George Robey (1869–1954) was an English comedian, singer and actor in musical theatre, known as one of the greatest music hall performers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Robey mixed everyday situations and observations with comic absurdity, and was a popular Christmas pantomime performer. His notable successes during the First World War included the hit revue The Bing Boys Are Here, in which he sang "If You Were the Only Girl (In the World)". Born in London to a middle-class family, he made his debut on stage at age 21 as the straight man to a comic hypnotist. He soon developed his own music hall act. In 1892, he appeared in his first pantomime, Whittington Up-to-date. He starred in the Royal Command Performance in 1912 and regularly entertained before aristocracy. In 1913 he debuted in film, but with only modest success.

From 1918, he created sketches based on his character, the Prime

Minister of Mirth. He played Falstaff in Henry IV, Part 1 in 1935, and again in Laurence Olivier's 1944 film. During the Second World War, Robey raised money for charities and promoted recruitment into the forces. He was knighted a few months before his death.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Robey

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1781:

The crew of the overcrowded British slave ship Zong killed 133 African slaves by dumping them into the sea to claim insurance. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zong_massacre

1864:

American Indian Wars: A 700-man Colorado Territory militia attacked a village of Cheyenne and Arapaho, killing 133 Cheyenne and Arapaho men, women, and children. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_Creek_massacre

1890:

The Diet of Japan (pictured in session), a bicameral legislature modelled after both the German Reichstag and the British Westminster system, first met after the Meiji Constitution went into effect. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Diet

1947:

The United Nations General Assembly voted to approve the Partition Plan for Palestine, a plan to resolve the Arab–Israeli conflict in the British Mandate of Palestine by separating the territory into Jewish and Arab states. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Partition_Plan_for_Palestine

1972:

Atari released Pong, one of the first video games to achieve widespread popularity in both the arcade and home console markets. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pong

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

capacious: Having a lot of space inside; roomy. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/capacious

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Write on my gravestone: "Infidel, Traitor" — infidel to every church that compromises with wrong; traitor to every government that oppresses the people.   --Wendell Phillips https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Wendell_Phillips