Ida Barr (singer)

Barr was born at Regent's Park Barracks, London on 17 January 1882. Her father, William Barlow, is believed to have been a soldier, although Maud described him as a retired civil servant on her marriage certificate.[1][2]

She made her stage debut in 1898 as a chorus girl at the Theatre Royal, Belfast.[3] Initially calling herself Maud Laverne, she first used the stage-name Ida Barr in 1908 at London's Bedford Theatre.[4]

Barr married comedian Samuel 'Gus' Harris[5] (billed as "the only Yiddisher Scotsman in the Irish Fusiliers"[6]), but the marriage failed within a few years,[7] with Maud soon sailing to New York.[8] Achieving some success in America, Barr returned to England a premier singer of ragtime songs, popularising in Britain the songs "Oh, You Beautiful Doll" (Ayer & Brown; 1910) and "Everybody's Doing It" (Berlin; 1911).

She toured worldwide, earning good money, but was over-generous and failed to save. She became in her old age reliant on welfare benefits, living in a small flat off the Charing Cross Road in London. Writer and broadcaster Daniel Farson, a music hall enthusiast, took it upon himself to extend a helping hand, bringing Barr to a new (or nostalgic) audience on record and television. It was through Farson, too, that variety entertainer Danny La Rue arranged a benefit concert for Barr.[1]

Ida Barr died on 17 December 1967 in London.[1]

Barr's screen credits span the years 1936 to 1966.[9]

• Actress Elsa Lanchester performed in her youth a snake dancing routine with Ida Barr.[11]
• Ida Barr's name was appropriated more than 40 years after her death by Christopher Green for an unrelated, non-tribute drag act.[12]
• Ida Barr was (through her marriage to Gus Harris) a great-aunt of actress and singer Anita Harris.[8]