Ella Retford (1886-1962)
Last updated: 17.03.25
According to the Internet source given below, Elinor Maud Dawe (née Flanagan) using the stage name Ella Retford, was an English music hall comedian, singer and dancer, and a stage and film actress born in Sunderland. Somewhere around 1900 she moved to London performing primarily as a dancer in music hall shows, initially as a dancer. By 1906, she was established as a performer in revues and pantomimes playing principal roles. From 1908 she began to make recordings some of her most successful songs includef All the Nice Girls Love a Sailor (1908 music: Maurice Scott; word: A.J. Mills) and Molly O'Morgan (1909 - music: Will Letters; words: Fred Godfrey).
She appeared in Royal Variety Performances in 1912, 1921 and 1938. In later years she also made film appearances as a character actress.
She died in London.
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Ella Retford | Biography by wikipedia.org. |
| Title (Release Year) | Composer | Performers | Issue |
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She's a Girl Up North (1910) | F. Godfrey | Ella Retford | Edison Amberol: 12072 |
This list is derived from information provided by Monologues.co.uk which went down sometime in 2023.
The loss of this valuable resource is very sad and a mystery.
The loss of this valuable resource is very sad and a mystery.
| Title | Attribution | Remarks |
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| Hannah, Please Open That Door | Kirk McGee (music) Sam McGee (words) Ella Retford (perf.) |
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| Have You Seen My Chinee-Man? | Bennett Scott (music) A J Mills (words) Ella Retford (perf.) |
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| I Want a Girl: Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad | Harry von Tilzer (music) Will Dillon (words) Ella Retford (perf.) |
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| I'd Like to Bring My Mother | Percy Greenbank (music) Paul A Rubens (words) Ella Retford (perf.) |
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| I'm Afraid to Come Home in the Dark | Egbert A. van Alstyne (music) Harry Williams (words) Ella Retford (perf.) Hetty King (perf.) |
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| Popsy Wopsy | Bennett Scott (music) A.J. Mills (words) Ella Retford (perf.) |
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| She's a Girl Up North | F.E. D'Albert (music) F. Godfrey (words) Ella Retford (perf.) |
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| She's a Lassie From Lancashire | C.W. Murphy (music) Dan Lipton (words) John Neath (words) Ella Retford (perf.) Florrie Forde (perf.) |
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| Ship Ahoy | Bennett Scott (music) A.J. Mills (words) Ella Retford (perf.) |
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| Smith, Jones, Robinson and Brown | Sam Mayo (music) John P. Harrington (words) Ella Retford (perf.) |
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| Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty | A.J. Mills (music) Fred Godfrey (words) Bennett Scott (words) Lily Morris (perf.) Ella Retford (perf.) |
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| ⇑There's a Girl in Havana | Irving Berlin (music) A. Baldwin Sloane (co-author) E. Ray Goetz (words) & A. Baldwin Sloane1 (words) Ella Retford (perf.) |
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| They're All Single by the Seaside | C.W. Murphy (music) Worton David (words) Ella Retford (perf.) |
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| You Made Me Love You | James V. Monaco (music) Joe McCarthy (words) Ella Retford (perf.) |
| Composer | Title | Performer |
|---|
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Mr Wright, You're Wrong (1908) (2:56) | Ella Retford | |
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W. Letters | Molly O' Morgan (1910) (2:25) | Ella Retford |
The peformer is featured on 21 sheet music/recording covers. It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located. Keys: (w&m)
ER
| Title | Composer | Attribution | Items |
|---|
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I'm Afraid to Come Home in the Dark (1907) | Egbert A. van Alstyne | Harry Williams (words)
Hetty King (perf.) Ella Retford (perf.) |
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There's a Girl in Havana (1911) | Irving Berlin | A. Baldwin Sloane (co-author) E. Ray Goetz (words) A. Baldwin Sloane (words) Ella Retford (perf.) |
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She's a Girl Up North (?) | F.E. D'Albert | F. Godfrey (words)
Ella Retford (perf.) |
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She's a Girl Up North (1909) | Fred Godfrey | Fred E d' Albert (words)
Ella Retford (perf.) |
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I'd Like to Bring My Mother (1915) | Percy Greenbank | Paul A Rubens (words)
Ella Retford (perf.) |
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Smith, Jones, Robinson and Brown (1920) | Sam Mayo | John P Harrington (words)
Ella Retford (perf.) |
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Hannah, Please Open That Door (1927) | Kirk McGee | Sam McGee (words)
Ella Retford (perf.) |
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We're Irish and Proud of It Too (1914) | Tom Mellor | Harry Gifford (words) Fred Godfrey (words) Ella Retford (perf.) |
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All the Boys in Khaki Get the Nice Girls (1915) | Tom Mellor | Harry Gifford (words)
Ella Retford (perf.) |
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Five Days Leave (1916) | Tom Mellor(w&m) | Ella Retford (perf.) |
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⇑Heigh-Ho! (1917) | Tom Mellor | Harry Gifford (words)
Ella Retford (perf.) |
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Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty (1916) | A.J. Mills | Fred Godfrey (co-author) Bennett Scott (co-author) Lily Morris (perf.) Ella Retford (perf.) |
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You Made Me Love You (1913) | James V. Monaco | Joseph McCarthy (co-author)
Ella Retford (perf.) |
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She's a Lassie From Lancashire (1907) | C.W. Murphy | Dan Lipton (words) John Neat (words) Florrie Forde (perf.) Ella Retford (perf.) |
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They're All Single by the Seaside (1911) | C.W. Murphy | Worton David (words)
Ella Retford (perf.) |
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Has Anyone Seen a German Band? (1907) | Bennett Scott | A.J. Mills (words)
Ella Retford (perf.) |
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Have You Seen My Chinee-Man? (1908) | Bennett Scott | A J Mills (words)
Ella Retford (perf.) |
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Popsy-Wopsy (1910) | Bennett Scott | A J Mills (words)
Ella Retford (perf.) |
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What Do You Say, Molly Molloy? (1910) | Bennett Scott | A J Mills (words)
Ella Retford (perf.) |
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Ship Ahoy (1920) | Bennett Scott | A J Mills (words)
Ella Retford (perf.) |
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I Want a Girl: Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad (1911) | Harry von Tilzer | William Dillon (words)
Ella Retford (perf.) |