{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1430745"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1430745/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2018KY6101/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2018KY6101/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2018KY6101","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1430745","accessionNumber":"S.90-2018","objectType":"Poster","titles":[{"title":"Harry Lester's Comedians","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Poster advertising <i>Harry Lester's Comedians</i>, Alma Theatre, Luton, c.1951. Born in Texas in 1895, Harry Lester arrived in England in 1915 alongside his parents and brother. They made their debut at the Victoria Palace Theatre as the Four Aerial Lesters in 1916. Lester was skilled in acrobatics, wire-walking, close harmony singing and played a number of musical instruments, and often adapted his performances to whatever was the then craze.\n\nIt was the enthusiasm for country-western music in the 1930s that proved to be Lester's greatest success - falling back on his early days in Texas, Lester developed a new Wild West revue: Harry Lester and his Hayseeds. At the begnning of each show Lester would introduce his band, the Hayseeds, by saying \"Yes, folks, its your Country Cousins come to town!\". This cowboy-themed comedy band - consisting of Goofus \"the yodelling nitwit\", Pee Wee Pete, Cicero, Pappy, Jud, Wheezy, Zeke and Guppy - regularly toured throughout the 1940s both on stage and on radio, and performed together until Lester's retirement in 1957.\n","physicalDescription":"Poster advertising Harry Lester's Comedians, Alma Theatre, Luton. The poster lists in large bold red typeface the show's title, <i>Harry Lester's Comedians</i>, next to a portrait of Harry Lester dressed in his signature cowboy outfit. Below the title are listed the stars of the comedy band, Harry Lester and his Hayseeds - including Goofus, Pee Wee Pete, Cicero, Pappy, Judd, Wheezy, Zeke and Guppy. Also listed are Carol McCoy & The Farmer's Beautiful Daughters, Chris Sands, King Kong Jr, the Corn Cob Opera company, The Return of Dracula and Spectrum Silhouettes.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"designers","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"},{"text":"card","id":"x30344"}],"techniques":[{"text":"printing","id":"AAT53319"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Printed ink on card","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"},{"text":"Advertising","id":"THES49001"},{"text":"Variety","id":"THES269955"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2018KY6101"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES356743"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"posters","id":"AAT27221"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"c.1951","earliest":"1946-01-01","latest":"1955-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Width","value":"25.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"37.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":" ","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Poster advertising <i>Harry Lester's Comedians</i>, Alma Theatre, Luton, c.1951","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.90-2018"],"accessionNumberNum":"90","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2018,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-17","recordCreationDate":"2018-02-01","availableToBook":true}}