Forgotten Musicals - Vivian Ellis and Bless the Bride
Vivian Ellis (1903–1996) was a prominent English composer, lyricist, and musician best known for his work in British musical comedy and light music during the 1920s–1950s.
Born Vivian John Herman Ellis on 29 October 1903 in Hampstead, London, into a musical family (his grandmother Julia Woolf was a concert pianist and composer, and his mother played violin), he was educated at Cheltenham College. He trained as a concert pianist (including as a pupil of Myra Hess) and initially aimed for a classical career but shifted toward popular music.
Early successes included the foxtrot “Over My Shoulder” and “Yale Blues” (which sparked a dance craze). He quickly became a dominant figure in West End musical theatre, often writing multiple shows per season in the 1930s. Notable pre-war works include Mr. Cinders (1929), featuring his enduring hit “Spread a Little Happiness”.
Post-war, he collaborated extensively with A.P. Herbert on several musicals. His style emphasized witty, melodic, and quintessentially English light music, contrasting with the rising influence of American Broadway shows. Bless the Bride (1947)is widely regarded as Ellis’s finest and most successful work. It was the third of five musicals he created with A.P. Herbert (book and lyrics). The show premiered on 26 April 1947 at the Adelphi Theatre in London, running for 886 performances. It starred Lizbeth Webb as Lucy Willow and Georges Guétary as Pierre Fontaine. Standout romantic songs include “This Is My Lovely Day” (a massive hit, frequently requested on the BBC and associated with royal wedding nostalgia) and “I Was Never Kissed Before”, along with “Ma Belle Marguerite”.
He died on 19 June 1996 at age 92.
Ellis represented a graceful, melodic English musical theatre tradition. Songs like “Spread a Little Happiness,” “This Is My Lovely Day,” and “Ma Belle Marguerite” from Bless the Bride remain his most lasting contributions.
Here is the full musical: [media=https://youtu.be/cy61RnPa-OE?si=QFEO71mSza8h2--U]
And ‘This is my Lovely Day’ my favourite song from it sung here by Lizbeth Webb as Lucy.
[media=https://youtu.be/58e1rxKAUzI?si=-89qPPQvyPXG1Y1-]
Born Vivian John Herman Ellis on 29 October 1903 in Hampstead, London, into a musical family (his grandmother Julia Woolf was a concert pianist and composer, and his mother played violin), he was educated at Cheltenham College. He trained as a concert pianist (including as a pupil of Myra Hess) and initially aimed for a classical career but shifted toward popular music.
Early successes included the foxtrot “Over My Shoulder” and “Yale Blues” (which sparked a dance craze). He quickly became a dominant figure in West End musical theatre, often writing multiple shows per season in the 1930s. Notable pre-war works include Mr. Cinders (1929), featuring his enduring hit “Spread a Little Happiness”.
Post-war, he collaborated extensively with A.P. Herbert on several musicals. His style emphasized witty, melodic, and quintessentially English light music, contrasting with the rising influence of American Broadway shows. Bless the Bride (1947)is widely regarded as Ellis’s finest and most successful work. It was the third of five musicals he created with A.P. Herbert (book and lyrics). The show premiered on 26 April 1947 at the Adelphi Theatre in London, running for 886 performances. It starred Lizbeth Webb as Lucy Willow and Georges Guétary as Pierre Fontaine. Standout romantic songs include “This Is My Lovely Day” (a massive hit, frequently requested on the BBC and associated with royal wedding nostalgia) and “I Was Never Kissed Before”, along with “Ma Belle Marguerite”.
He died on 19 June 1996 at age 92.
Ellis represented a graceful, melodic English musical theatre tradition. Songs like “Spread a Little Happiness,” “This Is My Lovely Day,” and “Ma Belle Marguerite” from Bless the Bride remain his most lasting contributions.
Here is the full musical: [media=https://youtu.be/cy61RnPa-OE?si=QFEO71mSza8h2--U]
And ‘This is my Lovely Day’ my favourite song from it sung here by Lizbeth Webb as Lucy.
[media=https://youtu.be/58e1rxKAUzI?si=-89qPPQvyPXG1Y1-]
