Billy Merson Singing 'Desdemona' (1927)

Billy Merson, the great Nottingham-born music hall performer, here presents one of his signature numbers while looking not unlike Frankie Howerd in 'Up Pompeii'. Shakespearean scholars may be disappointed to discover that his little ditty about Desdemona (sounding like an illness and rhyming with 'pneumonia') has nothing to do with the wife of the Moor of Venice whatsoever. On the upside, the film clearly captures Merson's comic brilliance - he not only sings, but dances, skips and indulges in a lot of creative business with a lyre.

Merson had been making films since 1915 and, eager to ensure that his patter could be shared with cinema audiences, was among the first to experiment with the new sound technology. Indeed, 'Desdemona' is often cited as Britain's first sound film. (Robin Baker)

You can watch this and over 1000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank, London and at the new QUAD centre for art and film in Derby -
http://www.bfi.org.uk/mediatheque
http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/bfi-mediatheque

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• BFI
• Billy
• Merson
• Vaudeville
• Song
• Music
• Hall
• comedy
• ballad
• 1920s
• Twenties

[laerad]

Puts Justin Timberlake in the shade.

[footlightnotes]

This may indeed not be Billy Merson at his best, but who cares? It really is a treat to see him in action. And that little dance reminds me of a gentler version of Max Wall. Thanks for posting this gem.

[junkman19571]

@LaGrasDanya i agree yanks are always on the make,and compared to billy merson,al jolson was a one trick pony who's only claim to fame is he was in the first sound film and a few songs......give me billy merson every time......

[rbbonotto]

The face reminds me a bit of Joe E. Brown, the American vaudevillian.

[bbcisrubbish]

Desdemonia? This is really good.

[janletterio]

In times of swine flu I thought of this...

[TheWhatsinaname]

But Merson is being given more, later, credit for this artwork as being the unofficial 1st music video. Read some of the other comments I posted this evening.

[TheWhatsinaname]

Actually other websites list this officially as being from 1926 & is considered by many as unofficially the 1st music video -- in many ways you can actually see Merson's work in this possibly influencing others that were to follow in the official music videos. Wonder how many artists that we know better might have seen Merson's performance in this & perhaps inspired a bit by it. I think Merson may have had the last laugh in his grave.

[postscript67]

Champion Jockey, I think.

[egapnala65]

Indeed, Merson took out a lawsuit and lost on a technicality. He died in virtual poverty, it seems, as a result.

[nathanielbagshot]

Who was Stephen Donaghue?