Born to Dance

by June Tate

  When he’d visited his father in Pentonville prison and told him of his plans, his father, Bill, had had a fit! ‘You young fool! If you take on Wally Cole, you will have signed your own death warrant,’ the old man had warned.

  But Gerry had brushed the warning aside. ‘He’s getting too old in the tooth,’ he brashly proclaimed. ‘It’s time for a change. I’ve got some good men behind me, all ready for the fight. You see, Dad, I’m going to be king of the jungle.’

  ‘Better men than you have tried and failed,’ Bill snapped.

  This angered his son. ‘I can never win with you, can I? All my life, whatever I do, you knock down in flames. Well, just you wait and see, I’m going to be bigger than you everywhere. Look at you! A failure – serving time. Well, I’m not going down the same road. I’ll never end up behind bars like you have.’

  His father looked coldly at him. ‘You couldn’t have said a truer word, boy. You’ll end up at the bottom of the Thames tied to a cement block.’

  Gerry rose from his chair so quickly it crashed to the ground. The warders on duty looked quickly to see what had caused the noise, but young Gerry was striding out of the visiting room, cheeks flushed with anger.

  He’d show the old man! One day his father would have to eat his words and he would sit back and enjoy the moment. But for now he would lie low, knowing that Wally Cole would no doubt be planning some kind of retribution.

  It came very quickly. Giles Gilmore walked to his car from the bank, carrying the money for the wages for his staff. He drove to the stage door and parked the vehicle. Leaning into the car he picked up his briefcase. Before he knew what was happening, two masked men grabbed him, knocking him to the ground, taking the case with the money from his grasp.

  ‘Here, Gerry, take this,’ said one and they both ran to a waiting car and drove off.

  The stunned impresario got to his feet, unable to believe what had happened. He rushed into the stage door and rang the police. ‘This is Giles Gilmore at the Adelphi Theatre, I’ve just been robbed!’ he reported. ‘Two men jumped me and took a bag containing the week’s wages.’

  The stage doorkeeper looked at him with a shocked expression, seeing the lump beginning to form on the other’s face. ‘Are you all right, Mr Gilmore?’

  ‘No, I’m not! You heard what happened. I’ll be in the office when the police come,’ he said and walked off.

  Word quickly spread and Rob rushed to Giles’s office. Giles was sitting at his desk holding an ice pack to his face.

  ‘I’ve just heard. Is it right that they got away with the wages for the staff?’

  ‘Every penny! They caught me totally unawares. Bastards!’ He looked at Rob. ‘We can ill afford the loss. Money is really tight right now.’

  At that moment two detectives arrived to question him. Giles told them what had happened and about one calling out the name Gerry.

  The two men looked at one another. ‘Gerry Pike?’ said one.

  ‘That’s a bit careless, isn’t it?’ remarked the other.

  ‘A little too contrived for my liking,’ said his associate. Turning to Gilmore he asked, ‘Did you always go alone to the bank to collect the wages, sir?’

  ‘Yes, always,’

  ‘Not very bright of you, if you don’t mind my saying.’

  Giles let out a deep sigh. ‘So it would seem. Hindsight is not always useful, but in future I’ll make sure I have someone with me.’

  ‘Just how much money are we talking about?’

  When Giles told them, one let out a whistle of surprise. They made notes of all the details in their notebooks and left the building, promising to look into it right away.

  Turning to Rob Andrews, who had waited, Giles said, ‘I’ll have to go back to the bank and draw more money. Will you come with me?’

  ‘Of course. Just let me talk to the cast and then I’ll be back.’

  Wally Cole grinned broadly when his two men delivered the wages they had snatched. ‘How did it go?’ he asked.

  ‘Piece of cake, guv. The bloke didn’t know what hit him.’

  ‘Did you use Gerry’s name like I told you?’

  They smiled. ‘Oh yes, and loud enough for the geezer to hear. Should prove interesting.’

  ‘Well, that will give young Gerry Pike something to think about, because the Old Bill will be all over him for a while. That will clip his wings, that’s for sure.’

  Pike was indeed surprised when two detectives called at his home. He led them into the front room when they said they wanted to question him either there or at the station. At first he was puzzled as to their reason for calling, but he soon realized, when they told him about the robbery, that Cole had been quick to make his move.

  ‘I know nothing about this,’ he protested.

  ‘Where were you at eleven o’clock this morning, Mr Pike?’

  ‘I was here at home.’

  ‘Can anyone verify that?’

  ‘No, I was alone. I haven’t been outside the door.’

  ‘What about your neighbours?’ one of the men asked. ‘Would they have seen you?’

  Gerry frowned, knowing that the people on both sides would be at work. He shook his head. ‘They leave early in the morning.’

  ‘Mind if we have a look round?’ he was asked.

  ‘Do you have a search warrant?’

  ‘Do we need one? After all, if you’ve nothing to hide …’

  The inference was plain enough and Gerry, knowing there was nothing in the house that was illegal, decided not to be difficult. ‘Help yourself,’ he said and lit a cigarette. Picking up yesterday’s paper, he sat down.

  The two detectives searched the house but nothing untoward was found and so they left. As he closed the door behind them, Gerry Pike wondered why they had called on him. The detectives must have had a reason and he surmised that Wally Cole was behind all of this and in some way had implicated him. Well, now the game was on and he would have to really watch his back.

  Later that day, after rehearsals, Felix the chorus boy went to Foxy Gordon’s gym for a massage and told the fight promoter what had happened earlier to Giles. ‘Two men knocked him down and ran off with the wages.’

  Foxy frowned. ‘Didn’t you get paid then?’

  ‘Oh yes. Mr Gilmore had to draw more money from the bank. He didn’t look too happy, I can tell you.’

  ‘I bet he didn’t,’ said Foxy, surmising that a lot of money would be involved. ‘Do the police have any idea as to who might have done this?’

  ‘I did overhear one of the detectives talk about a Gerry Pike. Do you know him?’

  The local underworld had been gossiping about the bank robberies, and word was out that it was down to this young bloke who was trying to muscle in on Cole’s territory. Every small-time criminal was watching the situation with interest, wondering if Wally was about to be toppled from his high position. Some praying that it was so. Others, who were old hands, praying that this wouldn’t end in gang warfare. That was never good for anyone in their game; it brought too much interest in their activities from the local police force.

  All this intrigue was lost on the cast and crew of the show that was about to open. The final dress rehearsal was over, opening night was twenty-four hours away and everybody’s nerves were on edge. A great deal of money had been invested in Broadway Melody and its success would make or break everyone that was involved.

  Giles was a bundle of nerves in case anything major went wrong, Rob was praying that his choreography would live up to his expectations and that the scenery was secure, and backstage the engineers were busy checking all the mechanics that were needed to make things move as scheduled.

  Bonny Burton, though excited, was well aware that this could make or break her. If she didn’t deliver, the show could flop.

  Mickey O’Halleran was on hand to give her confidence. ‘Look, darlin’, even before a fight I still get screwed up inside. The adrenalin starts pumping and I wonder if I can beat the other bloke, but I tr
y and make it work for me. I know I’m good at my job, you know you are good at yours. Use all this to your advantage. You go out on that stage and do what you do best. The adrenalin will give you extra energy. You love your work, as I do. Enjoy every moment.’

  He held her close and kissed her. ‘You, princess, have star quality. I know it, Rob Andrews knows it and so does Giles Gilmore. After the opening night, the British public will know it too!’

  She hugged him. ‘Oh, Mickey, thank goodness you’re around.’

  ‘I’ll always be around, you know that. Now come outside, there’s something I think you should see.’

  Outside the front of the theatre in bright lights was the name of the show. Broadway Melody. Starring Bonny Burton. ‘There, take a look. This is just what you’ve been working for and you deserve it.’

  Bonny was speechless. She’d always entered the theatre at the stage door entrance and hadn’t seen the front of the theatre. Had never even thought about looking. Now she gazed at the words with shining eyes. ‘My parents are going to be so proud when they see that,’ she said.

  ‘Of course they will, and you will be a hit. I’ll have to send a bodyguard to keep all the stage-door Johnnies away from my girl.’

  She flung her arms about him. ‘You never need worry about them,’ she told him. ‘You are the only man for me and you know it!’

  ‘Come on,’ he said, ‘we’ll go for a quiet drink and then I’ll take you home, you need a good rest before tomorrow. I’ll be in the stalls to watch you perform. I’ll be the proudest man in Britain … apart from maybe your dad!’

  Opening night was Gala Night and the public and VIPs arrived in full evening dress. The pavement was thronged with people; cars and taxis queued in line to drop off their fares. There was a buzz of excitement in the air. Stars from screen and radio arrived. The critics took their seats, wondering if their copy in the papers the following morning would sing the praises of the new production or be a damning report.

  Inside the theatre, the cast were in their dressing rooms preparing for the big night. The stagehands and lighting crew were working like mad for the moment when the curtain went up. The orchestra tuned their instruments. The lights dimmed, silence fell in the auditorium, the overture began … and finally the curtain rose.

  There was a gasp from the audience when they saw the exquisite scenery depicting Broadway and Times Square with its hustle and bustle as the cast danced on to the stage to the music of George M. Cohan’s ‘Give My Regards To Broadway’. The stage was a whirl as the dancers covered the area and then Bonny Burton appeared. It was as if she had wings on her feet as she danced across the stage. The audience were mesmerized by the young woman and the applause at the end was thunderous.

  Giles Gilmore and Rob Andrews, standing at the back of the stalls, let out a sigh of relief, and when the following numbers before the interval were received as rapturously, Giles shook Rob vigorously by the hand. ‘By George, I do believe we have a hit on our hands. Thank God for that!’

  Rob was equally excited. ‘Come along,’ he said, ‘let’s go to the bar and mix with the crowd. If we eavesdrop on them we’ll be able to hear what they say.’ And the two men took off.

  In the bar the patrons were fulsome in their praise:

  ‘Great show!’

  ‘Love the dancers and the scenery, have you ever seen anything quite like it?’

  ‘That girl Bonny Burton is amazing!’

  These were only a few of the remarks, and the two men were thrilled.

  The second half began equally as well. The Astaire–Rogers number went fantastically and by now there was an air of excitement at the front and back of the stage. This was an exceptional production, one that would make box office history, was the opinion of the critics, who were duly impressed about what they were seeing. All of them taken with the energy and talent of the new leading lady, whose dancing had left them breathless with her energy, personality and talent. This girl was a star!

  Mickey O’Halleran had slipped backstage during the interval to see Bonny. He’d hugged her and said, ‘You were sensational, princess. I am so proud of you, I could burst!’

  She’d been in her element. ‘Oh, Mickey, the audience is wonderful; they really seem to like the show.’

  ‘You should be in the stalls with me,’ he’d told her. He’d kissed her forehead. ‘They love you, darlin’, and why wouldn’t they. You danced your socks off.’ He’d left her soon after so she could get ready for the second half of the show.

  When the final number opened, the audience was thrilled with the scene of the ocean liner waiting to sail, and when eventually Bonny had danced among the luggage, made her way on-board, and the ship began to move as the curtain fell, the whole of the audience rose to their feet, clapping wildly.

  Bonny lost count of the numerous curtain calls at the end of the show and the number of bouquets that were presented to her. Flushed with excitement, she finally made her way to her dressing room and collapsed on to the settee. Exhilarated yet exhausted.

  Rob Andrews tapped on Bonny’s door and burst in. He lifted her off the settee and twirled her round in his arms, then kissed her soundly. ‘Thank you, Bonny, you were stupendous!’ he cried. He was smiling and his eyes glistened with excitement. ‘You danced like a woman possessed.’ And he kissed her again just as Mickey O’Halleran walked into the room.

  He stopped for just a moment then jovially said, ‘Take your hands off my girl, Andrews, or I’ll have to take you apart.’

  Bonny rushed over to Mickey and clung to him. ‘Wasn’t it great? Didn’t everybody do well?’

  Holding her he said, ‘They did, princess, and they loved you too … but not as much as I do, of course,’ and he gave a hard stare at the dance director as he spoke.

  Rob walked towards the door. ‘Well done, Bonny. I always knew you were star material.’ He looked at Mickey. ‘Giles has booked a table at the Cafe Royal for us so we can celebrate and wait for the early editions of the papers. Will you join us?’

  ‘Thanks, Rob. Giles has already invited me, and of course I’ll be there with Bonny. I want to see her face when she reads her reviews. Let me see you out,’ he said pointedly and opened the door.

  Twenty

  At the Cafe Royal, Giles, Mickey, Bonny, her parents and her friend Shirley, with Rob Andrews, drank champagne and ate whilst they waited for the early editions. Both Millie and Frank Burton were overwhelmed by the evening. To see their daughter’s name in lights had been such a thrill but the high standard of the production and Bonny’s skill as a dancer had taken their breath away. They found it hard to believe this was their little girl, grown up and starring in a musical. It was almost beyond their comprehension.

  Frank took Bonny’s hand in his. ‘I am so proud of you,’ he said.

  Knowing her father’s concern for her when she moved to London and his scepticism, Bonny knew that such a comment was praise indeed. ‘Thanks, Dad, that means everything to me.’

  Various diners in the restaurant, who had seen the show, came over to the table and congratulated Bonny on her performance. She blushed with embarrassment at their praise and thanked them.

  Putting an arm around her, Mickey grinned broadly. ‘There you are, princess, you’re a star and this is just the beginning.’

  Her eyes bright with excitement, she laughed. ‘I’m not sure I’m ready for that.’

  ‘You won’t have a choice. After tonight’s performance you will be established in musical theatre, you wait and see.’

  He was proved correct when the papers arrived. The critics were ecstatic with their comments. A NEW STAR TAKES THE STAGE was one headline. BEST MUSICAL OF THE YEAR, wrote another. BONNY BURTON TAKES THE STAGE BY STORM, wrote a third.

  Giles ordered more champagne.

  Shirley rose from her chair and rushed over to Bonny and hugged her. ‘I’m so happy for you, Bonny love. You’re really on your way now and I’m delighted to be a part of it all!’

  ‘Oh, S
hirley, who would ever have thought it, when you remember how we first met and how it all began!’

  There was great jubilation that evening, and the other diners joined in the celebrations. The atmosphere at the Cafe Royal that night was charged with excitement until Giles eventually called a halt. ‘Come along everybody,’ he said. ‘My star needs her rest otherwise she won’t be fit to dance tomorrow night.’ He hugged her. ‘Well done, Bonny, I knew you had the potential when I first saw you and you didn’t disappoint me. You are going to be the biggest name in musical theatre for many a year.’

  She didn’t know what to say. All she had ever wanted to do was dance. She had never ever dreamed of stardom. Her greatest ambition had been to be in a West End production. Beyond that had never occurred to her, and deep down she found being a star somewhat daunting.

  Mickey sensed her discomfort, and he arranged for a taxi to take her parents to their hotel and another for him and Bonny.

  They slipped into their hotel by the back way. ‘After the papers today, we are going to have to knock this on the head,’ he told her as they snuggled together between the sheets.

  ‘What do you mean?’ she asked.

  ‘Because the reporters will be watching you, princess. One whiff of scandal and it will make headlines. You must appear whiter that white, which means we can’t book in here again.’

  ‘Oh, Mickey, that will be terrible.’

  ‘I know, darlin’, but in time we will be able to announce our engagement, then things will be different. Anyway, I have a fight coming up soon, so I’ll be tied up for a while.’