Mark Sheridan

Mark Sheridan (c.1896)

Mark Sheridan (11 September 1864 – 15 January 1918) born Frederick Shaw was an English music hall comedian and singer. He became a popular singer of lusty seaside songs and was the original performer of the 1909 J.Glover-Kind classic, "I Do Like To be Beside the Seaside". He performed on stage and recorded over fifty songs during a ten year period, including, "One of the Bhoys" in 1910, *Belgium Put the Kibosh on the Kaiser, in 1914 and I'd like to shake Shakespeare in 1915. He was also a major presence in pantomime and featured regularly in productions across the British Isles.

Born in Hendon County Durham he initially worked on the Sunderland docks before taking a job at the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Theatre. It was there that he became interested in performing and took up amateur dramatics. He travelled to Europe, and South Africa in 1890 before going to Australia two years later. He arrived back in London in 1895 and became a popular comedian on the London music hall circuit, where he became one of the most popular music hall comedians of the time.

In 1909 he performed, what was to become, his most famous song "I do like to be beside the seaside", which he later recorded. Other famous songs from his repertoire included "Belgium Put the Kibosh on the Kaiser", "Here we are again" and "One of the Bhoys". In 1917, he wrote and composed "Gay Paree" for the stage which he performed in alongside a London theatre company. The show moved to Scotland but proved less popular with audiences. With his career on the decline, he suffered severe depression and he committed suicide in 1918.

Biography

He was born as Frederick Shaw to Scottish-Irish parentage in Hendon County Durham and began his working life with his father, who was a sail maker, on the Sunderland docks. From there he changed jobs and started working in the back offices of the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Theatre. It was there that he became interested in performing and took up amateur dramatics. Due to the name "Fred" being a popular name on the music hall circuit at that time, he decided to change his name and take up performing professionaly^[1]. He decided to take the first name of Mark from the American writer/humorist Mark Twain and used his Irish mother's maiden surname, Sheridan.

Early career

His early experiences in variety were mainly in Europe, followed by performances in South Africa in 1890^[2], where he went after his marriage to Ethel Maude Davenport. Two years later in 1892, he travelled to Australia^[3] and appeared on the Harry Rickards circuit, where he started a double act with his wife, called "The Sheridans". He arrived back in London with his wife, but as a solo performer, on 11 March 1895 and became a popular comedian on the London music hall circuit.

Music hall

He was very quickly established as one of the most popular music hall comedians of the time and would often appear on the same bill as some of the great music hall performers of the day, including Marie Lloyd, Little Titch, Dan Leno and George Robey. He enjoyed his biggest success in 1909 with the first performance and recording of "I do like to be beside the seaside", a song which is still sung today by holiday makers. This led to performances as principal boys in countless pantomimes across the country and further recordings, including "Belgium Put the Kibosh on the Kaiser", "Here we are again" and "One of the Bhoys".

Later career

In 1917 he turned his attention to revue, as music hall was becoming out of date. He wrote and composed "Gay Paree", which was a musical burlesque show based on W.G.Wills West End favourite "A Royal Divorce"^[4]. It cost Sheridan £2,000 to produce and had a London company of forty people-including his son and daughter^[5].

Death

During his later years, convinced his popularity was waning, he was plagued by deep insecurities and suffered from depression^[6]. He returned to Glasgow, a city where he was adored and where he had performed some of his earliest successes^[7]. On Wednesday 14 January 1918, his composition, "Gay Paree", opened at the Coliseum, Glasgow. He played the part of Napoleon and received a good reception from the paying crowd. However, the play received lukewarm reviews in the local papers the next morning and was compared to be less successful than his previous music hall career a few years earlier.

Devastated at the critics' reviews, he walked out of the theater and was not seen again. Later that afternoon on Thursday 15 January 1918, two men on their way to work discovered a body in Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow. There was a bullet wound to the forehead and a Browning revolver lying on the path next to the body. The body was formally identified to be that of Mark Sheridan.^[8]

He was buried in Cathcart Cemetery on Sunday 18 January 1918, leaving his wife Maude and their two children.

He died in the same year as John Glover Kind, the man who helped him become successful by providing Sheridan with his first big hit "I do like to be beside the Seaside"^[9].

Recordings

• At the football match last Saturday – 14 September 1905
• They all come out in the Summertime – 14 September 1905
• Josser Cricketer – October 1909
• I Do Like To be Beside the Seaside – October 1909
• Story from the Chestnut Tree – October 1909
• When the lights are low – 19 April 1910
• Hear what the crowds say – 19 April 1910
• One of the B'hoys – 25 October 1910
• By the Sea – 25 October 1910
• Fancy meeting you at the Isle of Man – 25 October 1910
• Who's who – 25 November 1910
• I met everybody I knew – 25 May 1911
• Prison up to date – 25 May 1911
• Let's all go home together 27 September 1911
• The esplanade – 27 September 1911
• The three trees – 27 September 1911
• I wanted a wife – 25 November 1911
• "They All Walk the Wibbly-wobbly Walk" – November 1912
• Who were you with last night? – November 1912
• The mother and the child were there – November 1912
• Belgium Put the Kibosh on the Kaiser – October 1914
• I'd like to shake Shakespeare – March 1915
• It's giris that make the seaside – March 1915

References

1. ^ http://entertainment.caledonianmercury.com/2010/03/20/day-the-laughter-stopped-in-a-cold-glasgow-park/00309
2. ^ http://entertainment.caledonianmercury.com/2010/03/20/day-the-laughter-stopped-in-a-cold-glasgow-park/00309
3. ^ http://entertainment.caledonianmercury.com/2010/03/20/day-the-laughter-stopped-in-a-cold-glasgow-park/00309
4. ^ http://entertainment.caledonianmercury.com/2010/03/20/day-the-laughter-stopped-in-a-cold-glasgow-park/00309
5. ^ http://entertainment.caledonianmercury.com/2010/03/20/day-the-laughter-stopped-in-a-cold-glasgow-park/00309
6. ^ http://entertainment.caledonianmercury.com/2010/03/20/day-the-laughter-stopped-in-a-cold-glasgow-park/00309
7. ^ http://entertainment.caledonianmercury.com/2010/03/20/day-the-laughter-stopped-in-a-cold-glasgow-park/00309
8. ^ http://www.marksheridan.org/html/book_references.html#05
9. ^ http://www.victorianweb.org/vn/seaside.html

External links

• Mark Sheridan on Youtube
• Mark Sheridan at www.marksheridan.org