9:46am Monday 6th September 2010
By Jim Greenhalf
Gumshield To Greasepaint: The Rocky Mason Story
by Rocky Mason
AuthorHouse, £10.99
Rocky Mason’s autobiography begins in May, 1940, when a German bomber crashed in Idle and exploded, killing three people and seriously injuring five.
Two cottages were destroyed, two others badly damaged. The four crew members, however, survived and were captured.
At least one of them, who parachuted from the bomber, was taken prisoner by local farmer Sam Watmough who, armed with a pitchfork, escorted the airman as far as Towngate.
“Looking down the hill, Big Sam realised something was amiss. A large crowd had gathered further down the hill and beyond this he could see fire engines, police cars and ambulances.
“The red glow of flames was lighting up buildings and illuminating the night sky. People had also gathered at the top of the hill and, standing in a cluster, were watching the scene below.”
Nothing like beginning your life story with a bang.
It begins with an endorsement from former world heavyweight boxing contender, Bradford’s Richard Dunn.
He says: “It is a story not just of fights and fighters but of how a man can become a fighter and what becomes of him when he no longer has a desire to answer the call.”
The book chronicles Rocky’s upbringing under Bradford’s smoky sky and his carer as an amateur boxer – 87 fights, only eight defeats, 69 straight wins. But once he is out of shape and unfit for the bruising demands of the ring, he applies for a job as a Butlins redcoat. The chapter ends with a letter of acceptance and the life-changing offer of a place at the Filey camp.
He stayed with Butlins for 30 years, rising through the ranks, and gathering friends and memories.
This, the second part of his life story, seems to be the one that gives the author the most pleasure. Photographs of stars abound – Dave Allen, Julie Rogers, Bob Monkhouse, Ronnie Hilton, Matt Monro, Mike Reid, Sir Billy Butlin.
Having left school at 14 without much of an education or prospects, he worked his way up in a completely different world, specialising in compering shows, married a beautiful woman, Marty, and counted entertainment celebrities among his friends.
He escaped from Bradford where “it was very dull and the sky was always grey” to a Butlins that was “so colourful, so warm, so friendly, it was a beautiful experience”.
The chief redcoat was John Tynan O’Mahoney – the brother of stand-up comedian Dave Allen, who got into showbusiness via Butlins Filey camp – John was a better entertainer than he was chief redcoat.
“He was one of the warmest, friendliest personalities you could ever wish to meet; he was confident, a little flamboyant and had a great strength of character, a natural born comic with tremendous charm” is how Rocky remembers him.
At the start of his second season at Filey, Rocky was told he was to be chief redcoat. His friend, Johnny, had moved over to become camp comic. Rocky too got his own Thursday night gang show called Rendezvous With Johnny.
That, in brief, is the story of his journey From Gumshield To Greasepaint.
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