SAY IT WITH FLOWERS

Original 10 inch x 7 1/2 inch Portrait of music hall comedian CHARLES COBORN in the 1933 John Baxter Musical SAY IT WITH FLOWERS.

Warm-hearted Cockneys stage a show to help a sick flower-seller.

Charles Coborn was born Charles Whitton McCallum in 1852, and adopted his stage name from Coborn Road, near Mile End. In a long career, Coborn was known largely for two comic songs: Two Lovely Black Eyes and The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo by Fred Gilbert, in 1892.

Portrait by Cyril Stanborough, with his stamp on the reverse. Stanborough entered the film industry as still cameraman in 1920 after several years Press photographic work. He worked in most of the British Studios including Twickenham Film Studios. He served in the army in both world wars, going to East Africa with the Royal Pioneer Corps and afterwards transferred to the Intelligence Corps, and for a time was in charge of East Africa Command Photographic section. He executed stills on Great Expectations (Cineguild), The Upturned Glass (Sydney Box), They Made Me A Fugitive (Alliance), This Was A Woman (Excelsior), etc. Then became chief still cameraman for Gainsborough Pictures, Islington.

The portrait is in very good condition with a small piece detached and replaced with archival conservation tape in the top left corner.