Billy Merson Singing 'Desdemona' (1927)

Billy Merson, the great Nottingham-born music hall performer, here presents one of his signature numbers while looking not unlike Frankie Howerd in 'Up Pompeii'. Shakespearean scholars may be disappointed to discover that his little ditty about Desdemona (sounding like an illness and rhyming with 'pneumonia') has nothing to do with the wife of the Moor of Venice whatsoever. On the upside, the film clearly captures Merson's comic brilliance - he not only sings, but dances, skips and indulges in a lot of creative business with a lyre.
Merson had been making films since 1915 and, eager to ensure that his patter could be shared with cinema audiences, was among the first to experiment with the new sound technology. Indeed, 'Desdemona' is often cited as Britain's first sound film. (Robin Baker)
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[@stevebrazilio]

Billy Merson was my great great grandfather. I too love singing and comedy!

[@honeychurchgipsy6]

@stevebrazilio - you may be interested to know that he was the inspiration for the character Freddie Pipson in the 1931 novel The Brontës Went to Woolworth's by Rachel Ferguson. Ferguson interviewed Merson whilst working for the Chronicle newspaper and describes him as a charming man, in her memoirs.

[@bbcisrubbish]

Desdemonia? This is really good.

[@ruthd7274]

Talented chap...

[@ColtDee]

Great little Jem

[@david552]

3.40-3.45 is that the Ricky Gervais crab dance?

[@rbbonotto]

The face reminds me a bit of Joe E. Brown, the American vaudevillian.

[@laerad]

Puts Justin Timberlake in the shade.

[@janletterio]

In times of swine flu I thought of this...

[@nathanielbagshot]

Who was Stephen Donaghue?

[@postscript67]

Champion Jockey, I think.

[@zthetha]

Ah - the good old days - this early transvestite was a prototype Boy George I guess. There is something strangely compelling about his act which in pre TV days he could repeat in the music halls around Britain for years and hone it to perfection. Could have done with a new set of strings though.

[@ZINZIN77]

Look in historical context 1927, not to be judged by a post millennium audience

[@egapnala65]

Indeed, Merson took out a lawsuit and lost on a technicality. He died in virtual poverty, it seems, as a result.

[@david552]

And they wonder why music hall died...