"Wallace the Lion"

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Whilst the 'ink is still wet' on the post about Edgar Wallace, I thought I would follow it up with an associated bit on a lighter note.

Edgar's mother later married and presented him with a 'half-brother', named Marriott.

As far as I know, the brothers never met until Edgar Wallace went to Hollywood where he encountered another middle-aged man who was Stanley Holloway’s scriptwriter. It turned out to be, none other than his own half-brother, Marriott Edgar.

Marriot Edgar, was a quiet man with a droll sense of humour and had worked as a performer in both concert parties and pantomime.

For some reason he was always known as George… and, as his prodigious output shows, had much of the families writing skills. But, unlike Edgar Wallace, Marriott became famous for his humorous monologues. (hope you're still with me ?...what with all these 'Edgars' and 'Wallaces')

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Marriott's most famous monologue for Stanley Holloway was The Lion & Albert, in which he named the eponymous lion Wallace, in what is now generally recognised to be a fraternal in-joke.

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In 1932 Marriott noticed a press report of a lion mauling a small boy at London Zoo.

This was the idea behind “The Lion and Albert” and in order to inject the kind of Northern humour, which is so often displayed in the face of personal tragedy, he changed the location to Blackpool Zoo.

There were one great big Lion called Wallace;

His nose were all covered with scars…

He lay in a somnolent posture,

With the side of his face on the bars.

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If you enjoy this sort of 'nonsense verse' or more correctly 'monologue', you can read the whole thing here.

Marriott outlived his elder half-brother by 19 years.

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I have always wanted to write poems.....but....

I am adverse to write in verse,

Because you see, I can’t;

But if I could, I surely would,

But as I can’t…..I shan’t.

And.......does a backward poet write inverse?

And................Is a chicken crossing the road….poultry in motion?

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