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His Royal Highness (1932)

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clip A dancing stagehand

This clip chosen to be G

Clip description

Tommy Dodds (George Wallace) demonstrates his storytelling skills to an unseen audience of musicians in the orchestra pit, during rehearsals for a new show. He is a stagehand, but he says he learned to dance while working on a pig farm with his father. He then shows his dance skills.

Curator’s notes

by Paul Byrnes

Frank Thring’s early films were largely just photographed stage shows, but this clip at least demonstrates what made Wallace such a hit with audiences throughout the 1920s. His make-up and gestures are still too big for the camera, but his timing never misses. Wallace was always a pretty ‘clean’ act, in comparison with ‘blue’ comedians like Roy Rene, partly because his characters were always innocents, almost childlike. Look at clip one from Harmony Row (1933) – when he’s asked his age, he says 'eleven’, before correcting himself. Many of his gestures are modelled on the movements of a small boy, typically one who’s about to be scolded.

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australianscreen is produced by the National Film and Sound Archive. By using the website you agree to comply with the terms and conditions described elsewhere on this site. The NFSA may amend the 'Conditions of Use’ from time to time without notice.

All materials on the site, including but not limited to text, video clips, audio clips, designs, logos, illustrations and still images, are protected by the Copyright Laws of Australia and international conventions.

When you access australianscreen you agree that:

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  • You may embed the clip for non-commercial educational purposes including for use on a school intranet site or a school resource catalogue.
  • The National Film and Sound Archive’s permission must be sought to amend any information in the materials, unless otherwise stated in notices throughout the Site.

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