{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O87255"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O87255/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AK9341/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AK9341/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AK9341","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O87255","accessionNumber":"S.131:99-2002","objectType":"Caricature","titles":[{"title":"Arthur Askey as a bee","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This caricature shows Arthur Askey (1900-1982) depicted as a bee to celebrate his popular 'Busy Bee' song, as sung in a Variety programme at the Oxford New Theatre in August 1949. 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\nArthur Askey spent years as a seaside entertainer before becoming a national star through the 1948 radio programme <i>Band Waggon</i> with Richard Murdoch, in which he coined his catch-phrases ‘Ay thang yow!’ and ‘Hello playmates.’ In the cinema he was seen as the successor to stars such as George Formby and Sid Fields, and on stage he became legendary for his trademark song ‘The Busy Bee’.","physicalDescription":"Pencil caricature of Arthur Askey as a bee, New Theatre Oxford, 4 August 1949. 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":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"pencil","id":"x30347"}],"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":["2006AK9341"],"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":"4 August 1949","earliest":"1949-08-04","latest":"1949-08-04"},"association":{"text":"dated","id":"AAT54714"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Michael Sommerlad","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"24.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"16.7","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 of Arthur Askey as a bee, New Theatre Oxford, Gilbert Sommerlad, 4 August 1949","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Askey, Arthur","id":"N3404"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.131:99-2002"],"accessionNumberNum":"131","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2002,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-24","recordCreationDate":"2003-12-12","availableToBook":true}}