PATRICIA KIRKWOODPatricia Kirkwood, who died on Christmas Day, 2007, aged 86,was avivacious, raven-haired performer who was the first British woman to have her own hour-long BBC television series, ‘The Pat Kirkwood Show’.The queen of musical comedy, she was hailed as the British Betty Grable and her legs were famously described as ‘the eighth wonder of the world’ by critic Kenneth Tynan.In a career lasting almost 60 years, she shone on stage and screen, dazzling audiences in musical theatre, film, panto and even Las Vegas cabaret. She introduced audiences to some of the best-loved songs of the era by Cole Porter and Coward and was known for her accurate – but affectionate – impersonations of her musical hall peers.But despite her success, she came under public scrutiny for her friendship with the Duke of Edinburgh.Patricia Kirkwood was born on 24 February, 1921, in Pendleton, Lancashire, and was educated at Manchester’s Levenshulme High School. Her talents were spotted on the amateur stage of an Isle of Man summer camp, leading to her professional debut aged 14, singing on BBC radio programme ‘The Children's Hour’.Her first stage appearance came the following April at Salford’s Royal Hippodrome, performing as ‘The Schoolgirl Songstress’. In the same year, she appeared in her first pantomime, which would remain one of her favourite genres for 40 years.Ms Kirkwood’s career took off quickly; in 1937, aged just 16, she played the lead in her first film ‘Save A Little Sunshine’. This was soon followed by starring roles in other hits including ‘Come On George’ with George Formby, and ‘Band Waggon’ alongside Arthur Askey.Her success was cemented in 1939, as the critically acclaimed star of the London Hippodrome revue ‘Black Velvet’. One critic hailed her "Britain's first war-time star... with a personality as inescapable as sheet lightning and a voice vibrant as a dynamo". She reigned as the most popular musical theatre performer well into the 1950s, and earned the label of the British Betty Grable.Her 1945 film ‘Flight From Folly’ attracted Hollywood attention. She was signed to MGM studios, but her first musical ‘No Leave, No Love’ was unsuccessful and she became very unhappy. After a suicide attempt and nervous breakdown, Ms Kirkwood spent eight months in a New York institution – causing her to lose the title role in ‘Annie Get Your Gun’.Recovered, and back in London, Ms Kirkwood’s continued stardom made her prey to public speculation about her private life. After dancing and then breakfasting with the Duke of Edinburgh in October 1948, rumours claiming she was his mistress persisted for many years and were even recorded as facts in royal biographies.In 1950, Noel Coward wrote the musical ‘Ace Of Clubs’ especially for Ms Kirkwood, including hit song ‘Chase Me Charlie’. 1951 saw her top the bill at the London Palladium and star alongside Tommy Trinder in the revue ‘Fancy Free’. As musical halls faded and audiences turned to television, she became the first British woman to have her own hour-long series, ‘The Pat Kirkwood Show’.She continued performing throughout the next two decades and had great success as principal boy in pantos all over the country until retiring in 1973. After this, she made occasional stage appearances including a sensational guest spot in 1992 at the London Palladium, where she sang ‘There's No Business Like Show Business’. She recounted her long career in 1999 autobiography ‘The Time of My Life’.Ms Kirkwood was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and moved into private nursing home Kitwood House in August 2004, where her gold name plaque from the star dressing-room at the London Palladium proudly hung on her door. She died on 25 December, 2007, aged 86, and was survived by her fourth husband Peter Knight.Patricia Kirkwood had true star quality, dazzling audiences in theatres and cinemas for decades with her vivacious charm, natural theatricality and her incredible talent to keep them in the palm of her hand. She possessed such charisma and energy that, as one critic said, "she could gild any song".Perhaps the ultimate accolade was being a muse for Noel Coward, who admired her ability to "get the crowd roaring" and said of her: "Her personality is warm and friendly and her vitality tremendous".But she will be remembered above all for her spirited vitality. As critic John Barber wrote, after seeing her perform at the 1976 Edinburgh Festival: "All agreed we had not seen for a generation a woman with that easy, glorious command of the stage. And, since the music halls where she learned it have gone, we may never see it again."
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