{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O187179"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O187179/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014GX2925/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014GX2925/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014GX2925","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O187179","accessionNumber":"S.6119-2009","objectType":"Drawing","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"George Robey (1869–1954) was one of Britain’s most successful music hall comedians, a master of comic songs, caricatures and sketches, who became known as 'the Prime Minister of Mirth'. He made his first appearance on the London stage at the Aquarium in 1891, and after appearing at London's Oxford Music Hall in the same year, he was engaged for most of the leading halls. Robey was known for his  ‘trademark’ hat - a semi-clerical bowler - and enormous black eyebrows which he raised quizzically to great comic effect. He could make audiences cry helplessly with laughter just by coming on stage and looking at them, asking them to 'desist from this unseemly merriment'. He was one of the music hall performers to make the change from the halls and variety to revue, appearing in <i>The Bing Boys Are Here</i> at the Alhambra Theatre in 1916, followed by <i>The Bing Boys on Broadway</i>, also at the Alhambra, in 1918.  He received a knighthood in 1954, the year of his death.","physicalDescription":"Pen and ink self-portrait line drawing by George Robey (1869-1954), on the back of a post-card.  Head and shoulders portrait showing him looking to the left, his nose hatched in red, wearing a collarless jacket and bowler hat. Signed in ink: 'Good luck. Geo. Robey'.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Robey, George","id":"A24496"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"pen and ink on post card","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2014GX2925"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"008","id":"THES356678"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawings","id":"AAT33973"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"c.1930","earliest":"1925-01-01","latest":"1934-12-31"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Gwendoline Playle","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"14.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"8.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Good luck  Geo. Robey","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed in ink below the image"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Self-portrait of George Robey (1869-1954). Pen and ink. Given by Gwendoline Playle.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Robey, George","id":"N8064"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"bowlers","id":"AAT46103"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.6119-2009"],"accessionNumberNum":"6119","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2009,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-09","recordCreationDate":"2009-02-10","availableToBook":true}}