Willie Rouse
British entertainer and pioneer radio broadcaster
About Willie Rouse
Lived 1877 – 1928 (aged 50–51).
William Thomas Rouse (8 July 1877 – 22 December 1928), sometimes known as "Wireless Willie", was a British entertainer and pioneer radio broadcaster.
He was born in London. He worked as a music hall entertainer and pianist from the 1890s, and toured the country. He also worked as an agent, and as a radio announcer. He was one of the first comic entertainers to broadcast in Britain, appearing regularly from 1924 on BBC radio performing comic songs and patter and billed as "Alleged Humour at the Piano".
As "Wireless Willie", he also compered early radio programmes of music hall acts, including Veterans of Variety which featured Gus Elen, Vesta Victoria, Charles Coborn, and Vesta Tilley, among others.
Death He died, aged 51, in Whitstable, Kent, in 1928.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Willie Rouse's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Willie Rouse's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Willie Rouse?
British entertainer and pioneer radio broadcaster
When was Willie Rouse born?
Willie Rouse was born in 1877.
When did Willie Rouse die?
Willie Rouse died in 1928.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Willie Rouse. https://biography.guide/willie-rouse/
MLA: "Willie Rouse." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/willie-rouse/.
Chicago: "Willie Rouse." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/willie-rouse/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:30 UTC