Stanley J. Damerell

Stanley J. Damerell (aka Jack Stevens aka John Edward Stanley Damerell Stevens; né John Edward Stanley Stevens; 1 July 1878 – 12 December 1951) was, in his early life (1900s through to the early 1920s), a British vaudevillian actor, writer, and producer, and in his later life (from the 1920s until his death), a prolific lyricist, and, to a lesser degree, composer of popular songs.

Early life Damerell was born in Fulham, London.

Career As a writer and producer of vaudevillian revues, Damerell collaborated with Cecil Rutland. Their productions were billed under the name, Damerell and Rutland.

In 1921, composer Tolchard Evans, and his regular lyricists, Damerell and Robert Joseph Hargreaves (1893–1934), along with Harry Tilsley (né Henry B. Tilsley), formed the Cecil Lennox Music Company to publish their songs. Damerell and Hargreaves sometimes used the pseudonym Erell Reaves – an amalgamation of the last five letters of Damerell and the last six letters of Hargreaves. Damerell is the maiden name of Stanley's mother, Eliza Stevens. Stanley J. Damerell also, in 1932, published music under the pseudonym Robert Stanley, and in 1935, Stan Merrell.

Damerell also collaborated with John Neat (1876–1949), who sometimes used the pseudonym Lilian Ray.

Affiliations Member, Music Hall Artists' Railway Association, founded February 2, 1897, in London, which negotiated concessions on rail fares for travelling performers Member, Grand Order of Water Rats, served as King Rat in 1937 Member, Variety Artistes' Federation, organisation of English vaudeville artists

Personal life and death On 4 August 1902, Damerell married Violet Eva Walter (1882–1974), an actress, in St Pancras. In January 1918 he married "Noel" Burningham (née Irene Victoria Burningham; 1887–1969) in Camberwell, whose married name was Irene Victoria Stevens. She had been a member of the Grand Order of Lady Ratlings.

Damerell died in Teddington, Middlesex, on 12 December 1951, aged 73.

Selected songs

"Sing, Sing, Sing" (1910), Damerell and Cecil Rutland (words & music) "Left, Left" (1915), Damerell & John Neat (words & music)

1920s

"Puck-a-Pu (a Chinese vocal one-step) (1920), Stanley J. Damerell, Robert Joseph Hargreaves, John Neat (words & music) "The Unknown Warrior" (1920), Damerell, Hargreaves, John Neat (words & music) "Beautiful Garden of Allah" (1921), Hargreaves & Damerell (words & music) "What Did the Poor Little Moths Live On, When Adam and Eve Were Here?" (1921), Hargreaves & Damerell (words & music) "It's Nothing to Do With You" (1921), Hargreaves & Damerell (words & music) "Plucky Old Ginger Nut" (1921), Hargreaves & Damerell (words & music); in A "Mecca" (vocal fox-trot, on the song, "My Heaven") (1921), Hargreaves, Damerell, Lillian Ray (words & music), L. Ray (arranger); piano "Sunshine Across Your Pathway" (1921), Hargreaves & Damerell (words), Lilian Ray (music); in G "The Young Folks and the Old Folks" (1921), Hargreaves & Damerell (words), Lilian Ray (music); in D "Take the Quiet Pathway Leading Home" (1921), Hargreaves & Damerell (words), Lilian Ray (music); in D "I Told Yer!" (1922), Hargreaves & Damerell (words & music) "Always Leave Them Smiling When You Say Good-Bye" (1922), Damerell & Hargreaves "and the two Bobs [of England]" (words & music); [staff and tonic sol-fa notations] "Un-Pa-Deedle-Um" (1922), Damerell & Hargreaves "and the two Bobs [of England]" (words & music); [staff and tonic sol-fa notations] "Au Revoir, Bon Soir, Ma Sherie" (1922), Damerell & Hargreaves "and the two Bobs [of England]" (words & music); [staff and tonic sol-fa notations] "Alabam and Tennessee" (1922), Damerell & Hargreaves "and the two Bobs [of England]" (words & music); in G [staff and tonic sol-fa notations] "The Horshoe on the Cabin Door" (1922), Damerell & Hargreaves "and John Neat [of England]" (words & music); in B; [staff and tonic sol-fa notations] "Marry in Blue" (1922), Hargreaves & Damerell (words & music); [staff and tonic sol-fa notations] "Ard Up, But 'Appy" (song one-step) (1923), Hargreaves & Damerell (words), Evans (music) "Goldfish" (1923), Hargreaves & Damerell (words & music); in B; [staff and tonic sol-fa notations] "What's the Matter With the Dear Old Strand, That We Have No Bananas Today?" (1923), Hargreaves & Damerell (words & music); [staff and tonic sol-fa notations] "Heart Strings" (ballad fox-trot) (1923), Hargreaves & Damerell (words), Lillian Ray (music) "For Ev'ry Light That's Shining Somewhere a Broken Heart" (1923), Hargreaves & Damerell (words & music) "Where Was Virginia Creeping To?" (1923), Hargreaves & Damerell (words & music); in G [staff and tonic sol-fa notations] "I'm Afraid" (fox-trot) (1923), Hargreaves & Damerell (words & music), Lillian Ray (music) "Karroo" (1923), Hargreaves & Damerell (words & music), Edgar Adeler (music); [staff and tonic sol-fa notations] "Snuggling" (waltz song) (1923), Hargreaves & Damerell (words); Tolchard Evans (music); [staff and tonic sol-fa notations] "Kisses Grow on Cherry Trees," from Frivolities (1923), Hargreaves & Damerell (words), Eric Valentine & Norton Greenop