Merman who flew in especially from America to sing There's No Business Like Show Business. Sitting with her hairdresser before going on stage, she asked if she could have her hair all up front. The stylist remarked that there would be nothing to cover the back of her head. 'Honey, my name is Ethel Merman', replied the great singer, 'and I've never turned my back on an audience in all my life. So put it all up at the front and to hell with what anyone behind sees!' "Backstage, dressed in a terrible old dressing gown, Ethel stumbled by mistake into our dressing room. She apologised, 'Oh boys I'm sorry, I've got the wrong dressing room.' 'You'll be alright,' said my colleague Tommy Godfrey. 'You stay with us, darling,' and sat on her knee. 'That's it boys' she exclaimed. I’m dressing in here from now on!' - and she stayed there for ages talking about American Vaudeville." Television Smoothey made a few television appearances from 1964 through 1990. In 1964 he appeared as himself in an episode of the Frankie Howerd comedy variety show. In 1967 he performed for an episode of the variety show The Good Old Days, and in 1968 performed in all 7 episodes of the BBC comedy variety series Kindly Leave the Stage. He returned to television in 1983 for an episode of the Channel 4 spoof talk show For 4 Tonight , and his last television appearance was in 1990 in an acting role of the series You Rang, M'Lord?. Service Smoothey was a member of the Grand Order of Water Rats from 1967 until his passing, and sat as King Rat in 2001. His late brother Len Lowe had been "King Rat" in 1983, marking Smoothey emplacement as the first time two brothers of the order had been King Rats. Donald Ralph Smoothey was initiated into Hamilton Lodge No.3309 on 21 April 1971. WM 1983. He was presented with Provincial Honours in 1995 by Companion of the Grand Order of Water Rats, HRH Prince Michael of Kent, KCVO. He joined Chelsea Lodge No.3098 19 May 1995. Smoothey served as secretary of The Vaudeville Golfing Society for many years, and was a respected member of the executive committee of The Entertainment Artistes' Benevolent Fund until his retirement from the role in June 2013. References External links Don Smoothey at the Internet Movie Database 1919 births