A home movie produced by Stanley Smith, one member of the famous vocal group ‘The Five Smith Brothers’, that features his four brothers Alfred, Harold, Martin and Royston all of whom perform on stage initially at the Glasgow Empire Theatre and later at the London Palladium where they are performed as part of 1950 Royal Variety Performance. Often filming from the wings Stanley captures performances of some of the biggest names in music hall and vaudeville including Wilson, Keppel and Betty,...

A home movie produced by Stanley Smith, one member of the famous vocal group ‘The Five Smith Brothers’, that features his four brothers Alfred, Harold, Martin and Royston all of whom perform on stage initially at the Glasgow Empire Theatre and later at the London Palladium where they are performed as part of 1950 Royal Variety Performance. Often filming from the wings Stanley captures performances of some of the biggest names in music hall and vaudeville including Wilson, Keppel and Betty, Flanagan and Allen, Tommy Trinder alongside possibly Gracie Fields as well as up-and-coming stars such a Frankie Howerd and Max Bygraves. The film also captures more personal moments including a visit to Stanley’s wife Molly’s parents at Saltcoats in Ayrshire to introduce them to their granddaughter Linda who features as a baby. From the wings of a stage a man in topcoat and tails approaches a microphone. A second man in a military uniform changes to the popular British music hall and vaudeville act of Wilson, Keppel and Betty dressed in Egyptian costumes performing several dance routines. The act ends with either Wilson or Keppel swallowing a sword and them all taking a bow. A man putting on makeup in a dressing room changes to a poster on the wall outside the Glasgow Empire Theatre listing various act including The Five Smith Brothers and Wilson, Keppel and Betty. Two men stand outside the stage door of the theatre, a third man crosses the road approaching the camera. In an officer a man with a 9.5mm camera films the cameraperson changing to a couple enjoying afternoon tea with cakes. Behind the stage of a theatre a man with dwarfism shakes hands with one of the Smith Brothers. The two of them, along with a third man, play-act for the camera with the other man pretending to saw off the head of the dwarf. The four remaining Smith Brothers stand beside a ladder, one of them lifts the man with dwarfism onto the ladder so he can pretend to light two cigarettes in the mouths of two of the brothers. They shake hands and begin to sing. From the wings again a man performs on stage beside a wagon wheel changes to a woman wearing an elegant gown coming forward towards a microphone. In their dressing room Stanley Smith films himself in a mirror, nearby one of his brothers brushes his hair and puts on makeup. Back on stage the woman continues to sing. [Out of focus] In the corridor outside their dressing rooms a woman stands holding dolls or ventriloquist dummies, a man in a vest comes over and she points. Either Jack Wilson or Joe Keppel appears, one posing for the camera with a cigarette hanging from his lips and holding two sticks. In a dressing room either Wilson or Keppel stares into the camera followed by the other four members of the Smith Brothers getting ready for a performance. At the end English character actor Bernard Miles with a blacked-up face. In a small kitchen Molly Smith’s mother warms a teapot before adding tea leaves and hot water to make a pot of tea and carries it into the living room. [Out of focus] She chats with Molly who rings a small bell inside a budgerigar cage. Outside Molly’s father comes down a set of steps smiling and waves at the camera. [Dark] Back inside Molly’s mother is arranging some flowers on a cabinet before coming over and kisses Stanley Smith on the lips. Stan, Molly and her mother stand around chatting. Molly and Stan dote over their new-born daughter Linda. Stan is replaced by two older women including Molly’s mother. Stan and one of his brothers join the group looking down on the baby. Molly chats with the brothers as he prepares to leave, he pulls faces at Linda who begins to cry. On stage at the London Palladium as part of 1950 Royal Variety Performance Flanagan and Allen perform a dance routine together accompanied by band seated behind them. A compare in dinner-jacket appears and is quickly replaced by a group of male singers and one woman performing to the crowd. From the wings comedian Frankie Howerd performing on stage. [Partly out of focus] From the back of the theatre auditorium the stage curtains open and The Five Smith Brothers, all in kilts, come forward to perform a song and dance routine accompanied by the theatre orchestra in the pits. Their performance ends and they leave via a revolving stage. In their dressing room the Smith brother’s laugh and play about happily pleased with their performance. Four visitors stand at the back of the room, one of them waves. From the wings two young women in matching outfits perform a tap-dance routine on stage. This is followed by Tommy Trinder performing a comedy routine, possibly alongside Gracie Fields who at one points in their performance pulls a rope off stage dropping something onto Tommy’s head. Tommy rushes off stage as a blast of air causes Gracie’s dress to blown up. Stanley Smith filming himself in a mirror quickly changes two other men performing on stage. Their faces are hidden by a musical contraption set up beside them, a sign next to it reads ‘Frying Tonight’. Two other male acts perform on stage followed by a troupe of three female acrobats spinning on highwires over the stage. A young woman smiles at the camera, one of the Smith brothers stands beside her kissing her cheek. [Out of focus] From the wings again a couple in period costumes perform on stage, the man rides a unicycle. Next, a man in top hat and cane steps forward to address the audience. From the auditorium all the acts, including The Five Smith Brothers, appears together on stage. They all bow to the audience before turning and bowing towards the Royal box above them. Three performers on stage again quickly changing to Max Bygraves singing where the film ends.