Thirty years doing the same type of act! My Grandfather was involved, a close friend of Joe Keppel (both comng from Cork in Ireland),and almost joined the act itself. They mainly did an act" Cleopatra's Nightmare" a collection of crazy dance routines, not just the Sand Dance. Both were trained acrobats and dancers, and perfectionists. They wore heavy makeup to make them look alike, don't ask me who was who! Stephen
Am researching the timelessness of these kinds of acts for a school project which i picked the subject for. I'd heard of Wilson Keppel and Betty, naturally, and i'm ashamed to say that until now i've never actually seen what they did. But now i do! And its brilliant! I've watched it several times, first few times i laughed and now i smile at its pure hypnotic powers! This is entertainment! x
This has got to be onr of the most iconic variety acts of all time. When you think of how many jugglers, ttrick cyclists, trapeze artistes and other novelty acts of all kinds struggled to make a living somewhere down the bill in weekly variety, this supporting acts rise to fame is quite incredible.. Even today, they are being imitated for a "Go Compare" commercial on television.
Saw this group when I was about 8 - 10 years old in Brighton they had me in stitches, I still get a good laugh60 years later. Thanks for posting it, wonderful, a good reminder of the old musical acts.
Reminds me of the Hollywood movies where the native dances in exotic lands looked more like a Broadway show than anything an Egyptian or Arabian would dream of. That is the fun of this skit. It's like two vaudevillians were asked the last second to come up with an Egyptian dance.
Yes, they did do the sound with sand. I knew a guy called Bobby Rich who was in Pantomime with them. They had a tray made, which is what they danced on. They were very particular about the sand, and would sweep it up with great care at the end of each show, and treat it like gold dust.
Yes, it depends on the size of the grains. Very small grains might allow you to slide along the floor a little more easily, but don't make much noise. Grains that are too large will make a sound but will ruin your shoes & can make a start-and-stop motion more likely. So saving the perfect sand makes sense, although scientific supply houses, even those of the day, would've been able to provide sand of a known particle size - which they might not have known. They only knew their sand did the job!
I'm so happy to rediscover this clip on youtube. Keppel & Wilson y were current when I was a kid. The act is very appealing - simple - but clever; good to re-visit and to be entertained.
This is a Pathe news film of a 1933 performance at the Trocadero restaurant in London. This is part of the routine called 'Cleopatra's Nightmare', and was originally performed to "Egyptian Ballet" (1875), by Alexandre Luigini. The dance was performed on a layer of sand on the stage, being a type of dance known as a 'soft shoe shuffle'. The pair used to sack Betty about every ten years and employ a new younger one.
They did indeed take their own sand with them because it was a particular type of grit. On one occasion they arrived in the USA only to find that their supply of sand had gone missing in transit. But,the story goes that such was their esteem that a supply was flown out to them courtesy of an RAF flight. lmagine...Wilson Kepple and Betty and no sand!...lt must have caused quite a stir back at the Ministry of Defence. One has to get ones priorities right in matters of national importance!
Isn't it a wonderful tribute to this incredible act that, all these years later, it is now being imitated by "Go Compare.com"" in there advertising on televisioni
Haha, my grandma used to do her version of this all the time at home, unfortunately now she can't walk but she still reminds us she did a mean sand dance :P
Joe Keppel took care of the sand. Best coarse-grained Bedfordshire sand it was, which they carried round with them in sackloads to be sprinkled on stage before the sand dance. According variety journalist Bert Ross: ‘he searched all over England for the right textured sand. In time he became a sand expert and knew more about this commodity than a desert Sheik. He even took some of his favourite English sand back to Las Vegas when the trio fulfilled an engagement in the gambling city’.
Band times to their feet. Long before the concept of backing tracks etc. The sand they lay down gives the volume needed. I doubt they had "choreographers", and it would be a different band every week, or even day on a fast tour. On filmed clips, I assume the microphone is suspended above them, giving that balance of sound. Live sound engineer myself. Sounds absolutely genuine.
I also remembering seeing those buskers in Leicester Square They would lay down a board and put some sand down and away they would go. I would add they were very good and ever some forty years later I can say I did put money in the hat.
"Does anyone know if they actually did make the "sand" noise with their feet, or was this replicated by someone in the orchestra pit? Great question, and well observed.I wish many more people could think like this! This also being the very first thing I started to question I'd be certain to say that these percussive sounds were created by musicians in the percussion section. Perhaps the rehearsals may well have involved the dancers and musicians respectively, or at least the choreographers?
It would be the band timing themselves to W K & B's feet. You can see them putting down sand at the start. To do it the other way round would be far more difficult, and need rehearsing every show.
No, while the live audience would have heard the sand, the recording would not have picked it up unless they had microphones attached to their feet. Even today, most sound effects on film are added in post production by so-called "Foley artists" (Google it). The sand sound would have been added along with the music track, which would have been recorded later in the studio.
The only thing I have to add to the comments below is that, with every Windows computer I have owned, one of the first things I do is change the player name on the 'Hearts' game to W, K an' B.
Love watching these do the sand dance, really makes me smile!
How could anyone dislike this? it's superb!
I have been laughing for half an hour at those skinny legs....
My dad, who is 83, saw them. Just showed him this and it has really made his day! Thanks.
Thirty years doing the same type of act! My Grandfather was involved, a close friend of Joe Keppel (both comng from Cork in Ireland),and almost joined the act itself. They mainly did an act" Cleopatra's Nightmare" a collection of crazy dance routines, not just the Sand Dance. Both were trained acrobats and dancers, and perfectionists. They wore heavy makeup to make them look alike, don't ask me who was who!
Stephen
Am researching the timelessness of these kinds of acts for a school project which i picked the subject for. I'd heard of Wilson Keppel and Betty, naturally, and i'm ashamed to say that until now i've never actually seen what they did. But now i do! And its brilliant! I've watched it several times, first few times i laughed and now i smile at its pure hypnotic powers! This is entertainment! x
This has got to be onr of the most iconic variety acts of all time. When you think of how many jugglers, ttrick cyclists, trapeze artistes and other novelty acts of all kinds struggled to make a living somewhere down the bill in weekly variety, this supporting acts rise to fame is quite incredible.. Even today, they are being imitated for a "Go Compare" commercial on television.
Saw this group when I was about 8 - 10 years old in Brighton they had me in stitches, I still get a good laugh60 years later. Thanks for posting it, wonderful, a good reminder of the old musical acts.
When you've got an act that is still great 80 years later...
absolutely brilliant-Fresh and entertaining even today. A real piece of theatrical magic!
My 1st time see this was as a kid in the 70s ! Born 1968, from northern Ireland UK
Reminds me of the Hollywood movies where the native dances in exotic lands looked more like a Broadway show than anything an Egyptian or Arabian would dream of. That is the fun of this skit. It's like two vaudevillians were asked the last second to come up with an Egyptian dance.
I grew up watching this kind of thing. It still looks good even now
Yes, they did do the sound with sand. I knew a guy called Bobby Rich who was in Pantomime with them. They had a tray made, which is what they danced on. They were very particular about the sand, and would sweep it up with great care at the end of each show, and treat it like gold dust.
Graham Harding What a wonderful and interesting reply, thank you sir
Yes, it depends on the size of the grains. Very small grains might allow you to slide along the floor a little more easily, but don't make much noise. Grains that are too large will make a sound but will ruin your shoes & can make a start-and-stop motion more likely. So saving the perfect sand makes sense, although scientific supply houses, even those of the day, would've been able to provide sand of a known particle size - which they might not have known. They only knew their sand did the job!
I'm so happy to rediscover this clip on youtube. Keppel & Wilson y were current when I was a kid. The act is very appealing - simple - but clever; good to re-visit and to be entertained.
A much simpler time but much harder times were on the horizon sadly.
will always be brilliant every time you watch this
bernie
I genuinely cannot stop laughing everytime I see this :D brilliant choreography!
Saw them at the Chiswick Empire many moons ago when the aunt and uncle were on the same bill in the old days of variety. Simple pleasures.
Fantastic brings back memorys of when entertainment was great.
Thanks Stephen.
think , my late gran would know this,,!!! RIP , gran,,!!! but i know, as a kid ,, int the 70s,, , born,1968,, seen on tv, 70s,, !
The timing between these 2 artist is excellent
@@anthonytindle5758 true,,!
wonderful, evergreen entertainment!
Fantastic...….........love the music...….xx
This is a Pathe news film of a 1933 performance at the Trocadero restaurant in London. This is part of the routine called 'Cleopatra's Nightmare', and was originally performed to "Egyptian Ballet" (1875), by Alexandre Luigini.
The dance was performed on a layer of sand on the stage, being a type of dance known as a 'soft shoe shuffle'.
The pair used to sack Betty about every ten years and employ a new younger one.
They did indeed take their own sand with them because it was a particular type of grit. On one occasion they arrived in the USA only to find that their supply of sand had gone missing in transit. But,the story goes that such was their esteem that a supply was flown out to them courtesy of an RAF flight. lmagine...Wilson Kepple and Betty and no sand!...lt must have caused quite a stir back at the Ministry of Defence. One has to get ones priorities right in matters of national importance!
this is entertainment brilliant what's not to like about this and from a different era....but it still makes you laugh
Isn't it a wonderful tribute to this incredible act that, all these years later, it is now being imitated by "Go Compare.com"" in there advertising on televisioni
Some buskers used to do this in Leicester Square, I saw 'em once while queueing to see The Graduate in about 1968!
I have watched this clip huindreds of time and I still find "Betty's" legs amazing. She was a fine filly!!.
Haha, my grandma used to do her version of this all the time at home, unfortunately now she can't walk but she still reminds us she did a mean sand dance :P
i loved it they're my idols x
They are so amazing - I want to do a routine like that some day :)
Brilliant. Yes, Betty's legs were the best in thebusiness.
Great stuff!
I'm trying to imagine a society that finds this anything but BIZARRE!
Joe Keppel took care of the sand. Best coarse-grained Bedfordshire sand it was, which they carried round with them in sackloads to be sprinkled on stage before the sand dance. According variety journalist Bert Ross: ‘he searched all over England for the right textured sand. In time he became a sand expert and knew more about this commodity than a desert Sheik. He even took
some of his favourite English sand back to Las Vegas when the trio fulfilled an engagement in the gambling city’.
Saw `then in the Alhambra Theatre in Glasgow. They appeared as a novelty act in a pantomime starring Will Fyfe. Yes I am that old!
They did.! My Grandad told me he actually saw them do it.
love it
Thx QI!)
Band times to their feet. Long before the concept of backing tracks etc. The sand they lay down gives the volume needed. I doubt they had "choreographers", and it would be a different band every week, or even day on a fast tour. On filmed clips, I assume the microphone is suspended above them, giving that balance of sound. Live sound engineer myself. Sounds absolutely genuine.
over the years there were a few " Bettys " !
@TonyMarcovecchio- the Leicester Square buskers were Ronnie Ross and the Road Stars
I also remembering seeing those buskers in Leicester Square
They would lay down a board and put some sand down and away they would go.
I would add they were very good and ever some forty years later I can say I did put money in the hat.
Que maravilha!
Ray Bloody Purchase
AGAIN! AGAIN! AGAIN! so god damn epic and funny and cool and awesome and epic... ^^
Where Steve Martin learned his moves.
Play this over The Shapeshifters 'Lola's Theme' it works a treat
"Does anyone know if they actually did make the "sand" noise with their feet, or was this replicated by someone in the orchestra pit?
Great question, and well observed.I wish many more people could think like this!
This also being the very first thing I started to question I'd be certain to say that these percussive sounds were created by musicians in the percussion section.
Perhaps the rehearsals may well have involved the dancers and musicians respectively, or at least the choreographers?
No - 3. Each new one the daughter of the previous one.
Do anybody know the name of the band playing or the name of the song?
It would be the band timing themselves to W K & B's feet. You can see them putting down sand at the start. To do it the other way round would be far more difficult, and need rehearsing every show.
Wilson and Keppel used about 16 different Bettys during the course of their theatrical career,
The Chuckle Brothers Started Early then.....
Ballet Egyptien by Alexandre Luigini
Did not know Frank Zappa was Egyptian and a sand dancer... :)))
taking their own sand makes them pros lol
No, while the live audience would have heard the sand, the recording would not have picked it up unless they had microphones attached to their feet. Even today, most sound effects on film are added in post production by so-called "Foley artists" (Google it). The sand sound would have been added along with the music track, which would have been recorded later in the studio.
I’m scared...don’t ask me why
Mesmerizingly odd!
Is this eccentric dancing?
@incongra
Yes, Wilson and Keppel on the other hand look like pipe cleaners with a moustache on top.
the sound was the actual sand ,miked up ...
Grandma likes weird things
The only thing I have to add to the comments below is that, with every Windows computer I have owned, one of the first things I do is change the player name on the 'Hearts' game to W, K an' B.
wth is this? r they barefoot?
jajajajajajaja..... q es esto?????
anybody else here cause of a random search using lyrics from a song?
Wonderful - from the days when we were allowed to laugh at ANYTHING - before political correctness came along . . .