I love Hylda more than you doooo!

Just to let you know that i love Hylda, she made me laugh when i was younger until i cried and she still does. I find it so sad that she's buried in a mass grave (which is just round the corner from me in Twickenham cem, i put the odd bunch of daffs next to her name and say Be SOOOOOOON). I never knew her but i belonged to a crowd in the 70s and 80s that worshipped her and still love her memory. I loved her high camp. If you need anyone to organise an event in or around London let me know, I am taking a break from work from July to September so would love to get stuck into anything that might revive her memory.
Sheila

Hylda in the spotlight

Hi there just wanted to say thank you for bringing hylda to the spotlight again where she deserves to be ... i was born same year as you so remember watching nearest and dearest on tv and thought then as i do now it the funniest thing ever..... hylda deserved so much more praise she was truly a gifted woman ... the episode called cindernellie is truly fab.... keep up the good work you are doing a fab job you are bringing memories of my boyhood back and remember going with my gran to see hylda at the windmill theatre in great yarmouth in not on your nellie it was fab .... many thanks and take care x

Dale Stafford

Scotland

Congratulations on your fantastic new Hylda B website: I'll be directing a lot of fans to it (she is very much loved especially by friends in Glasgow). It's really magnificent!

Paul Houghton

Sharing The Bill

I had the pleasure of appearing on the bill with Hylda at the Crystal Bowl, Castleford in 1964 or early 1965. I was in the band "THE OVERLANDERS", a folk-rock group that eventually hit the charts with a No. 1 hit "MICHELLE" in early 1966. I found her to be a very fun loving lady and naturally enjoyed watching her nightly performance for a week. However, the highlight of the week came when, on the Wednesday, the OVERLANDERS went to the local cinema to see the afternoon matinee. It was, as I remember, something like "I WAS FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER". We sat in the circle (the theatre was empty) and as we got into the feature, the doors opened to the circle seating and clearly silhouetted against the screen were the newcomers finding seats - a tall male figure and a short female. There was no doubt in our minds as to who they were, and that famous chuckle that Hylda became known for was soon mingling with our own laughter accompanied by additional lines to the movie dialog nay! the great lady herself. She was enjoying it. And why not? It was tipping buckets outside and there was nothing else to do on a wet rainy Wednesday afternoon in Castleford. A couple of years later, I was to meet Gerry Maxin (brother of TV producer Ernest Maxim. Gerry wrote many incidental lines in Hylda's shows, the most famous probably being "....Oooh, I must get that little hand fixed" when asked the time. I spoke to him recently in the hope that he would admit to writing th phrase "big girl's blouse' - now a comedic staple that has been attributed to Hylda, I understand. however, he did not originate it, and didn't know who did. It was, in all likelihood, the lady herself!

Terry Widlake

Memories of 1947

I worked for Hylda Baker in 1947 in a review called "Bearskins and Blushes". I was one of 8 dancers called "The Blushing Beauties". I always found her very fair (though strict) to work for - although she made me wear shoes which were a size too small and I've had bunions and a hammer-toe ever since!!! On Mondays, when were all broke, Miss Baker (as we called her) would let us have a sub. I worked a year in review for her, and panto too. These are the lyrics of the opening number of the show...."Hey there folks, just cast one eye On the Bearskin Busbies riding high And with the other one take a peep At the blushes underneath them Don't they make your pulses leap These lovely maidens come to town To chase away that ugly frown, So sit back folks, relax from duties We've got novelties and glances Lots of songs and dances' Cos we're the blushing beauties!"I remember her as being very smart, often wearing black, but livened up with a jaunty hat!

Lita Ford