Signed photograph of Leslie Hutchinson

Signed photograph of Leslie Hutchinson. The photo has been hand signed “To Jeanette Kennard, Gratefully Hutch 1942”. Leslie Arthur Hutchinson was born on the Island of Grenada on the 7th March, 1900. His father played the organ in the local church and Leslie learned it at an early age. He studied law in New York and to earn extra money he sang and played the piano in bars at night. By 1925 he had become a member of the Henry 'Broadway' Jones band, playing at Palm Beach, Miami and had made a couple of records. In 1926 he moved to Paris and soon made a name for himself at Joe Zelli's club where he was spotted by London impresario C. B. Cochrane, who booked him to play in the Rogers & Hart revue 'One Damn Thing After Another' at the London Pavilion. The review started in 1927 and Hutch was an immediate hit. He later became the resident entertainer at Quaglino's, which was one of London's top cabaret night spots. Hutch became a big star and his records were very popular. He regularly appeared on radio and TV in the 1950s and 1960s and continued to perform in cabaret. He suffered from ill-health in his later years and died on 19th August, 1969. Only thirty people attended his funeral