Sam Mayo

Born Samuel Cowan in London on 31 July 1877, Mayo first worked in his father's second-hand shop while also collecting bets and singing in pubs and clubs with his brothers Ted and Maurice Cowan.[1]

Mayo married Zillah Flash (performing name: Stella Stanley) in Brighton on 13 August 1904. His early involvement in gambling stayed with him: heavy gambling caused him to be three times declared bankrupt.

Mayo developed a unique comic style as a music hall singer. Dressed in long overcoat or dressing gown, he sang deadpan at the piano with quirky, lugubrious humour. He became billed as "The Immobile One". Mayo mostly wrote his own songs, and provided other entertainers, such as Ernie Mayne,[1] with material. He held the record for appearing at the greatest number of music halls in a single evening: nine performances at nine London venues on the evening of 21 January 1905.[2]

He died of a heart attack whilst playing snooker at Ascot Club, in Charing Cross, on 31 March 1938.[3][4][5] He was playing a game against George Swift. This was a week after attending the funeral of his son, Frank Mayo, who died of tuberculosis.[3] He was buried at Willesden Jewish Cemetery on 3 April, and was survived by his brothers, Maurice and Ted (Cowan), his son Harry Mayo, and his son-in-law Micheal Flame.[4] The funeral was attended by Will Fyffe and a few other notable figures in music hall.[4]

The noted writer Katherine Mansfield quoted Mayo's lyrics in a letter dated 1 November 1920.[6]