Harry Hemsley
24 records in the collection· mostly on Winner, Piccadilly, Sterno
Harry Hemsley was a British entertainer particularly remembered for children’s character sketches and stories, in which he performed the voices of children himself. Popular on records and later radio in the inter-war years, pieces such as his nursery-rhyme and domestic sketches preserve a once-familiar form of family entertainment built around character voices and comic observation.
This introduction was written by AI from what is known of the artist. Ask us if you want to know more about a particular record.
Records by Harry Hemsley
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- AA Christmas Rehearsal
- B(2 sides)
Harry Hemsley in 'A Christmas Rehearsal', recorded for Columbia FB2716. Hemsley was a prolific British comedian and actor celebrated for his monologues and character sketches; his Yuletide material was a popular seasonal release.AI summary
Columbia FB2716 Comic
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- AChildren playing at Doctors
- BMinding the children
Harry Hemsley, a British character comedian of the 1920s-30s, performing two monologues about minding children. Hemsley was famous for his 'Gamages Corner' routines and character voices.AI summary
Parlophone R1050 Comic
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- AChristmas Dinner with the Children
- B2 sides
Harry Hemsley, a British dialect comedian known for family character pieces, performing 'Christmas Dinner with the Children' on Piccadilly.AI summary
Piccadilly 658 Comic
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- ACinderella
- BDick Whittington
Harry Hemsley, a British pantomime performer and comedian, on Winner 4307 performing pantomime sketches.AI summary
Winner 4307 Comic
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- ADick Whittington
- B(2 sides)
Harry Hemsley, a British comedian and character actor, recorded 'Dick Whittington' for Bell, an obscure label, likely a novelty or sketched performance.AI summary
Bell 400 Comic
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- ADirty little Tinker
- BSwinging on a Gate
Harry Hemsley, credited on St (Sterno), an obscure British label, with comic nursery or character material in titles.AI summary
Sterno 1392 Comic
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- ADo Daddy
- BDaddy's Boy
Harry Hemsley performing 'Do Daddy' and 'Daddy's Boy' on Piccadilly 256. A comedian known for child character voices.AI summary
Piccadilly 256 Comic
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- ADrawing on a Slate
- BThomas a Becket
Harry Hemsley, a versatile character comedian and monologist, recorded two comic sketches for Piccadilly, a cheap British budget label of the 1930s.AI summary
Piccadilly 206 Comic
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- ADrawing on the Slate
- BPicture Book
Harry Hemsley was a British child impersonator and entertainer popular on stage and record in the 1920s and 1930s. 'Drawing on the Slate' and 'Picture Book' are comedy sketches featuring his characteristic child voices. This St pressing is from an obscure label.AI summary
Sterno 1381 Comic
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- ADrawing Winnie
- BA Bear Story
Harry Hemsley, a British comedian and entertainer, recorded 'Drawing Winnie' and 'A Bear Story' for Parlophone catalogue R1316, from the early 1930s.AI summary
Parlophone R1316 Comic
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- AJack & Jill
- BLittle Boy Blue
Harry Hemsley, a celebrated character and comedy vocalist, performing 'Jack & Jill' and 'Little Boy Blue' on Winner 4721 — comic nursery number recordings from a major British variety entertainer.AI summary
Winner 4721 Comic
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- AJack and the Beanstalk
- B(2 sides)
Harry Hemsley, a British comedy performer, with a recitation of 'Jack and the Beanstalk' on Bell Records.AI summary
Bell 397 Comic
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- AKiddies go carolling
- BChristmas Presents
Harry Hemsley, a comedy and character performer known for ventriloquism and child-voice mimicry, recorded 'Kiddies go carolling' and 'Christmas Presents' for Regal, catalogue 2601, a budget British label of the 1920s–30s.AI summary
Regal 2601 Comic
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- ALather Father
- BMisery Farm
Harry Hemsley was a British music-hall comedian and vocalist known for comic character songs; this Regal disc of 'Lather Father' and 'Misery Farm' captures his humorous style.AI summary
Regal 9261 Music Hall
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- AMary had a little Lamb
- BLittle Bopeep
Harry Hemsley was a British entertainer famous for his impressions of children; here he performs Mary Had a Little Lamb and Little Bo-Peep on Beltona 1312.AI summary
Beltona 1312 Comic
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- AMinding the Children
- BDrawing Winnie
Harry Hemsley, the British entertainer famous for his impressions of children, with Minding the Children and Drawing Winnie on Ariel 4822.AI summary
Ariel 4822 Comic
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- ASing a Song of Sixpence
- BLittle Bopeep
Harry Hemsley was a British comic entertainer and vocalist; this Winner pressing pairs two nursery-rhyme novelties in his comic style, from the 1920s.AI summary
Winner 4727 Comic
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- ASing a Song of Sixpence
- BLittle Boy Blue
Harry Hemsley, the British entertainer famous for his impressions of children, with Sing a Song of Sixpence and Little Boy Blue on Beltona 1314.AI summary
Beltona 1314 Comic
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- AThings I mustn't do
- BMerry go round
Sterno 1444 Personalities (Prs)
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- ATommy Tucker
- BMary had a little Lamb
Harry Hemsley, a British character comedian known for vocal impressions and nursery-rhyme adaptations, recorded two well-known tunes for Winner in a comic vein.AI summary
Winner 4722 Comic
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- ATommy Tucker
- BJack and Jill
Harry Hemsley, the British entertainer famous for his impressions of children, with Tommy Tucker and Jack and Jill on Beltona 1313.AI summary
Beltona 1313 Comic
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- AWinnie & the Picture Book
- BWinnie is told a Story
Harry Hemsley, the British entertainer famous for his impressions of children, with Winnie and the Picture Book and Winnie Is Told a Story on Dominion A201.AI summary
Dominion A201 Comic
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- AWinnie's Recitation
- BPancake
Harry Hemsley was a British character comedian and mimic of the 1920s and 1930s, best known for his 'Hemsley Family' novelty pieces; this Broadcast side preserves his comedy style.AI summary
Broadcast 384 Comic
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- AWriting a Letter for Winnie
- BJohnny & his Recitation
Harry Hemsley, the British dialect comedian and character performer, on Piccadilly: 'Writing a Letter for Winnie' and 'Johnny & his Recitation', characteristic music-hall comedy numbers from the early 1930s.AI summary
Piccadilly 240 Music Hall