Postcard of the week ending
Saturday, 18 January 2003

Walford Bodie (1869-1939)
Scottish variety artist and entertainer

Walford Bodie

(photo: unknown, circa 1910)

This half-tone postcard without photographer's or publisher's credit was probably issued by Walford Bodie about 1910. * * * * * * * * In his entry for Walford Bodie, Roy Busby (British Music Hall, Paul Elek, London and New Hampshire, 1976, p.27) describes him as a 'flamboyant variety artist, who during his career was variously considered to be a great showman, miracle worker and blatant charlatan.' Bodie was born Sam Bodie in Aberdeen on 11 June 1869. He was apprenticed at 14 as an electrician with the National Telephone Co, and two years later made his debut as an entertainer demonstrating the novel wonders of electricity. '… the Scot who made the most money out of Music Hall down the years was the great Walford Bodie… He became interested in "Saturday Evening Entertainments" in his native Aberdeen, and took part in several shows. But his interest in show business was well and truly stimulated when his sister married H. Werner Walford, proprietor of the Connaught Varieties music hall, in Norwich. 'That was in 1897, and Bodie assisted his brother-in-law in the running of the hall, and did an act himself – conjuring and a little ventriloquism. In 1898 Bodie tried his luck as a theatre proprietor – in Macclesfield – but the venture failed. He then went on the hall with his "Royal Magnets" company, which consisted of himself doing conjuring and ventriloquism (in his vent. act Bodie used ten dummies, dressed as nigger minstrels, with himself as interlocutor); his wife, Princess Rubie, doing a second-sight act and signing for good measure; his sister, Mystic Marie, playing the piano and assisting in the mystery, and a galvanic young lady known as "La Belle Electra" who took part in all kinds of weird electrical experiments. Soon Bodie changed his name to "Dr." Walford Bodie, having adopted his sister's married name, and obtained an American degree in Materia Medica… Bodie's great success came a few years later, when he appeared at the old Britannia Theatre, Hoxton, under Tom Barrasford's control, in 1903. His act was now billed as "Electric Wizardry" and cripples and other deformed persons were brought to him in the hope of a cure... By 1906 Bodie was earning £400 a week on the halls – on a par with Paderewski – and had formed a limited company to manufacture "Electric Liniment" for general sale to the public… In later years came frequent "brushes" with the medical profession. For example in 1912 Glasgow University medical students wrecked the electrical apparatus when the Bodie Show was playing at the Coliseum. "Doctor" Bodie – who always said that the letters "M.D." after his name stood for "Merry Devil" – carried on with his "Electric Wizardry" for many years, having many replacements of his young ladies in the process. His first wife having died, Bodie then married Florrie Robertshaw, a 22-year-old chorus girl in his show, at the age of sixty. He then bought a house-boat on the River Thames and gained a reputation for throwing extravagant parties there. The boat was aptly named "La Belle Electra" and a fine sight it looked when lit up at night.' (G.J. Mellor, The Northern Music Hall, Hindson Reid Jordison, Newcastle upon Tyne and Middlesbrough, 1970, pp.99-101) * * * * * * * * DR. WALFORD BODIE AT THE PALACE THEATRE, ABERDEEN, 1899 'Seldom has there been so great enthusiasm witnessed at the Palace Theatre as that last night, when Dr. Walford Bodie, the famous hypnotist, ventriloquist, and electrician, was welcomed back. Dr. Bodie has just come from London, where he was one of the successes – not to say marvels – of the season. He brought upon himself the sneers of the London medical profession on account of his declaration as to the feats he was capable of performing. He invited the doctors and other men of the metropolis likely to be interests, however, to see his exhibition, and 500 medical, scientific, and press men responded. Needless to say, they were almost all sceptical; but in the end they admitted that they were baffled as to how he was able to perform his feats. It was with his London programme that Dr. Bodie came to Aberdeen. His reception was more than hearty. The audience cheered and cheered again when he appeared on the Palace platform, and it was some time ere he was allowed to proceed. His first item – that of showing how a man is electrocuted – was eminently successful and sensational. The death chair is a fac-simile of that in the Sing-Sing Prison, New York, and into it a man was strapped. Dr. Bodie explained that 150 volts is sufficient to kill a man, yet by hypnotizing the subject the doctor can pass thousands of volts through his body with impunity. The current having been turned on to the chair, in a moment the man's frame became rigid, the electricity sparkled, and something of the awfulness of an execution was borne to the audience, which remained spellbound. Dr. Bodie watched his subject closely, and when the face became black the current was switched off. After vigorous slapping the "electrocuted" man was restored to consciousness. Dr. Bodie explained that over 2,000 volts had been passed through the man's system. The suspension of a hypnotized lady in a horizontal position about four feet from the ground was the next item, and his was followed by the mesmerizing of several young men, the amusing antics performed by them on the platform sending the audience into fits of laughter. Dr. Bodie has some interesting items in his programme. He can light arc lamps, for instance, with his naked hands, passing powerful currents of 4,000 volts through his system, treating the death-dealing current with the confidence of a child handling a doll. The exhibition is a marvellously clever one, and should be seen by everyone who has any interest whatever in the discoveries of science, and, in particular, electricity. "Decidedly thrilling and sensational" must have been the verdict of the thousands who assembled to discover for themselves what species of human being the "world-renowned and awe-inspiring" Dr. Walford Bodie really was. Few, indeed, would forget the striking personality of the doctor himself, let alone his experiments or séances. Luxuriant jet-black hair and moustache, with dark, piercing eyes, with a pleasing smile, a very Dr. Nikola personified, such a one is Dr. Bodie. The doctor is supported by his own company of variety artists. – Vide Aberdeen Journal. (The Era, London, Saturday, 19 August 1899, p.16c) * * * * * * * * There are many sites with information about Walford Bodie, among which are the following : The North East Folk Archive The Ballater Eagle On-line Gordon Irving, 'A Master Showman – Without Modesty' * * * * * * * * Walford Bodie died on 19 October 1939. * * * * * * * *

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© John Culme, 2003