Sam Mayo

Sam Mayo (1881-1938) was an English entertainer, who worked in the music hall business. 

Life

Born in London on 31 July 1881, Mayo first worked in his father's shop while also getting sporting bets and singing in local pubs and clubs with his brothers.

Mayo married Zillah Flash (performing name: Stella Stanley) in Brighton on 13 August 1904. His life-long addiction of gambling made him bankrupt three times. Mayo died in London on 31 March 1938. 

Career
Mayo developed a unique comic style as a music hall singer. Dressed in a dressing gown, or housecoat, he sang emotionless at the piano with nonsensical humour. He became known as "The Immobile One". Mayo mostly wrote his own songs and gave other entertainers, such as Ernie Mayne, with material. He held the record for appearing at the biggest number of concerts in a single evening: nine performances at nine London venues on the evening of 21 January 1905.

Trivia
The noted writer Katherine Mansfield quoted Mayo's lyrics in a letter from 1 November 1920.

Other websites

Text collection of Sam Mayo's lyrics 
Sam Mayo: British Pathé, 1930
Sam Mayo: British Pathé, 1931
Sam Mayo: British Pathé, 1932
Sam Mayo: Things are Worse in Russia
Sam Mayo: I'll Prove That I'm Right
Sam Mayo: The Toreador
Sam Mayo: Bread and Marmalade
Sam Mayo: The Trumpeter

References

Category:1881 births
Category:1938 deaths
Category:Singers from London