The London Palladium Wall of Fame
Celebrating the stars of The London Palladium
“The Wall of Fame will be an intrinsic link between icons of the past and the performers of the future”
Andrew Lloyd Webber
There is no other theatre like The London Palladium. Simply it is the most famous variety theatre in the world. The greatest artists and variety acts of all time have graced its stage. Its spectacular pantomimes are the stuff of legend. It was one of those that I saw back in the 1950s. It was my first visit to a theatre.
As part of the theatre’s ongoing refurbishment, the opportunity arose to create a Wall Of Fame to commemorate for all time the most celebrated artists to have trod the theatre’s boards. The installation was created in metal by the young artist Lee Simmons using astonishing digital processes that are beyond me. But it’s looking fabulous.
The London Palladium is a very special theatre for me, as it is to millions of people all over the world. I am thrilled to pay homage to the performers who have made this theatre what it is today, and there are some gaps for the cream of the next generations who will light up the stage of the greatest variety theatre in the world.
Andrew Lloyd Webber
The stars of The London Palladium
We invited a select number of iconic performers to take their place in our Wall of Fame. This has been no easy process, with thousands of artists nominated. However, we’re proud to include the list of invitees to the Wall of Fame below:
Arthur Askey | Bing Crosby | Bob Hope | Bruce Forsyth | Cilla Black | Cliff Richard | The Crazy Gang | Danny Kaye | Des O’Connor | Frankie Vaughan | Gracie Fields | Jack Benny | Jimmy Tarbuck | Johnnie Ray | Judy Garland | Julian Clary | Ken Dodd | Liberace | Marie Lloyd | Max Bygraves | Max Miller | Nat King Cole | Norman Wisdom | Ronnie Barker | Ronnie Corbett | Sammy Davis Jr | Shirley Bassey | Tom Jones | Tommy Trinder | Tommy Steele | Vera Lynn
Unveiling the Wall of Fame
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Inducting Julian Clary to the Wall of Fame
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About the Artist
Lee Simmons
Born in London, Lee Simmons first studied metalwork and silversmithing at Sheffield Hallam University, followed with a Master’s degree from the Royal College of Art.
Lee’s work is a synthesis that brings together architecture, art and design and exploits the relationship between their blurred peripheries. His technique employs stainless steel which is cut using digital processes, revealing the famous faces of past and present performers of The London Palladium in a graphical perforated manner. This creates a piece of art which can be admired as a façade installation on Great Marlborough Street.
Creating the Wall of Fame
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