Charles Penrose
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- For the counselor of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, see Charles W. Penrose.
Charles Penrose (11 November 1873 – 17 November 1952) was a music hall and theatre performer, and later radio comedian, who is best known for his unusual comic song "The Laughing Policeman".
Charles Penrose was born Frank Penrose Cawse in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, the son of a master watchmaker and jeweller. His parents re-registered him as Charles Penrose Dunbar Cawse shortly after his birth.
He initially followed his father into the jewellery trade, but enjoyed such success with his innovative laughing songs at local concert parties that he was invited to join a theatrical tour at the age of 18. His theatrical career took off, and he appeared in music hall and the West End. One of his most successful performances was in Tonight's the Night at the Gaiety Theatre, London in 1914-15.
Penrose married architect's daughter Harriet Lewcock in 1899. However, his second wife, songwriter Mabel Anderson, 26 years younger than him, became his most important collaborator. In 1922, Penrose made the first recording of his extraordinary song ‘’The Laughing Policeman’’ under the pseudonym "Charles Jolly". The composition of the song is officially credited to his wife Mabel under the pseudonym "Billie Grey". The Penroses wrote numerous other laughing songs (‘’The Laughing Major’’, ‘’Curate’’, ‘’Steeplechaser’’, ‘’Typist’’, ‘’Lover’’, etc), but only ‘’The Laughing Policeman’’ is remembered today, having sold over a million records. Its popularity continued into the 1970s, as it was a frequently-requested song on the BBC Light Programme show ‘’Children's Favourites’’.
Penrose was one of the first comedians to star on BBC Radio, his most popular role being Sgt. Bob Evergreen in the wartime radio series ‘’The Pig and Whistle’’. He was also a character actor in a number of films in the 1930s and 1940s. Charles Penrose died of heart disease on 17 November 1952 at the Princess Beatrice Hospital, Kensington, aged 79.
