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Jim first met and worked with Ralph in the RAF during the War.As a Scout Master in Scotland Jim started his run of remarkable Gang Shows.Moving to Derby in the 1960's his first Derby Gang Show 'Meet The Gang' in 1966 is Jims Masterpiece.The Show containing pieces written by Ralph mixed with a selection of Jims own pieces demonstrates jims Genius both for writing in the Gang Show idiom and for Producing.The Derby Press contained a reveiw of the Cub Scout item 'Treasure Island' which said "...a few little boys with particularly angelic looking faces,dressed up as "Fairies".It was amusing to hear the somewhat deep voices emitting from these "pretty little girls".Jims Gang Shows were always Boy Scout.The Show contained other pieces written by Jim including Jims 'Babies' Song 'You Mustn't Do That' and 'The Producers Nightmare' where Jim appeared as Himself.Smart,well written and Very Funny;the Boy Scouts taking part make Jims words their own.The First Half ends with Ralphs 'When a Band Starts to Play' when the Boy Scouts are joined by no less than three Bands,one being a 'Pipe Band'.the Second Half contains Jims 'Alladin and His Wonderful Dixie' full of witty writing and smart jokes with the "Fairy Trixie" being another of Jims Comic Creations that gave such a great chance for a Boy Scouts to play Gang Show "girls".Other pieces by Jim which gave Boy Scouts great scope for funny and silly "girls" were 'Civic Occasion' where a "Girl Guide" is reluctant to present a floral tribute and 'Presenting the Prizes' a School Prize Giving where a "School Girl" breaks the Schools Athletic Record by the inclusion of a Wasp in "Her Gym Knickers".The 1984 Birmingham Gang Show 021 contains Jims Hit Song 'Fella with the Lucky Star'.Jims piece 'Dancing Round the Toadstool is still performed as it provides such scope for Gang Show business such as "Brownie" changing "her" wet knickers on Stage and some "Mummies" arriving to take their young 'boy scouts' home still in their "Brownie" Uniforms before their 'Daddies' arrive "And you know what ya Dad can do with gym slipper.....!! ".Jim is certainly a Gang Show and a Scouting Great.Dr.Stu
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