King’s Country Club Eastbourne – 1975

Martin Richter… impressive line-up !

Patricia Lloyd… Loved kings

Julie Morris… Often went on a Thursday night – loved it!

John Scaife… Peter Gordeno -Commader & The Pilot of Sky 1 (Submarine in UFO)

David Edwards… Imagine Ella Fitzgerald like a diamond atop a pile of also tans, Kings certainly pulled out all the stops there!

Jim Hobbs… Fair comment, but to give them their due, the others on the line up were big UK stars in their day.

Tony Court-holmes… Andre and i worked there

Cliff Bennett… What a programme!!!!????

Colin Creagh… Just look at the names

Terry Pack… The sad thing is that most ‘entertainment’ in Eastbourne is unchanged in 45 years. The Devonshire Theatre has pantos and Agatha Christie, the Congress has bands from the 60s, comics from the 70s and orchestral music from the 1800s, and the Bandstand has tribute bands all Summer. The idea that a musician like Ella could do a week long residency these days… if only.

Richard Cripps… Mum and Dad owned a chalet there, spent so many memorable years there from the age of 8 [1971] until it closed. Had the opportunity to see sooo many stars of the time there… and then across the road to the disco. Any one remember Nan on reception? or Barry the house drummer?

Michael Williams… I lived at Kings, as my father was public relations officer, I remember him introducing the acts on stage including Sandie Shaw, Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck , Dusty Springfield and loads more. My father had an album with him shaking hands with all the stars before he introduced them on stage. That would have been the sixties.

Robert Searle… Clark-Elsom Collection,who remembers them? What ever happened to Graham Clark, the bass player?

Perri Ann Haste… I used to go there in the Mid to late seventies – always had a great time! – happy days… those were the days eh

Julie Morris… Thursday nights Perri – and still went to work the next day

Tony Court-holmes… went there a few times

Mavis Johnson… I was life guard at Kings swimming

Brenda Moore… There seems to be no mention of the Mick Urry Orchestra that my husband used to play in regularly Tenor Sax . The whole family used to pile down there at weekends. Great fun. Brenda Moore (Ringmer).

Janine Hemsley… I was in the Mick Urry band at the time.

Ricky Long… yes so was I xx

Harry Randall… I used to be on the same record label as “Paperlace” Bus Stop Recòrds a small record company owned by Mitch Murrey and Peter Callender back in 73. Only took 10 1/2 hours to record the A side

Stuart Moir… Played there with CP in a support role

Peter Brazier…Only ever went there once! To see Don William’s! A Great Show! Another Act who is sadly missed

Joe Kinnear… (In reply to Mavis Johnson) Remember you Mavis. I was a lifeguard between 1970 and 1974 with a lad called Doug Reynolds. Then became a children’s entertainer with uncle Sid and aunty jo. Great memories!

Mike Curtis… I have Ella Fitzgerald’s autograph from one of those nights

Mark Rodrigues… Ella in Eastbourne!

Stewart Grimes… I remember seeing Ella Fitzgerald there,  she was simply superb,  we were very close to her I will never forget it, saw the Three Degrees there too, powerful vocals!

Claire Hamill… I can’t believe the great Ella Fitzgerald was in Eastbourne!!! My goddess!

Alan King… I saw her with Oscar Peterson at Ayresome Park of all places, in the late 70’s

Liane Carroll… Thanks Alan. I used to go here lots when I was 13 to 14. Just look at this line up. I absolutely love this. I used to fancy Peter Gordeno. I think he turned up in Crossroads once. Saw Kenny Ball there loads of times. But look at the bottom box. tucked away almost ( a 7 night residency ) £7.50 including dinner, dance and cabaret, the cabaret being one of the most incredible jazz singers of all time…….

Lin Greenfield… Used to go there also saw Drifters

Marilyn Lyons… Ella

Terry Percival-Smith… I just remember Peter Gordeno as Carlin in UFO, the 1970 television show created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson

Christine Kaschewski… I saw Ella Fitzgerald there, how lucky was I x

Jennifer Milne… Allan Stewart still does panto every year at Edinburgh Kings Theatre. He’s the best Panto Dame we have

John Altman… Played there with Hot Chocolate and have some funny stories

Nicky Baldwin… Great memories. I remember seeing Showaddywaddy, Allan Stewart and Wayne Fontana and the mindbenders, to name but a few

John Standen… Great memories of Kings saw the Platters and Del Shannon

Tim Moose Bruce… 3 Degrees played there with the added company of Prince Charles

Billy Darlington… Les Dawson were a popular beat group from France.

Alan King… there was a band in Deptford / New X back in the early 90’s called Los Dawsons

Peter Scott… Poignant memories of seeing Gerry Marsden at this venue

Andy Davies… The only gig I wish I’d been to with my parents was Ella Fitzgerald they loved it although I think that by this point Ella was more or less chair bound.

Jean Brett… We used to go every week

Susan Duvall… Met my husband there 50 years ago this March

Nick Jay… I loved Kings – went there many times when I lived in Eastbourne. I saw Mike Reid when he performed in 1976 or 77 for our (private) Labrokes Christmas party. He was amazing. Saw Jimmy Jones (‘kin ‘ell) many times as well as an Australian Hypnotist whose name escapes me now, amongst others. We also had our CB meets there every fortnight on a Saturday or Sunday night of which I was on the committee in 1981/2. Who remembers the hilarious dwarf comedian in the wheelchair? If memory serves it was Rusty Goff, who went on to be one of the Ommpah Lumpahs in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and I believe a wookie in The Empire Strikes back. Happy days.

Derek Clemens… When did you work for Ladbrokes?

Mick O’Dowd… Not a tribute act in sight!

Karen Alison… I used to go there as a kid to the family things must of been the Sunday lunchtimes and try and get picked to go on the stage

Katherine Jane Clayton… Does anyone remember the house band ‘Breakaway’ at Kings, two great girl singers and a fab band. From Kathy, North West Of England, with fond memories of the South x

Robert Weeks…  (message to Mavis Johnson) I remember you Mavis. You would dive in and swim underwater the length and back again. We were very impressed.

Angela Taylor (message to Mavis Johnson) I remember you well. As a little girl of about 10, I started to get into difficulties in the pool and you saved me. Many thanks

Andy Davies… My Parents went to see Ella Fitzgerald there, it was the only gig (apart from Sinatra) they went to that I wish I had gone to also.

Gill Henry-Davies… I won first prize in the raffle once! A whole gallon of Courvoisier brandy . Topped up mum and dads decanter a very old fashioned thing that looked like a cannon on wheels for ages!

Rick Bonner… Great venue, my dad Peter had a residency there in the 1970s and me in the 1980s. Such a shame that places like this have closed down.

Joe Knight… Great place, but wasn’t till early 90ts for me

Nick Bloomfield… I only went once circa 1979 and saw Mike Reid. Didn’t really enjoy his humour pretty blue and unfunny. I missed all the good ones!