Derby Daily Telegraph
Friday 15 September, 1978
Page 15
Trombonist earned more than the singer
WILBUR HALL recalls his days with Paul Whiteman band and his chance to replace Stan Laurel
ONE of the few remaining musicians from the famous Paul Whiteman Orchestra, America's self-styled "King of Jazz" is currently on holiday in Derby.
And at the age of 83, pint-sized Wilbur Hall is still playing a mean fiddle and trombone.
Back in the days when he was with the Whiteman orchestra -- 1924-1930 -- his weekly pay was 350 dollars a week while the band's singer was getting only 150 dollars. The vocalist was a certain Mr Bing Crosby.
"The reason was that I was lead trombone player and stunt man," said Wilbur at the home of his nephew, Mr Ashley Littlefield, in Derby Road, Spondon.
Wilbur, a member of an American family of travelling showpeople, met his Derby wife, Renee Littlefield, in the 1930s when they were appearing on the same bill in the King Edward XIII Coronation Show at the London Palladium.
"The show featured the Jack Hylton Ochestra and the Crazy Gang," said 74-year-old Renee, "and even though the King abdicated, the show still went on. It ran for 13 months."
Wilbur came to England after being spotted by an English showbusiness agent while working in Vaudeville. He played trombone and fiddle and also played two horns at the same time - a cornet and an Eb horn, known as a peck horn.
The girl who was working as his "straight feed" in the comedy duo was unable to make the trip to England, and that is where Renee cane in.
She was on the same London Palladium bill doing a song-and-dance solo act and also playing banjo and marimba.
And as Wilbur needed a talented musical female, the two eventually linked up.
"We decided to tie the knot in 1942, after working together since 1936," said Renee, "because our agent in the States had offered us a tour of Brazil and had hinted that work permits and travel arrangements would be easier if we were man and wife.
But this was when the second world war was reaching its height and within five weeks of the offer all the commercial shipping had been taken off their runs.
Renee's mother Adelina Milner was born in Uttoxeter but moved to Derby as a girl when her father bought a tailor's shop in Macklin Street.
by Alan Smith
"When she met Hector Prince Littlefield the man who was to become my father he taught her stagecraft and she subsequnently went on the boards as Addy Littlefield. Dad was a wire-walker and hoop-jumper," said Renee.
My brother, Hector Littlefield died in 1955, leaving a wife and their four sons, Peter, Ronnie, Terry and Ashley who all live in the Deby area.
A second cousin in Derby is entertainment agent Brian Percival, who has arranged for Wilbur to borrow a trombone and a fiddle while on holiday in Derby.
In fact Wilbur played a fine chorus on fiddle at the crest Motel on Monday and is hoping to blow trombone there next week.
Wilbur's comedy talents and physical resembalance to Stan Laurel, part of the legebdary Laurel and Hardy comedy team, almost put him into the filmstar category.
Said Wilbur: "In 1939 when Laurel and Hardy separated I got a telegram to go for an audition to take his place."
Unfortunately a family bereavement prevented Wilbur from keeping the date.
When Wilbur and Renee return to their home in Newbury Park, about 40 miles from Hollywood, they will be back on the boards again and in the spolight as Wilbur Hall and Renee.
