The London Gang Show 1932-1974
A brief history
When the curtain rang down on the last night of the Final London Gang Show at the Gaumont State Theatre, Kilburn in October 1974, a Scouting era ended. For though there are still many Gang Shows (like Royal Eltham) staged annually, in the memories of many thousands of people the name will only mean one thing - the London Gang Show, which made its debut in 1932.
The London Gang Show was the brainchild of an anonymous 'Holborn Rover' who was later revealed as a certain Ralph Reader, already well known in the professional theatre as a leading dance director and performer with shows on both sides of the Atlantic. His name was to become synonymous with Scout Gang Shows everywhere.

That 1932 production - The Gang's All Here - ran for three nights at London's Scala Theatre and was an immediate success. The year was booked again the following year and not surprisingly entitled - The Gang Comes Back!. In each succeeding year, even when the show moved to larger theatres, seats were sold out and thousands of unlucky applicants had their money returned.

Ralph Reader, CBE and the cast of the Finale London Gang Show 1974.
A Holborn Rover
Ralph's share in this success became legendary. He not only produced - he wrote the scenarios, over three hundred sketches and around four hundred songs. The most celebrated of his Gang Show compositions - 'Crest of a Wave'- was also one the first he wrote.

Later several Gang Show songs and sketches were to be used professionally. 'Strolling', the hit song of the 1958 production, became one of the most successful numbers in the Crazy Gang Show and sung by Bud Flanagan, was a high spot in the 1965 Royal Command Performance at the London Palladium!

The London Gang Show itself achieved the honour of being the first amateur company to appear in a Royal Command Performance. That was in 1937 and there were subsequent appearances in 1957 and in 1964. In 1972, the Queen and Prince Phillip attended the 40th Anniversary Gang Show and, in all, members of the Royal Family attended the show on no less than nine different occasions.

The Show was always well dressed. Something like 600 costumes, many of them specially made, were used and most of the stage sets were specially built.

All the cast and most of the back stage staff were Members of the Scout Movement. There were about 150 in each show, most coming from Scout Districts in London and the Home Counties. Ages ranged from 12 to 50 but with a predominance of teenagers.

The cast received no payment. Neither, throughout the three months of rehearsal and two weeks of actual performance, were they paid expenses for meals or travel. To be chosen for the Show was its own reward.

Ralph himself never asked for a single penny in royalties from the Scout Movement.

Royal Performances