Bert Levy

Bert Levy – Australia's first global Vaudeville star

Bert backs up criticism of London poverty with action..

Despite being engaged to perform before Royalty on July 21st 1909, Bert went ahead with the Benefit Concert to raise money for the children of London’s East End five days earlier.

Bert’s benefit had a dual purpose – raise money for the waifs of the East End to have a day in the country with food and also to promote American artists who were on the whole struggling in London. (more on this to come)

The paying guests to the Benefit included –

Lillian Russell
Amelia Bingham
Mrs Whitelaw Reid wife of politician and newspaper editor Whitelaw Reid.
Gladys Marie Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (née Deacon; 7 February 1881 – 13 October 1977) was a French American aristocrat and socialite. She was the mistress and later the second wife of Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough.
Margaret Howard, Countess of Suffolk born Margaret Hyde Leiter (1879 – 5 March 1968) was an American-born heiress who married into the British aristocracy and was known as one of the “Dollar Princesses.”
Mrs J W Mackay was a very rich American Industrialist. His wife was Marie Louise Hungerford, a native New Yorker. Snubbed by New York society, Louise moved to Paris where Mackay purchased a large mansion for her where his wealth enabled her to become a noted society hostess for two decades, entertaining royalty and throwing lavish parties.

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