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| Paul's life continued... | ||||||
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During Paul's stay at the boarding school, war broke out and food was scarce. He also got TB. The head of the school didn't like Paul too much and yelled at him as part of the guy's daily chore. Paul also didn't like country life. To supplement the meager food rations at the school, Paul and some of his classmates would ditch school to forage for food in the fields. This did not help Paul's health and began to be under nourished. He goes to stay with his "Auntie Hilda". He learned to make a predicessor of chocolate milk adding cream and cocoa which his Auntie could obtain by diverse resources. Paul's first love was with a stunning low husky voiced girl of 13 named "Ruth". However, "A J" the head master of the boarding school did not approve of love and separated the two much to Paul's regret. Paul regretted it for years. Paul got a love for drama due to the efforts of his teacher "Miss Burgess". His first mentioned play he was ever in was "The Wind In The Willows". I do not know what part he played. About this time Paul had to report for a medical checkup for the armed services. he registered as a pacifist and was sent back in that status until a hearing could determine if this was genuine. His first job was as a window dresser at a department store. This job he enjoyed. However, the fire of wanting to be an actor ever since "The Wind In The Willows" could not be denied so he went to a school of acting "The Crescent, in Birmingham", knocked on the door and informed the guy who answered it that he Paul, would like to be an actor. He was admitted. He did assistant stage managing chores and odd tasks. Someone suggested that he Paul, should consider "ENSA". ENSA stands for "Entertainer's National Service association". This is the same ENSA that Geoffery and Laura Kendal ran with before they formed "Shakespearena". This company would travel abroad to armed service bases and do skits and such for the purpose of morale. Paul took that advice and joined ENSA and became an assistant to the assistant stage manager and did a small part in a popular West End play "Jeanie". He played a Waiter. About this time his hearing for the Concientious objector status comes up and Paul leaves ENSA to take care of that buisness. He was promised a return slot in the company if able to return. Paul was awarded the status due to his Quaker faith and tried returning to ENSA only to learn that the promise was not kept. He decided to try "Birmingham Rep" and used the same method of introduction he used at the Crescent. He just knocked and said he wanted to be an actor. It worked again. This time he was only an assistant stage manager and recalls never having worked harder in his life. He was not with the regular tour but with a student tour which posed problems with the clientle who thought they were getting Birmingham Rep proper. Short of a year the junior tour expired. Paul went to work in the real crew of Birmingham Rep and played "George" in "Our Town". Incidently, I have a vid of this show with a young William Holden. Great show! "Isn't the moonlight just terrible?"."George's" young sweetheart was played by a red haired, blue eyed girl named "Jennifer" that Paul fell madly in love with. When the tour ended Paul followed this girl to the "Worthing Theatre" and even roomed in the same house with her. Paul got an indication that their relationship might be waning when she announced that she wanted to get married, but not to him! Paul rebounded back to the Rep in Sheffield but returned to Worhthing where he met a dark haired girl with brown eyes and a creamy complex. They were playing "Macbeth", He was "Malcom", She was a witch. That arrangement worked so well they decided to get married. Her name was "Patricia Scott" Paul's life long wife and mother of his children. Their scedules were so hectic that Paul called her "Trisha" just to save time. Paul discovered a hidden talent in the realm of comedy due to catching a horn of his costume helmet on the scenery and getting laughs. The next time he held the helmet instead of wearing it so as not to repeat the same calamity but caught it again on the same scenery. The cast swore he did it on purpose. However innocent of the crime it did set a precident for Paul to enter the realm of comedy which led to what we know as "Jerry". Jerry realized that if he was ever going to make it big, he needed exposure. He also knew he could do with more training so he decided to go to an acting school in which he could obtain both. He applied at The Royal Academy Of Dramatic Art. He was able to get free tuition but needed food money so he applied and got a grant from the Sheffield Education Commitee. He remebers doing "Royal Family" there. Paul mentions that Joan Collins was a classmate. (Big whoop!) Paul then tried the "Old Vic" in Bristol where he did "Of Mice And Men", "Love Labours Lost" and "Venus Observed". Paul was still observing Trisha and felt he couldn't live a day longer without drinking of her beauty so they got married on a Monday morning, 1952 in Devon, her home town. Paul remembers it had to be Monday because both of them had to put on an act on Tuesday. Paul and wife moved to Ipswitch and worked at the "Rep". He bought a motorized bicycle as transport and would walk it home with Trisha criticizing his acting. Glorious times for Paul. In 1954 their first son "Toby" was born. Paul was doing "Life With Father" (coincidence?), "School For Wives" (ditto) and he even played with Trisha. (in the plays). |
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| 1999 Good Wrench | ||||||