Lew James - Revision history

Fogterop at 13:50, 25 September 2018

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Fogterop at 13:31, 25 September 2018

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Fogterop at 17:10, 12 August 2017

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Fogterop at 13:29, 12 August 2017

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Fogterop at 09:54, 11 August 2017

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Fogterop at 12:20, 25 September 2016

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Fogterop at 12:16, 25 September 2016

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 == Biography ==
-Lazarus (Laurie) Cohen was born in London of parents who arrived in England from Eastern Europe in the late 1850s.  He was the youngest of 15 children and the family lived in the borough of Stepney.  He eventually shortened his name to Lou (Lew) and married Reina, the youngest daughter of Flora Solomon, a music hall entertainer who had immigrated to South Africa and opened a theatrical boarding house in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.  Reina and Laurie formed a comedy dance duo as [[Reina Selma]] and Lew James, first performing in England and then following Reina’s mother to South Africa.  They worked in vaudeville at venues like the [[Orpheum Theatre]] and the [[Standard Theatre]], while Lew also performed as a stand-up comic.  In 1911, Reina gave birth to her first son, Maurice, and on 8 May 1913 she and Lou became the parents of Solomon Joel Cohen, the future [[Sidney James]], in Newcastle.
+Lazarus (Laurie) Cohen was born in London of parents who arrived in England from Eastern Europe in the late 1850s.  He was the youngest of 15 children and the family lived in the borough of Stepney.  He eventually shortened his name to Lou (Lew) and married Reina, the youngest daughter of Flora Solomon, a music hall entertainer who had immigrated to South Africa and opened a theatrical boarding house in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.  Reina and Laurie formed a comedy dance duo as [[Reina Selma]] and Lew James, first performing in England and then following Reina’s mother to South Africa.  They worked in vaudeville at venues like the [[Orpheum Theatre]] and the [[Standard Theatre]], while Lew also performed as a stand-up comic.  In 1911, Reina gave birth to her first son, Maurice, and on 8 May 1913 she and Lou became the parents of Solomon Joel Cohen, the future [[Sidney James]], in Newcastle, Natal.
 Early in 1917 Lew James appeared on the stage at the [[Empire Palace of Varieties]] before his departure for Australia and was offered a farewell benefit concert at the [[Carlton Hotel]] on 7 February of that year.  It was announced that [[J. Langley Levy]] would be in the chair, [[Dick Cruikshanks]] would be the stage manager and the MC's would include [[M.A. Wetherell]] and [[Norman H. Lee]].  Between 1917 and 1920 he and Reina performed on the Fuller circuit throughout Australia and New Zealand, with The Star in Canterbury describing them as “song and patter artists of great ability”.  Back in South Africa Lew appeared in plays such as ''[[Potash and Perlmutter]]'' (1916 & 1920), ''[[In the Soup]]'', ''[[The High Cost of Loving]]'' and ''[[Business Before Pleasure]]'' (all 1920) and also acted in the film ''[[The Madcap of the Veld]]'' ([[Joseph Albrecht]]/1920).  There is a record of him having attended a meeting at the [[Carlton Hotel]] early in 1921 in order to organise an actors' union (others present were [[Allen Doone]], [[Cecil Kellaway]], [[Dick Cruikshanks]] and [[Vivien Talleur]]).  In July 1922, he and Reina were divorced and he returned to Australia by himself to continue his career there.  In 1930 the Lew James International Radio Players could still be heard on the wireless.  He died of heart failure in Williamstown Hospital, near Melbourne, in October 1946. In 1913 the Rand Daily Mail referred to him as “a Hebrew comedian of the highest order, his jokes being all clean and original". (FO)

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:33, 25 September 2018
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	Early in 1917 Lew James appeared on the stage at the [[Empire Palace of Varieties]] before his departure for Australia and was offered a farewell benefit concert at the [[Carlton Hotel]] on 7 February of that year. It was announced that [[J. Langley Levy]] would be in the chair, [[Dick Cruikshanks]] would be the stage manager and the MC's would include [[M.A. Wetherell]] and [[Norman H. Lee]]. Between 1917 and 1920 he and Reina performed on the Fuller circuit throughout Australia and New Zealand, with The Star in Canterbury describing them as “song and patter artists of great ability”. Back in South Africa Lew appeared in plays such as ''[[Potash and Perlmutter]]'' (1916 & 1920), ''[[In the Soup]]'', ''[[The High Cost of Loving]]'' and ''[[Business Before Pleasure]]'' (all 1920) and also acted in the film ''[[The Madcap of the Veld]]'' ([[Joseph Albrecht]]/1920). There is a record of him having attended a meeting at the [[Carlton Hotel]] early in 1921 in order to organise an actors' union (others present were [[Allen Doone]], [[Cecil Kellaway]], [[Dick Cruikshanks]] and [[Vivien Talleur]]). In July 1922, he and Reina were divorced and he returned to Australia by himself to continue his career there. In 1930 the Lew James International Radio Players could still be heard on the wireless. He died of heart failure in Williamstown Hospital, near Melbourne, in October 1946. In 1913 the Rand Daily Mail referred to him as “a Hebrew comedian of the highest order, his jokes being all clean and original". (FO)		Early in 1917 Lew James appeared on the stage at the [[Empire Palace of Varieties]] before his departure for Australia and was offered a farewell benefit concert at the [[Carlton Hotel]] on 7 February of that year. It was announced that [[J. Langley Levy]] would be in the chair, [[Dick Cruikshanks]] would be the stage manager and the MC's would include [[M.A. Wetherell]] and [[Norman H. Lee]]. Between 1917 and 1920 he and Reina performed on the Fuller circuit throughout Australia and New Zealand, with The Star in Canterbury describing them as “song and patter artists of great ability”. Back in South Africa Lew appeared in plays such as ''[[Potash and Perlmutter]]'' (1916 & 1920), ''[[In the Soup]]'', ''[[The High Cost of Loving]]'' and ''[[Business Before Pleasure]]'' (all 1920) and also acted in the film ''[[The Madcap of the Veld]]'' ([[Joseph Albrecht]]/1920). There is a record of him having attended a meeting at the [[Carlton Hotel]] early in 1921 in order to organise an actors' union (others present were [[Allen Doone]], [[Cecil Kellaway]], [[Dick Cruikshanks]] and [[Vivien Talleur]]). In July 1922, he and Reina were divorced and he returned to Australia by himself to continue his career there. In 1930 the Lew James International Radio Players could still be heard on the wireless. He died of heart failure in Williamstown Hospital, near Melbourne, in October 1946. In 1913 the Rand Daily Mail referred to him as “a Hebrew comedian of the highest order, his jokes being all clean and original". (FO)
−

	(Note: He should not be confused with his contemporary and near-namesake [[Lou James]] who also visited South Africa.)		(Note: He should not be confused with his contemporary and near-namesake [[Lou James]] who also visited South Africa.)

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-(b. London, 29/03/1884 – d. Melbourne, 23/10/1946).  Music hall entertainer, actor. Lazarus (Laurie) Cohen was born in London of parents who arrived in England from Eastern Europe in the late 1850s.  He was the youngest of 15 children and the family lived in the borough of Stepney.  He eventually shortened his name to Lou and married Reina, the youngest daughter of Flora Solomon, a music hall entertainer who eventually immigrated to South Africa and opened a theatrical boarding house in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.  Reina and Laurie formed a comedy dance duo as [[Reina Selma]] and Lew James, first performing in England and then following Reina’s mother to South Africa.  They worked in vaudeville at venues like the [[Orpheum Theatre]] and the [[Standard Theatre]], while Lew also performed as a stand-up comic.  In 1911, Reina gave birth to her first son, Maurice, and on 8 May 1913 she and Lou became the parents of Solomon Joel Cohen, the future [[Sidney James]], in Newcastle.
+Lew James (b. London, 29/03/1884 – d. Melbourne, 23/10/1946) was a music hall entertainer, comedian and actor.
 (Note: He should not be confused with his contemporary and near-namesake [[Lou James]] who also visited South Africa.)
 == Sources ==
 Stage & Cinema, 3 February 1917

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 (b. London, 29/03/1884 – d. Melbourne, 23/10/1946).  Music hall entertainer, actor. Lazarus (Laurie) Cohen was born in London of parents who arrived in England from Eastern Europe in the late 1850s.  He was the youngest of 15 children and the family lived in the borough of Stepney.  He eventually shortened his name to Lou and married Reina, the youngest daughter of Flora Solomon, a music hall entertainer who eventually immigrated to South Africa and opened a theatrical boarding house in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.  Reina and Laurie formed a comedy dance duo as [[Reina Selma]] and Lew James, first performing in England and then following Reina’s mother to South Africa.  They worked in vaudeville at venues like the [[Orpheum Theatre]] and the [[Standard Theatre]], while Lew also performed as a stand-up comic.  In 1911, Reina gave birth to her first son, Maurice, and on 8 May 1913 she and Lou became the parents of Solomon Joel Cohen, the future [[Sidney James]], in Newcastle.
-Early in 1917 Lew James appeared on the stage at the [[Empire Palace of Varieties]] before his departure for Australia and was offered a farewell benefit concert at the [[Carlton Hotel]] on 7 February of that year.  It was announced that [[J. Langley Levy]] would be in the chair, [[Dick Cruikshanks]] would be the stage manager and the MC's would include [[M.A. Wetherell]] and [[Norman H. Lee]].  Between 1917 and 1920 he and Reina performed on the Fuller circuit throughout Australia and New Zealand, with The Star in Canterbury describing them as “song and patter artists of great ability”.  Back in South Africa Lew appeared in plays such as ''[[In the Soup]]'', ''[[The High Cost of Loving]]'' and ''[[Business Before Pleasure]]'' (all 1920) and also acted in the film ''[[The Madcap of the Veld]]'' ([[Joseph Albrecht]]/1920).  There is a record of him having attended a meeting at the [[Carlton Hotel]] early in 1921 in order to organise an actors' union (others present were [[Allen Doone]], [[Cecil Kellaway]], [[Dick Cruikshanks]] and [[Vivien Talleur]]).  However, by 1923 he and Reina were back in Australia, where they seem to have settled, though one source suggests that they were divorced circa 1925.  In 1930 the Lew James International Radio Players could still be heard on the wireless. He died of heart failure in Williamstown Hospital, near Melbourne, in October 1946. (FO)
+Early in 1917 Lew James appeared on the stage at the [[Empire Palace of Varieties]] before his departure for Australia and was offered a farewell benefit concert at the [[Carlton Hotel]] on 7 February of that year.  It was announced that [[J. Langley Levy]] would be in the chair, [[Dick Cruikshanks]] would be the stage manager and the MC's would include [[M.A. Wetherell]] and [[Norman H. Lee]].  Between 1917 and 1920 he and Reina performed on the Fuller circuit throughout Australia and New Zealand, with The Star in Canterbury describing them as “song and patter artists of great ability”.  Back in South Africa Lew appeared in plays such as ''[[In the Soup]]'', ''[[The High Cost of Loving]]'' and ''[[Business Before Pleasure]]'' (all 1920) and also acted in the film ''[[The Madcap of the Veld]]'' ([[Joseph Albrecht]]/1920).  There is a record of him having attended a meeting at the [[Carlton Hotel]] early in 1921 in order to organise an actors' union (others present were [[Allen Doone]], [[Cecil Kellaway]], [[Dick Cruikshanks]] and [[Vivien Talleur]]).  In July 1922, he and Reina were divorced and he returned to Australia by himself to continue his career there.  In 1930 the Lew James International Radio Players could still be heard on the wireless.  He died of heart failure in Williamstown Hospital, near Melbourne, in October 1946.   (FO)
 (Note: He should not be confused with his contemporary and near-namesake [[Lou James]] who also visited South Africa.)

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-(b. London, 29/03/1884 – d. **/**/****).  Music hall entertainer, actor. Lazarus (Laurie) Cohen was born in London of parents who arrived in England from Eastern Europe in the late 1850s.  He was the youngest of 15 children and the family lived in the borough of Stepney.  He eventually shortened his name to Lou and married Reine, the youngest daughter of Flora Solomon, a music hall entertainer who eventually immigrated to South Africa and opened a theatrical boarding house in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.  Reine and Laurie formed a comedy dance duo as [[Reina Selma]] and Lew James, first performing in England and then following Reine’s mother to South Africa.  They worked in vaudeville at venues like the [[Orpheum Theatre]] and the [[Standard Theatre]], while Lew also performed as a stand-up comic.  In 1911, Reine gave birth to her first son, Maurice, and on 8 May 1913 she and Lou became the parents of Solomon Joel Cohen, the future [[Sidney James]], in Newcastle.
+(b. London, 29/03/1884 – d. Melbourne, 23/10/1946).  Music hall entertainer, actor. Lazarus (Laurie) Cohen was born in London of parents who arrived in England from Eastern Europe in the late 1850s.  He was the youngest of 15 children and the family lived in the borough of Stepney.  He eventually shortened his name to Lou and married Reina, the youngest daughter of Flora Solomon, a music hall entertainer who eventually immigrated to South Africa and opened a theatrical boarding house in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.  Reina and Laurie formed a comedy dance duo as [[Reina Selma]] and Lew James, first performing in England and then following Reina’s mother to South Africa.  They worked in vaudeville at venues like the [[Orpheum Theatre]] and the [[Standard Theatre]], while Lew also performed as a stand-up comic.  In 1911, Reina gave birth to her first son, Maurice, and on 8 May 1913 she and Lou became the parents of Solomon Joel Cohen, the future [[Sidney James]], in Newcastle.
-Early in 1917 Lew James appeared on the stage at the [[Empire Palace of Varieties]] before his departure for Australia and was offered a farewell benefit concert at the [[Carlton Hotel]] on 7 February of that year.  It was announced that [[J. Langley Levy]] would be in the chair, [[Dick Cruikshanks]] would be the stage manager and the MC's would include [[M.A. Wetherell]] and [[Norman H. Lee]].  Between 1917 and 1920 he and Reina performed on the Fuller circuit throughout Australia and New Zealand, with The Star in Canterbury describing them as “song and patter artists of great ability”.  Back in South Africa Lew appeared in plays such as ''[[In the Soup]]'', ''[[The High Cost of Loving]]'' and ''[[Business Before Pleasure]]'' (all 1920) and also acted in the film ''[[The Madcap of the Veld]]'' ([[Joseph Albrecht]]/1920).  There is a record of him having attended a meeting at the [[Carlton Hotel]] early in 1921 in order to organise an actors' union (others present were [[Allen Doone]], [[Cecil Kellaway]], [[Dick Cruikshanks]] and [[Vivien Talleur]]).  However, by 1923 he and Reine were back in Australia, where they seem to have settled, though one source suggests that they were divorced circa 1925.  In 1930 the Lew James International Radio Players could still be heard on the wireless.  (FO)
+Early in 1917 Lew James appeared on the stage at the [[Empire Palace of Varieties]] before his departure for Australia and was offered a farewell benefit concert at the [[Carlton Hotel]] on 7 February of that year.  It was announced that [[J. Langley Levy]] would be in the chair, [[Dick Cruikshanks]] would be the stage manager and the MC's would include [[M.A. Wetherell]] and [[Norman H. Lee]].  Between 1917 and 1920 he and Reina performed on the Fuller circuit throughout Australia and New Zealand, with The Star in Canterbury describing them as “song and patter artists of great ability”.  Back in South Africa Lew appeared in plays such as ''[[In the Soup]]'', ''[[The High Cost of Loving]]'' and ''[[Business Before Pleasure]]'' (all 1920) and also acted in the film ''[[The Madcap of the Veld]]'' ([[Joseph Albrecht]]/1920).  There is a record of him having attended a meeting at the [[Carlton Hotel]] early in 1921 in order to organise an actors' union (others present were [[Allen Doone]], [[Cecil Kellaway]], [[Dick Cruikshanks]] and [[Vivien Talleur]]).  However, by 1923 he and Reina were back in Australia, where they seem to have settled, though one source suggests that they were divorced circa 1925.  In 1930 the Lew James International Radio Players could still be heard on the wireless. He died of heart failure in Williamstown Hospital, near Melbourne, in October 1946. (FO)
 (Note: He should not be confused with his contemporary and near-namesake [[Lou James]] who also visited South Africa.)
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 http://www.famechain.com/family-tree/44572/reine-cohen
 == Return to ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:54, 11 August 2017
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−	(b. London, //1884 – d. //****). Music hall entertainer, actor. Lazarus (Laurie) Cohen was born in London of parents who arrived in England from Eastern Europe in the late 1850s. He was the youngest of 15 children and the family lived in the borough of Stepney. He eventually shortened his name to Lou and married Reine, the youngest daughter of Flora Solomon, a music hall entertainer who eventually immigrated to South Africa and opened a theatrical boarding house in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. Reine and Laurie formed a comedy dance duo as [[Reina Selma]] and Lew James, first performing in England and then following Reine’s mother to South Africa. They worked in vaudeville at venues like the [[Orpheum Theatre]] and the [[Standard Theatre]], while Lew also performed as a stand-up comic. In 1911, Reine gave birth to her first son, Maurice, and on 8 May 1913 she and Lou became the parents of Solomon Joel Cohen, the future [[Sidney James]], in Newcastle.	+	(b. London, 29/03/1884 – d. //****). Music hall entertainer, actor. Lazarus (Laurie) Cohen was born in London of parents who arrived in England from Eastern Europe in the late 1850s. He was the youngest of 15 children and the family lived in the borough of Stepney. He eventually shortened his name to Lou and married Reine, the youngest daughter of Flora Solomon, a music hall entertainer who eventually immigrated to South Africa and opened a theatrical boarding house in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. Reine and Laurie formed a comedy dance duo as [[Reina Selma]] and Lew James, first performing in England and then following Reine’s mother to South Africa. They worked in vaudeville at venues like the [[Orpheum Theatre]] and the [[Standard Theatre]], while Lew also performed as a stand-up comic. In 1911, Reine gave birth to her first son, Maurice, and on 8 May 1913 she and Lou became the parents of Solomon Joel Cohen, the future [[Sidney James]], in Newcastle.

	Early in 1917 Lew James appeared on the stage at the [[Empire Palace of Varieties]] before his departure for Australia and was offered a farewell benefit concert at the [[Carlton Hotel]] on 7 February of that year. It was announced that [[J. Langley Levy]] would be in the chair, [[Dick Cruikshanks]] would be the stage manager and the MC's would include [[M.A. Wetherell]] and [[Norman H. Lee]]. Between 1917 and 1920 he and Reina performed on the Fuller circuit throughout Australia and New Zealand, with The Star in Canterbury describing them as “song and patter artists of great ability”. Back in South Africa Lew appeared in plays such as ''[[In the Soup]]'', ''[[The High Cost of Loving]]'' and ''[[Business Before Pleasure]]'' (all 1920) and also acted in the film ''[[The Madcap of the Veld]]'' ([[Joseph Albrecht]]/1920). There is a record of him having attended a meeting at the [[Carlton Hotel]] early in 1921 in order to organise an actors' union (others present were [[Allen Doone]], [[Cecil Kellaway]], [[Dick Cruikshanks]] and [[Vivien Talleur]]). However, by 1923 he and Reine were back in Australia, where they seem to have settled, though one source suggests that they were divorced circa 1925. In 1930 the Lew James International Radio Players could still be heard on the wireless. (FO)		Early in 1917 Lew James appeared on the stage at the [[Empire Palace of Varieties]] before his departure for Australia and was offered a farewell benefit concert at the [[Carlton Hotel]] on 7 February of that year. It was announced that [[J. Langley Levy]] would be in the chair, [[Dick Cruikshanks]] would be the stage manager and the MC's would include [[M.A. Wetherell]] and [[Norman H. Lee]]. Between 1917 and 1920 he and Reina performed on the Fuller circuit throughout Australia and New Zealand, with The Star in Canterbury describing them as “song and patter artists of great ability”. Back in South Africa Lew appeared in plays such as ''[[In the Soup]]'', ''[[The High Cost of Loving]]'' and ''[[Business Before Pleasure]]'' (all 1920) and also acted in the film ''[[The Madcap of the Veld]]'' ([[Joseph Albrecht]]/1920). There is a record of him having attended a meeting at the [[Carlton Hotel]] early in 1921 in order to organise an actors' union (others present were [[Allen Doone]], [[Cecil Kellaway]], [[Dick Cruikshanks]] and [[Vivien Talleur]]). However, by 1923 he and Reine were back in Australia, where they seem to have settled, though one source suggests that they were divorced circa 1925. In 1930 the Lew James International Radio Players could still be heard on the wireless. (FO)

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:20, 25 September 2016
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−	(b. London, //1884 – d. //****). Music hall entertainer, actor. Lazarus (Laurie) Cohen was born in London of parents who arrived in England from Eastern Europe in the late 1850s. He was the youngest of 15 children and the family lived in the borough of Stepney. He eventually shortened his name to Lou and married Reine, the youngest daughter of Flora Solomon, a music hall entertainer who eventually immigrated to South Africa and opened a theatrical boarding house in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. Reine and Laurie formed a comedy dance duo as [[Reina Selma]] and Lew James, first performing in England and then following Reine’s mother to South Africa. They worked in vaudeville ~~as Potash and Perlmutter, the characters created by Montague Glass,~~ at venues like the [[Orpheum Theatre]] and the [[Standard Theatre]], while Lew also performed as a stand-up comic. In 1911, Reine gave birth to her first son, Maurice, and on 8 May 1913 she and Lou became the parents of Solomon Joel Cohen, the future [[Sidney James]], in Newcastle.	+	(b. London, //1884 – d. //****). Music hall entertainer, actor. Lazarus (Laurie) Cohen was born in London of parents who arrived in England from Eastern Europe in the late 1850s. He was the youngest of 15 children and the family lived in the borough of Stepney. He eventually shortened his name to Lou and married Reine, the youngest daughter of Flora Solomon, a music hall entertainer who eventually immigrated to South Africa and opened a theatrical boarding house in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. Reine and Laurie formed a comedy dance duo as [[Reina Selma]] and Lew James, first performing in England and then following Reine’s mother to South Africa. They worked in vaudeville at venues like the [[Orpheum Theatre]] and the [[Standard Theatre]], while Lew also performed as a stand-up comic. In 1911, Reine gave birth to her first son, Maurice, and on 8 May 1913 she and Lou became the parents of Solomon Joel Cohen, the future [[Sidney James]], in Newcastle.

	Early in 1917 Lew James appeared on the stage at the [[Empire Palace of Varieties]] before his departure for Australia and was offered a farewell benefit concert at the [[Carlton Hotel]] on 7 February of that year. It was announced that [[J. Langley Levy]] would be in the chair, [[Dick Cruikshanks]] would be the stage manager and the MC's would include [[M.A. Wetherell]] and [[Norman H. Lee]]. Between 1917 and 1920 he and Reina performed on the Fuller circuit throughout Australia and New Zealand, with The Star in Canterbury describing them as “song and patter artists of great ability”. Back in South Africa Lew appeared in plays such as ''[[In the Soup]]'', ''[[The High Cost of Loving]]'' and ''[[Business Before Pleasure]]'' (all 1920) and also acted in the film ''[[The Madcap of the Veld]]'' ([[Joseph Albrecht]]/1920). There is a record of him having attended a meeting at the [[Carlton Hotel]] early in 1921 in order to organise an actors' union (others present were [[Allen Doone]], [[Cecil Kellaway]], [[Dick Cruikshanks]] and [[Vivien Talleur]]). However, by 1923 he and Reine were back in Australia, where they seem to have settled, though one source suggests that they were divorced circa 1925. In 1930 the Lew James International Radio Players could still be heard on the wireless. (FO)		Early in 1917 Lew James appeared on the stage at the [[Empire Palace of Varieties]] before his departure for Australia and was offered a farewell benefit concert at the [[Carlton Hotel]] on 7 February of that year. It was announced that [[J. Langley Levy]] would be in the chair, [[Dick Cruikshanks]] would be the stage manager and the MC's would include [[M.A. Wetherell]] and [[Norman H. Lee]]. Between 1917 and 1920 he and Reina performed on the Fuller circuit throughout Australia and New Zealand, with The Star in Canterbury describing them as “song and patter artists of great ability”. Back in South Africa Lew appeared in plays such as ''[[In the Soup]]'', ''[[The High Cost of Loving]]'' and ''[[Business Before Pleasure]]'' (all 1920) and also acted in the film ''[[The Madcap of the Veld]]'' ([[Joseph Albrecht]]/1920). There is a record of him having attended a meeting at the [[Carlton Hotel]] early in 1921 in order to organise an actors' union (others present were [[Allen Doone]], [[Cecil Kellaway]], [[Dick Cruikshanks]] and [[Vivien Talleur]]). However, by 1923 he and Reine were back in Australia, where they seem to have settled, though one source suggests that they were divorced circa 1925. In 1930 the Lew James International Radio Players could still be heard on the wireless. (FO)

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:15, 25 September 2016
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−	(b. London, //1884 – d. //****). Music hall entertainer, actor. Lazarus (Laurie) Cohen was born in London of parents who arrived in England from Eastern Europe in the late 1850s. He was the youngest of 15 children and the family lived in the borough of Stepney. He eventually shortened his name to Lou and married Reine, the youngest daughter of Flora Solomon, a music hall entertainer who eventually immigrated to South Africa and opened a theatrical boarding house in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. Reine and Laurie formed a comedy dance duo as [[Reina Selma]] and Lew James, first performing in England and then following Reine’s mother to South Africa. They worked in vaudeville as Potash and Perlmutter, the characters created by Montague Glass, at venues like the [[Orpheum]] and the [[Standard Theatre]], while Lew also performed as a stand-up comic. In 1911, Reine gave birth to her first son, Maurice, and on 8 May 1913 she and Lou became the parents of Solomon Joel Cohen, the future [[Sidney James]], in Newcastle.	+	(b. London, //1884 – d. //****). Music hall entertainer, actor. Lazarus (Laurie) Cohen was born in London of parents who arrived in England from Eastern Europe in the late 1850s. He was the youngest of 15 children and the family lived in the borough of Stepney. He eventually shortened his name to Lou and married Reine, the youngest daughter of Flora Solomon, a music hall entertainer who eventually immigrated to South Africa and opened a theatrical boarding house in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. Reine and Laurie formed a comedy dance duo as [[Reina Selma]] and Lew James, first performing in England and then following Reine’s mother to South Africa. They worked in vaudeville as Potash and Perlmutter, the characters created by Montague Glass, at venues like the [[Orpheum Theatre]] and the [[Standard Theatre]], while Lew also performed as a stand-up comic. In 1911, Reine gave birth to her first son, Maurice, and on 8 May 1913 she and Lou became the parents of Solomon Joel Cohen, the future [[Sidney James]], in Newcastle.

	Early in 1917 Lew James appeared on the stage at the [[Empire Palace of Varieties]] before his departure for Australia and was offered a farewell benefit concert at the [[Carlton Hotel]] on 7 February of that year. It was announced that [[J. Langley Levy]] would be in the chair, [[Dick Cruikshanks]] would be the stage manager and the MC's would include [[M.A. Wetherell]] and [[Norman H. Lee]]. Between 1917 and 1920 he and Reina performed on the Fuller circuit throughout Australia and New Zealand, with The Star in Canterbury describing them as “song and patter artists of great ability”. Back in South Africa Lew appeared in plays such as [[[[In the Soup]]]], ''[[The High Cost of Loving]]'' and ''[[Business Before Pleasure]]'' (all 1920) and also acted in the film ''[[The Madcap of the Veld]]'' ([[Joseph Albrecht]]/1920). There is a record of him having attended a meeting at the [[Carlton Hotel]] early in 1921 in order to organise an actors' union (others present were [[Allen Doone]], [[Cecil Kellaway]], [[Dick Cruikshanks]] and [[Vivien Talleur]]). However, by 1923 he and Reine were back in Australia, where they seem to have settled, though one source suggests that they were divorced circa 1925. In 1930 the Lew James International Radio Players could still be heard on the wireless. (FO)		Early in 1917 Lew James appeared on the stage at the [[Empire Palace of Varieties]] before his departure for Australia and was offered a farewell benefit concert at the [[Carlton Hotel]] on 7 February of that year. It was announced that [[J. Langley Levy]] would be in the chair, [[Dick Cruikshanks]] would be the stage manager and the MC's would include [[M.A. Wetherell]] and [[Norman H. Lee]]. Between 1917 and 1920 he and Reina performed on the Fuller circuit throughout Australia and New Zealand, with The Star in Canterbury describing them as “song and patter artists of great ability”. Back in South Africa Lew appeared in plays such as [[[[In the Soup]]]], ''[[The High Cost of Loving]]'' and ''[[Business Before Pleasure]]'' (all 1920) and also acted in the film ''[[The Madcap of the Veld]]'' ([[Joseph Albrecht]]/1920). There is a record of him having attended a meeting at the [[Carlton Hotel]] early in 1921 in order to organise an actors' union (others present were [[Allen Doone]], [[Cecil Kellaway]], [[Dick Cruikshanks]] and [[Vivien Talleur]]). However, by 1923 he and Reine were back in Australia, where they seem to have settled, though one source suggests that they were divorced circa 1925. In 1930 the Lew James International Radio Players could still be heard on the wireless. (FO)

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-(b. London, **/**/1878/ – d. **/**/****). Actor, comedian. Lew James (originally Laurie Cohen) was born in London of East European Jewish parents who arrived in England in the late 1850s.  He was the youngest of 15 children and the family lived in the London borough of Stepney.  He eventually shortened his name to Lou and married Reine, the daughter of Flora Solomon, a music hall entertainer who eventually immigrated to South Africa and opened a theatrical boarding house in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.  Reine and Laurie formed a comedy and dance duo, first performing in England and then following Reine’s mother to South Africa.  They worked in vaudeville as [[Potash and Perlmutter]], the characters  created by Montague Glass, at venues like the [[Orpheum]] and the [[Standard Theatre]], while Laurie, billled as Lew James, also performed as a stand-up comic.
+(b. London, **/**/1884 – d. **/**/****).  Music hall entertainer, actor. Lazarus (Laurie) Cohen was born in London of parents who arrived in England from Eastern Europe in the late 1850s.  He was the youngest of 15 children and the family lived in the borough of Stepney.  He eventually shortened his name to Lou and married Reine, the youngest daughter of Flora Solomon, a music hall entertainer who eventually immigrated to South Africa and opened a theatrical boarding house in Hillbrow, Johannesburg.  Reine and Laurie formed a comedy dance duo as [[Reina Selma]] and Lew James, first performing in England and then following Reine’s mother to South Africa.  They worked in vaudeville as Potash and Perlmutter, the characters created by Montague Glass, at venues like the [[Orpheum]] and the [[Standard Theatre]], while Lew also performed as a stand-up comic.  In 1911, Reine gave birth to her first son, Maurice, and on 8 May 1913 she and Lou became the parents of Solomon Joel Cohen, the future [[Sidney James]], in Newcastle.
-Early in 1917 he appeared on the stage at the [[Empire Palace of Varieties]] before his departure for Australia and New Zealand and was offered a farewell benefit concert at the Carlton Hotel on 7 February of that year.  It was announced that [[J. Langley Levy]] would be in the chair, [[Dick Cruikshanks]] would be the stage manager and the MC's would include [[M.A. Wetherell]] and [[Norman H. Lee]].  In 1920 he was back in South Africa to act in the film ''[[The Madcap of the Veld]]'' (1920), directed by [[Joseph Albrecht]] and there is a record of him having attended a meeting in 1921 at the Carlton in order to organise an actors' union, but he seems to have returned to Australia not long afterwards.  Incidentally, in 1913 he had become the father of Sidney Joel Cohen, the future [[Sidney James]].  (FO)
+Early in 1917 Lew James appeared on the stage at the [[Empire Palace of Varieties]] before his departure for Australia and was offered a farewell benefit concert at the [[Carlton Hotel]] on 7 February of that year.  It was announced that [[J. Langley Levy]] would be in the chair, [[Dick Cruikshanks]] would be the stage manager and the MC's would include [[M.A. Wetherell]] and [[Norman H. Lee]].  Between 1917 and 1920 he and Reina performed on the Fuller circuit throughout Australia and New Zealand, with The Star in Canterbury describing them as “song and patter artists of great ability”.  Back in South Africa Lew appeared in plays such as [[[[In the Soup]]]], ''[[The High Cost of Loving]]'' and ''[[Business Before Pleasure]]'' (all 1920) and also acted in the film ''[[The Madcap of the Veld]]'' ([[Joseph Albrecht]]/1920).  There is a record of him having attended a meeting at the [[Carlton Hotel]] early in 1921 in order to organise an actors' union (others present were [[Allen Doone]], [[Cecil Kellaway]], [[Dick Cruikshanks]] and [[Vivien Talleur]]).  However, by 1923 he and Reine were back in Australia, where they seem to have settled, though one source suggests that they were divorced circa 1925.  In 1930 the Lew James International Radio Players could still be heard on the wireless.  (FO)
 (Note: He should not be confused with his contemporary and near-namesake [[Lou James]] who also visited South Africa.)
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 Goodwin, Cliff - Sid James: a biography
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