Alfie Bass from the Lavender Hill Mob, David Kossof, star of stage,
screen, and radio, Warren 'Alf Garnett' Mitchell and Lionel Bart, who
wrote the theme to Moonraker and numerous show tunes like "Food
Glorious Food" from Oliver, all started their careers at London's
Unity Theatre. Here Isabelle Seddon examines their careers and what
influenced the creation of their Jewish Cockney personnas. Jews have
played a hugely important role in the entertainment industry, including
in the United Kingdom. This book is the first study of second-generation
Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe who took part in left-wing
political theatre in Britain during the first half of the twentieth
century. It explores how the seeds were sown in the East End of London
producing those of the calibre and global significance of, amongst
others, Alfie Bass, David Kossoff, Warren Mitchell, and Lionel Bart.
First they joined the innovative and radical Unity Theatre, which
contributed greatly to British drama and not just that of the left.
These men became famous for their 'Cockney' persona. The book explores
the remarkable changes that occurred during the interwar period, which
despite antisemitism including in its organised fascist form, enabled
their confidence to identity as Jewish Cockneys in the post-war era and
to be accepted as such in non-Jewish society. This study thus provides a
unique insight into the Anglo-Jewish community and the British
entertainment history through the twentieth century using concepts such
as class, race, religion, gender, and performance throughout.
