{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O87121"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O87121/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AK9312/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AK9312/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AK9312","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O87121","accessionNumber":"S.131:70-2002","objectType":"Caricature","titles":[{"title":"Sydney Howard in <i>Oh! You Letty</i>","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This caricature shows Sydney Howard (1885-1946) as Mr Simmons in <i>Oh! You Letty</i> at the Oxford New Theatre on 1 December 1937. It was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn't needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums.\r\n\r\nThe comedian Sydney Howard made his first professional appearance with a concert party in 1912 and went on to tour in revue and musical theatre and appear in West End productions including <i>Hit The Deck</i>, London Hippodrome (1927), and <i>Funny Face</i>, Prince's (1928).  <i>Oh! You Letty</i>, the sole musical written by its composer Paul Sharon, opened in London at the Palace Theatre on 8 December, the week after its try-out in Oxford, and closed after 71 performances.  Sydney Howard played the man trying to woo the affections of the film star Letty Lithe, played by Phyllis Stanley.  Sydney Howard is perhaps best remembered now as the drunken photographer in the 1942 film of  J.B. Priestley's play <i>When We Are Married</i>.","physicalDescription":"Pencil caricature of Sydney Howard in <i>Oh! You Letty</i>, New Theatre, Oxford, 1 December 1937. From a hard-backed sketch book containing caricatures of theatrical performers and entertainers drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Sommerlad, Gilbert","id":"A5980"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"pencil","id":"x30347"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pencil on paper","categories":[{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Caricatures & Cartoons","id":"THES48983"},{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2006AK9312"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"008","id":"THES356599"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"caricatures","id":"AAT15634"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Oxford","id":"x31203"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1 December 1937","earliest":"1937-12-01","latest":"1937-12-01"},"association":{"text":"dated","id":"AAT54714"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Michael Sommerlad","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"19.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"12.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Gilbert Sommerlad was a member of the resident orchestra at the New Theatre, Oxford when he drew this caricature.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Pencil caricature by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976) of Stanley Howard as Mr Simmons in <i>Oh! You Letty</i> by Paul Sharon, New Theatre Oxford, 1 December 1937.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Howard, Stanley","id":"N3344"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.131:70-2002"],"accessionNumberNum":"131","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2002,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-24","recordCreationDate":"2003-12-12","availableToBook":true}}