The poodles pampered like the showgirls before 1952 West End show
Raising the WOOF! The poodles pampered just as much as the showgirls before the curtain lifted on 1952 Paris To Piccadilly show in London’s West End
- Canine stars of productions at the Prince of Wales theatre in the 1950s were groomed before going on stage
- The backstage pampering process involved hours of washing, clipping and combing the poodles’ fur coats
- The theatre put on many French productions such as Paris To Picadilly and Pardon My French
- Do you remember watching the glamorous dogs under the spotlight in the 1950s? Email [email protected]
A striking set of retro photographs offers an exclusive behind-the-scenes snapshot of performing poodles getting groomed before wowing the crowds of their theatre show.
The pampered pooches are pictured hopping in the back of a London taxi, taking a bath, having a blow-dry and even posing with a group of adoring showgirls including cabaret star, Mini Gerard.
In 1952, these diva dogs were the stars of the Prince of Wales Theatre in Coventry Street, London, where they even had their own dressing room to get glammed up before strutting out and on to the stage.
The theatre first opened its doors in 1884 and was rebuilt in 1937 where Gracie Fields sang to the workmen as she laid the foundation stone of the new Art Deco-decorated building, designed by Robert Cromie.
The new theatre’s seating capacity was about 1,100, and it had a larger stage and improved facilities for both the artists, public and pooches, including a large, stylish stalls bar complete with dance floor.
Productions of Paris To Piccadilly, Pardon My French, Paris By Night and Plaisirs De Paris were the long-running shows at the Prince of Wales Theatre in the 1950s, which would have starred these classy canines.
The stage manager at the Prince of Wales Theatre on Coventry Street, London, calls the dogs outside the poodle dressing room before a production in September 1952. At the time, the theatre would usually show French musicals such as Paris To Picadilly
Two poodles, fresh from a pampering, emerge from their backstage area where a team of handlers and groomers prepare them for the show
Pampered and scantily clad showgirls dote on their equally pampered poodles in a backstage room at the Prince of Wales theatre. The dogs are seen with bows tied on to their fur to add an extra touch of glamour to the typically French musicals they starred in
A group of the pooches pose with Parisian cabaret star Mini Gerard who cradles one of the dogs under her arm. In the 1950s, the long-running productions were Paris to Piccadilly, Pardon My French, Paris by Night and Plaisirs de Paris
A sopping wet poodle is lifted out of the bath where it was washed. This is the first stage of the long pampering process which could take several hours
The pre-stage preparation involves making sure each poodle’s fur is perfect. A team of white-coated professional groomers would cut, comb, wash and blow-dry the dogs before the show
Unlike most dogs, poodles only have a single layer of fur which is dense and curly. When the dog sheds its coat, instead of falling off it becomes tangled which can lead to matting if not cared for properly. It is not uncommon for poodles to be brushed for hours before a show, such as the ones at the Prince of Wales Theatre in the 1950s
Armed with clippers, scissors and brushes, the poodle’s team of groomers set to work on making their dogs ready for the spotlight. But while most of the pooches sit patiently for their fur to be treated, one restless dog leaps high into the air
It takes two: A couple of the grooming team set to work on one of the poodles. A man holds the dog’s head still while a woman dries its fur which is still wet from being washed
One of the backstage team shears off a chunk of the poodle’s fur by its tail as the dog stands patiently on a table cluttered with brushes, clippers and other beauty tools
Another pooch rests on a woman’s lap as she delicately runs her brush through the patch of fur on top of its damp head. The work which went in to ensuring the dogs looked their best led the Prince of Wales to be lauded for its spectacular French revues
The finished product: An arduous process with many stages ends with the glamorous dogs lining up for a group picture. The animals were used to recreate Parisian lavishness and style as their immaculate appearance would compliment the glitzy showgirls
Game face: And a single poodle strikes a dramatic pose, sitting bolt upright with its head cocked up as it prepares to take to the stage and perform in front of over a thousand people
Two handlers grasping a bunch of leads take the seven poodles into an iconic London black cab which will drive the dogs from the Prince Wales Theatre back to their kennels
When the canines have bundled into the back of the now-crowded taxi, the driver whisks them and their handlers away
While most of the dogs walk across the road, one smaller poodle hitches a ride by perching on his handler’s shoulder
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