Wilson, Keppel and Betty: Too Naked for the Nazis

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Professional Christmas Greetings from Wilson, Keppel & Betty on 1st January 1936 - images sourced from the British Newspaper Archive 1934 - Following on from ' On the Air'

On The Air (UK 1934) – lost film, but the section with the act survives in Köbenhavn, Kalundborg, og – ?, featuring the duo with Betty KnoxAfter the war, Knox stayed in Germany reporting from the Nuremberg trials. [15] [16] In 1935, with Wilson and Keppel, she had danced at the Berlin Wintergarten theatre before an audience that included Hermann Göring, commander of the Luftwaffe. The act was condemned by Joseph Goebbels as indecent. [17] As a journalist in Nuremberg she covered Göring’s trial, but her reputation suffered after she chose to ignore a tip-off that Göring had committed suicide in his cell. [18] The following year, in July 1947, an article Knox wrote for the London Evening Standard, claiming that escaped Nazi war criminal Martin Bormann was alive and living in Russia, provoked interest from MI5. [19] Freda Utley’s book The High Cost of Vengeance (1948) was highly critical of the conduct of the Nuremberg trials, especially the subsequent trials of those further down the chain of command. Utley spoke to Knox, who had transcribed the last words of three prisoners and (together with fellow journalist Josie Thompson) witnessed their executions. According to Utley, neither Knox nor Thompson "were ever likely to forget their terrible experience". [15] Later years [ edit ]

During their act Knox threw a flower at the Duchess of York. Unfortunately, it did not reach its target but landed amongst the decorations surrounding the Royal Box. This did not deter the Duke, who searched until he found the floral buttonhole, eagerly watched by the audience. See how they recreated the poses originated by Wilson and Keppel here BBCs 'What a Performance - Pioneers of Popular Entertainment'

Ruth M. Pettis. "Mann, Erika (1905–1969)". glbtq: An encyclopedia of gay, lesbian, transgender, & queer culture . Retrieved 2 October 2013.

More from Variety Jubilee (1943), with Patsy Knox doing the dance of the seven veils, a lascivious snake, and a mindboggling finale… Voice of Georgy Jamieson "If you look, it's amazing how much influence they've had on comedy; athletic moves and funny walks and just physical comedy - I think that's why people will remember them still today, it's just an iconic image: the two men, the curvy lady and this Egyptian sand dance."

One newspaper described Wilson and Keppel as having the kind of limbs that make you understand why sleeves and trousers were invented. However, not everyone saw the funny side. A pre-war showing in Germany outraged Josef Goebbels who said the 'mens bare legs were bad for the morals of the Hitler Youth' but was it really a case of 'No knees please we're Nazis' or was it Wilson's close proximity to Keppels' rear end as they shuffled across the sand. Mussolini on the other hand loved them! Though the show was nearly a disaster when they mislaid their trusty supply of Bedfordshire sand. They hastily threw together a concoction of what Keppel described as 'salt, sugar and I don't know what.' Alan Stafford (author of 'Wilson Keppel and Betty: Too Naked for the Nazis') 2017 - New Artwork Celebrating the great entertainers who took centre-stage at Mexborough Hippodrome Smith, Willie the Lion (1964). Music on My Mind: The Memoirs of an American Pianist, Foreword by Duke Ellington. New York City: Doubleday & Company Inc. pp. 24.

While her efforts certainly went down well with the audience judging from the loud cheers she commanded, the judges were also impressed. Openwriting Web magazine features a feast of words from regular columnists, U3A writers and other authors. Every day there is something new to read in Openwriting." Letter from America : Herr Göbbels Flunks The Ballet Egyptien Test Wilson and Keppel rehearsing the sand dance (scattering the sand from an urn-like container) in fetching deep plum sheath-costumes, the video also shows them in dark olive green burnouse-like coverings. 2016 - 'Too Naked for the Nazis' makes the shortlist for & wins the 'Oddest Title of the Year' Award

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A 1950 Theatre programme sponsored by Mitchell & Butlers Beer 1947 - The Royal Variety Performance 'We haven't laughed so much for years!" - H M King George VI The act came to Britain to appear at the London Palladium for a few weeks in 1932 and stayed permanently. Over the years there were between 8 and 12 'Bettys', most of these appearing during the act's later years: Betty Knox retired from the act in 1941 to go into journalism, becoming a war correspondent during the Second World War, [7] and reporting on the Nuremberg trials for three years as a correspondent for the London Evening Standard. [8] She was among the first to report the suicide of Hermann Göring. [9] Wilson and Keppel perform their Sand Dance routine in 1934