perceptions of a distinction in Bri ...
and
vaudeville
Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...
alive on the Dublin stage well into the era of television.
He performed frequently at Dublin's
Queen's Theatre from 1940 onwards, and he appeared also on the stage of the
Theatre Royal, Dublin
Over the centuries, there have been five theatres in Dublin called the Theatre Royal.
In the history of the theatre in Great Britain and Ireland, the designation "Theatre Royal", or "Royal Theatre", once meant that a theatre had been granted a r ...
.
In 1976, he was deemed by ''
The Irish Times
''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...
'' to have "stolen the show" when he performed his own songs in
Noel Pearson
Noel or Noël may refer to:
Christmas
* , French for Christmas
* Noel is another name for a Christmas carol
Places
* Noel, Missouri, United States, a city
*Noel, Nova Scotia, Canada, a community
* 1563 Noël, an asteroid
*Mount Noel, Britis ...
's production of ''You Ain't Heard Nuttin' Yet'' at the
Gaiety Theatre, Dublin
The Gaiety Theatre is a theatre on South King Street in Dublin, Ireland, off Grafton Street and close to St. Stephen's Green. It specialises in operatic and musical productions, with occasional dramatic shows.
History
In April 1871, the broth ...
. He was a regular at the
Olympia Theatre, Dublin
The Olympia Theatre, known for sponsorship and advertising purposes as the 3Olympia Theatre, is a concert hall and theatre venue in Dublin, Ireland, located on Dame Street.
In addition to Irish acts, the venue has played host to many well-known ...
, and was one of the leaders of the campaign to raise funds for the theatre's restoration following the collapse of the proscenium arch in 1974. He appeared in the first show to be staged at the Olympia when it reopened in March 1977.
Sheridan wrote his own material, including pantomimes. Three days before his version of ''
Snow White
"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as Ta ...
and the Seven Dwarfs'' was due to begin its run, he learnt that
Walt Disney
Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
's feature-length cartoon of the
same name was about to open at a nearby cinema. He set to work immediately on a new pantomime, ''
Mother Goose
The figure of Mother Goose is the imaginary author of a collection of French fairy tales and later of English nursery rhymes. As a character, she appeared in a song, the first stanza of which often functions now as a nursery rhyme. This, howeve ...
'', and had it ready for its first performance on the date planned for ''Snow White''.
His clever use of wordplay earned him the title of "
Parody
A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its subj ...
King".
One of his most famous parodies was a play on the song "Let The Rest of the World Go By". He also wrote humorous songs, notably "Hannigan's Hooley".
Sheridan toured
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
with
Andy Stewart and performed at the Metropole Theatre in London.
As an actor Sheridan appeared in a number of stage plays including the world première of
Brian Friel
Brian Patrick Friel (c. 9 January 1929 – 2 October 2015) was an Irish dramatist, short story writer and founder of the Field Day Theatre Company. He had been considered one of the greatest living English-language dramatists. (subscription req ...
's ''Crystal and Fox'', in which he played the supporting role of Pedro in a
Hilton Edwards
Hilton Edwards (2 February 1903 – 18 November 1982) was an English-born Irish actor, lighting designer and theatrical producer. He co-founded the Gate Theatre with his partner Micheál Mac Liammóir and two others, and has been referred to as ...
production at the Gaiety Theatre. He was also among the cast of several films shot in Ireland, for instance, ''
Ulysses
Ulysses is one form of the Roman name for Odysseus, a hero in ancient Greek literature.
Ulysses may also refer to:
People
* Ulysses (given name), including a list of people with this name
Places in the United States
* Ulysses, Kansas
* Ulysse ...
'' and ''
Where's Jack?
''Where's Jack?'' is a 1969 British adventure film recounting the exploits of notorious 18th-century criminal Jack Sheppard and London "Thief-Taker General" Jonathan Wild.
The film was produced by Stanley Baker through his company Oakhurst Pro ...
''.
One of his more unusual acting roles came in 1966 when he portrayed the trade union leader,
James Larkin
James Larkin (28 January 1874 – 30 January 1947), sometimes known as Jim Larkin or Big Jim, was an Irish republican, socialist and trade union leader. He was one of the founders of the Irish Labour Party along with James Connolly and Willia ...
, in a pageant staged in
Croke Park
Croke Park ( ga, Páirc an Chrócaigh, ) is a Gaelic games stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Named after Archbishop Thomas Croke, it is referred to as Croker by GAA fans and locals. It serves as both the principal national stadium of Ireland and he ...
to commemorate the Irish struggle for independence.
One of Sheridan's last live appearances was in ''The Heart's A Wonder'', a musical based on
John Millington Synge
Edmund John Millington Synge (; 16 April 1871 – 24 March 1909) was an Irish playwright, poet, writer, collector of folklore, and a key figure in the Irish Literary Revival. His best known play ''The Playboy of the Western World'' was poorly r ...
's ''
Playboy of the Western World
''The Playboy of the Western World'' is a three-act play written by Irish playwright John Millington Synge and first performed at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, on 26 January 1907. It is set in Michael James Flaherty's public house in County Mayo (o ...
'', which was staged at
Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
's Crescent Theatre in September 1978.
Sheridan's writings form part of the Irish Theatre Archive held at the
Dublin City Archive.
Personal life
Sheridan's wife, Ann ("Nan") Doyle, predeceased him in 1978. Towards the end of his life he credited her with restoring his
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
faith, which had lapsed during his bachelor days.
They had three children, a son, Noel, who was director of Dublin's
National College of Art and Design
The National College of Art and Design (NCAD) is Ireland's oldest art institution, offering the largest range of art and design degrees at undergraduate and postgraduate level in the country. Originating as a drawing school in 1746, many of th ...
, and two daughters, Ann and Barbara. Cecil Sheridan died aged 69 and is buried in
Mount Jerome Cemetery
Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest.
Mount or Mounts may also refer to:
Places
* Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England
* Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, C ...
.
[''The Irish Times'', "Final tribute to Cecil Sheridan", 8 January 1980]
Filmography
Sources
External links
Cecil Sheridan at Irish Playography*
*
Maureen Potter
Maria Philomena Potter (3 January 1925 – 7 April 2004), known as Maureen Potter, was an Irish singer, actress, comedienne and performer.
Early life
Potter was born in Dublin and educated at St. Mary's school in Fairview. She had a long career ...
performing
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheridan, Cecil
1910 births
1980 deaths
Burials at Mount Jerome Cemetery and Crematorium
Irish male film actors
Irish male comedians
20th-century Irish songwriters
Irish male stage actors
Music hall performers
20th-century Irish male actors
People educated at Synge Street CBS
20th-century Irish comedians
Male actors from County Dublin