Jimmy James(1892-1965)

Jimmy James, whose real name was James Casey, was born in Stockton on Tees in 1892. His father, who was a clog dancer on Northern and Midland halls in 1904. introduced James as Terry the Blue Eyed Irish Boy. who then did a song and dance act. After a while, he joined Will Netta's juvenile singing troupe, Jockey, then Phil Ree's Stable Lads and Clare Lovedales Ten to One On. He then formed his own sketch company and toured The Spare Room as a bridegroom who got drunk at the reception and got locked out on the wedding night. Playing Sunderland in 1929, he was seen by George Black's agent and given a London booking at the Palladium. He was essentially a visual comic doing drunk routines, rolling a cigarette around his mouth and making facial contortions. He had three routines: drunk, chipster and, his best known, The Shoebox ,with gormless Hutton Conyers, originally played by his son in law, Jack Darby, then his son Cass James, then Roy Castle (1956 -59), Bretton Woods and his nephew Jack Casey.