Ida Barr

Ida Barr (born Maud Barlow, 17 January 1882 – 17 December 1967) was an English music hall singer.

Life and career Barr was born at Regent's Park Barracks, London on 17 January 1882. Her father, William Barlow, is believed to have been a soldier, although Maud described him as a retired civil servant on her marriage certificate.

She made her stage debut in 1898 as a chorus girl at the Theatre Royal, Belfast. Initially calling herself Maud Laverne, she first used the stage-name Ida Barr in 1908 at London's Bedford Theatre.

Barr married comedian Samuel 'Gus' Harris (billed as "the only Yiddisher Scotsman in the Irish Fusiliers" ), but the marriage failed within a few years, with Maud soon sailing to New York. Achieving some success in America, Barr returned to England a premier singer of ragtime songs, popularising in Britain the songs "Oh, You Beautiful Doll" (Ayer & Brown; 1910) and "Everybody's Doing It" (Berlin; 1911).

She toured worldwide, earning good money, but was over-generous and failed to save. She became in her old age reliant on welfare benefits, living in a small flat off the Charing Cross Road in London. Writer and broadcaster Daniel Farson, a music hall enthusiast, took it upon himself to extend a helping hand, bringing Barr to a new (or nostalgic) audience on record and television. It was through Farson, too, that variety entertainer Danny La Rue arranged a benefit concert for Barr.

Film credits Happy Days Are Here Again (1936) Laugh It Off (1940) Let the People Sing (1942)

TV credits Music Hall Cavalcade (1937) Stars and Garters (1965) Love Story (1966)

Trivia Actress Elsa Lanchester performed in her youth a snake dancing routine with Ida Barr. Ida Barr's name was appropriated more than 40 years after her death by Kit Green for an unrelated, non-tribute character comedy act. Ida Barr was (through her marriage to Gus Harris) a great-aunt of actress and singer Anita Harris.