I recently came across a couple of sepia vintage postcards of Mr Fred Barnes (b. 1885, d.1938). They are interesting enough in their own right, but when I researched him on the web, I found a whole raft of entertaining facts to share.
It would seem that he was openly gay, which in that era was not widely accepted, and as a result he was shunned by friends, family and others in the entertainment business. Having been, at times, a moderately successful light entertainer, it seems though he was more famous, or perhaps infamous, for his antics outside of the entertainment field, being known to pick up sailors in his Rolls Royce, and even crashing whilst drunk with a sailor in the passenger seat, resulting in a prison sentence. But, some things never change, and perhaps there are parallels with some of todays "stars" who don't seem to be able to keep their private life out of the papers.
Mr Fred Barnes, published by Beagles Postcards, number 465 M.
Mr Fred Barnes, the Famous Light Comedy Star, published by Beagles, number 467 D.As always, 100's more vintage postcards on my vintage postcards web site
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