The most expensive drag queen in the UK

The world is a far less glittery place, with the sad news that the legendary Stanley Baxter - one of the most popular entertainers in Britain over several decades - has shaken out that "Duchess of Brendah" wig for the very last time and ascended the glittering London Weekend Television stairway to Fabulon, at the magnificent age of 99.

Another piece of my childhood gone...

As the faboo Television Heaven site put it:

For 25 years Stanley Baxter produced the type of television spectacular that Morecambe and Wise could only afford to put on as part of their Christmas specials. Those legendary song and dance routines that Eric and Ernie performed in their shows may well be the stuff of television legend, but for Stanley Baxter, spectacular musical-comedy specials, reminiscent of Hollywood's best extravaganzas, were part of every series. And they were so flamboyant, and proved to be so costly, that Baxter was sacked not from just one, but two TV channels, who simply couldn't afford to keep him...

He was one of the true creative geniuses in British television light entertainment, and as far as comedy goes... Stanley Baxter was the true King of Scotland.

With his background in variety theatre, the Combined Entertainment Unit of the army in the post-War National Service years (alongside Kenneth Williams, John Schlesinger, Gordon Jackson and Peter Nichols) and - of course - panto, he was almost destined for a career in the fledging world of television (starting out in the 1950s), where his comedic talents and in particular his talent for mimicry (and drag) became a staple of Britain's "light entertainment" genre.

Very much a product of his time - his ITV "spectaculars" won the BAFTA Best Light Entertainment Programme Award two years running in 1973 and 1974 - much of Mr Baxter's fondly remembered output would nowadays be considered extremely non-PC, so repeats (were there ever to be any anyway) would needless to say be heavily edited [deep sigh]; hence the reason why he is largely forgotten. However, by way of a tribute to the great man [who, incidentally, only decided to finally "come out" as gay at the age of 94(!)], here are just three of Stanley's memorable sketches...

Stanley Baxter - Towering Quake '75

Stanley Baxter - The Fast Food Follies

Stanley Baxter - The Duchess of Brendagh

Irreplaceable!

RIP, Stanley Livingstone Baxter (24th May 1926 – 11th December 2025)

Vilja, O Vilja

Yesterday marked the 110th anniversary of the birth of Dame Elisabeth Schwarzopf, German-born British lyric soprano and a much-lauded performer throughout the 20th century.

There was much speculation during her lifetime about her alleged involvement in the Nazi party during her early career in WWII - rumours that were well-and-truly discounted by the eminent art and music historian Charles Scribner III in the New Criterion - but there was nothing that discredited her long and successful career. She performed with the Vienna State Opera, at London's Royal Opera House, La Scala Milan, New York Metropolitan Opera and just about every major opera venue across the world.

She was marvellous, and here are just a few examples of her talent:

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf - An die Musik [Schubert]

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf - Vilja [Lehar, The Merry Widow]

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf - Final Encore in Amsterdam Recital - Seligkeit [Schubert]

Dame Olga Maria Elisabeth Friederike Schwarzkopf, DBE (9th December 1915 – 3rd August 2006)

Fuck normality!

“[She] was an eccentric, dominant London character. In the early 1980s, alongside the likes of BodyMap, Pam reinvented lycra catsuits and disco fashion. In more recent times, she lit up London with her fantastic fashion shows at Freemasons Hall. A prominent figure across the arts, fashion and British music scenes. The fashion world won’t quite be as vivid or rebellious now Pam is no longer with us. She will be greatly missed.” - Zandra Rhodes

RIP Pam Hogg, Blitz club regular, ecccentric, audacious and pioneering fashion designer, a fave of the likes of Debbie Harry, Siouxsie Sioux, Rihanna, Lily Allen, Björk and Kylie Minogue [who wore a catsuit by Pam in her 2 Hearts video], who has left the deafening applause at the end of the catwalk one last time and departed for Fabulon.

“I’m just glad not to be termed normal. Fuck normality!” - Pam Hogg

All hail .

This weekend, I am mostly dressing casual...

...just like the eternally eccentric Björk, whose - gulp - 60th birthday it is today!

From Dazed magazine:

“Over the years I’ve been asked a lot of questions about what makes Icelandic people so special. I used to talk a lot about things like elves and isolation, but as I get older I think, especially with what’s going on in the world today, I think perhaps what really makes us stand out is the lack of religion. Give me a few bottles of red wine and I could probably go into that one all night. It’s just amazing talking to friends, especially from the States, who will tell you that half of their teachers at school were religious fanatics. I never had any religion imposed on me, I went to church maybe twice as a child.

“I find that when a lot of foreign people go through problems, like messy divorces, they suddenly start going to church more. In Iceland you wouldn’t do that, you’d start going in to nature more. The difference is as you grow up you don’t expect anyone else to sort out your problems – a priest or a president or a god or any kind of authority to surrender to or seek punishment or guilt from. If you are in trouble, you have to sort it out yourself. There are plenty of things we’re not good at, though. We’re hopeless at teamwork because everybody is so independent.”

By way of a tribute, an old, old favourite...

Björk - It's Oh So Quiet

Many happy returns, Björk Guðmundsdóttir (born 21st November 1965)!

Quando Quando Quando

We at Dolores Delargo Towers are very sad to hear the news that house favourites, the kitschiest-of-the-kitsch cabaret artistes, The Kessler Twins have taken their last perfectly-synchronised shimmy up the glittering stairway to Fabulon, aged 89.

They simply oozed camp - as these examples prove!

Kessler Twins - Mas Que Nada/The Look Of Love

Kessler Twins - Put Your Arms Around Me Honey/The Band Played On

Alice & Ellen Kessler - Pollo e Champagne

Madame Arcati and I have practised all their routines, of course, but we still can't quite get the timing right...

...by way of a finale, here's the routine that kicked off our obsession with them!

Kessler Twins - Quando Quando Quando [HD]

RIP, girls. This truly is the end of an era...

Valentine no more

Sad news. Another of the UK's most popular actresses, Miss Pauline Collins has departed for the bright lights of Fabulon.

In a career spanning seven decades, her roles encompassed realist drama, situation comedy, costume drama, children's programmes, sci-fi and a variety of "homespun" character parts on telly and on the big screen - everything from Z-Cars to Upstairs, Downstairs to Tales of the Unexpected to The Ambassador to Quartet to The Time of Their Lives (with Joan Collins).

Of course, it is for one marvellous performance that she is forever immortalised, however - Shirley Valentine (for which she was nominated for an Oscar)!

Shirley Valentine - Trailer

"That's right, Millandra, I'm going to Greece for the sex! Sex for breakfast! Sex for dinner! Sex for tea! And sex for supper!"
"Sounds like a fantastic diet, love!"
"It is, have you never heard of it? It's called the "F" plan!"

A superb film. A superb actress. We'll miss her terribly.

Facts about Pauline Collins:

• Despite her Scouse accent, Pauline was actually born in Exmouth in Devon; her family moved to Liverpool when she was a child.
• After an early part in Doctor Who, in 1967 she was offered to become the Second Doctor's next companion but turned the part down.
• She was "Dawn" in the first five episodes of the classic 70s BBC sitcom The Liver Birds, before Nerys Hughes debuted in the show as "Sandra".
• She and real-life husband John Alderton not only acted together as "Thomas and Sarah" in Upstairs, Downstairs and its eponymous spin-off, they were often cast as a couple - in Yes, Honestly, Wodehouse Playhouse, Forever Green and Mrs Caldicot's Cabbage War, as well as on stage.

RIP, Pauline Collins OBE (3rd September 1940 - )

Oh, I know...

Basil Fawlty: "Do you remember when we were first manacled together? We used to laugh quite a lot."

Sybil Fawlty: "Yes, but not at the same time, Basil."

'The fête itself, dear one,' said Elizabeth, 'is what I must speak about. I cannot possibly permit it to take place in my garden. The rag-tag and bob-tail of Tilling passing through my hall and my sweet little sitting-room and spending the afternoon in my garden! All my carpets soiled and my flower-beds trampled on! And how do I know that they will not steal upstairs and filch what they can find?'

'As long as I am tenant here,' said Lucia, 'I shall ask here whom I please, and when I please, and--and how I please. Or do you wish me to send you a list of the friends I ask to dinner for your sanction?'

RIP, Prunella Scales (22nd June 1932 - 27th October 2025). One of Britain's most wonderful and beloved actresses. We adored her.