Person    | Male  Born 17/3/1842  Died 15/9/1884

George Leybourne

Categories: Humour, Theatre

Music hall entertainer. Born Gateshead. His first stage name was Joe Saunders. 1866 he had a big success with the song 'Champagne Charlie' and took on the name and life-style for ever after. Engaged at London's Canterbury Music Hall, sung in East End of London. Gained the sponsorship of champagne producers Moet and Chandon because of the advertising he provided for their company. They gave him a retainer and supplies of their product. His champagne lifestyle caught up with him eventually and he died in 1884 at the age of 42.

Credit for this entry to: Beverley Duguid

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
George Leybourne

Commemorated ati

George Leybourne

Greater London Council George Leybourne, "Champagne Charlie", 1842 - 1884, m...

Read More

Other Subjects

Jimmy Jewel

Jimmy Jewel

Comedy actor. Born James Arthur Thomas Marsh in Sheffield to a couple of music-hall entertainers.  When Jimmy's successful double act became old fashioned he restarted his career in television in t...

Person, Humour, Theatre, TV & Radio

2 memorials
Dame Thora Hird DBE

Dame Thora Hird DBE

Character actor.  Born Lancashire.  Played many comic roles.  Late in her life Alan Bennett wrote a number of roles for her.

Person, Cinema, Humour, TV & Radio

2 memorials
Dame Gracie Fields

Dame Gracie Fields

Entertainer. Born over a chip shop in Rochdale, Lancashire as Grace Stansfield. Worked at Gainsborough Film Studios.  Gracie and her husband Archie moved from Upper Street, N1 in 1929 to The Towers...

Person, Cinema, Humour, Music / songs, Theatre, Italy

4 memorials
Stephen John Fry

Stephen John Fry

Actor, broadcaster, comedian, director, narrator and writer with professional name Stephen Fry. Born on 24 August 1957, the second of the three children of Alan John Fry (1930-2019) and Marianne Ev...

Person, Cinema, Humour, Literature, Seriously Famous, TV & Radio

3 memorials
Dr Burnhart Gloss

Dr Burnhart Gloss

From Walking Through London's History: "... included Dr Burnhart Gloss, originally from Australia, and now a resident working as a professional clown."

Person, Children, Humour, Theatre, Australia

1 memorial