Ian Wallace facts for kids

Ian Wallace was a famous British singer, actor, and entertainer. He was born in London on July 10, 1919. He passed away in London on October 12, 2009. Ian Wallace was known for his deep singing voice, called a bass-baritone. He performed in operas, concerts, and on radio and TV.

Ian Wallace's Early Life and Education

Ian Wallace grew up in London. He went to a school called Charterhouse. Even as a young boy, he loved to make people laugh. He was very good at telling jokes and singing. He often sang songs while playing his banjolele.

After school, Ian wanted to go to university. He tried to get a special singing scholarship at King's College, Cambridge. When he didn't get in there, he went to Trinity Hall, Cambridge instead. At Trinity Hall, he studied law. He was still known for his funny jokes and pranks. While studying, he also continued to take singing lessons.

War Service and Recovery

Ian Wallace wanted to work in music theatre. However, World War II started. He joined the army to serve his country. During the war, he became very ill with a lung sickness called tuberculosis.

Even though he was sick, he kept singing. He would sing for other patients in the hospital. It took him a long time to get better. After he recovered, he slowly started working in music theatre again.

A Career in Opera

After his recovery, Ian Wallace got a chance to sing in opera. His voice was a bass-baritone. This means he had a deep voice that could sing both bass and baritone parts. He sang with the New London Opera Company. He performed in famous operas like La bohème and The Barber of Seville.

From 1948 to 1961, Ian often sang at Glyndebourne. This is a famous opera house in England. He was especially good at singing funny parts. These roles are called "buffo" roles. He made audiences laugh with his acting and singing.

Family Life

In 1948, Ian Wallace married Patricia Black. They had a very happy and long marriage. Ian and Patricia also decided to adopt two children.

Radio, TV, and Later Years

The Glyndebourne opera season happened in the summer. This gave Ian plenty of time to do other things during the rest of the year. He sang in operas for the BBC radio. He also often appeared in pantomimes, which are fun, musical plays.

Later, he became very famous for a radio show called "My Music." He worked with other funny people like Frank Muir and Dennis Norden. The show was a lighthearted quiz with lots of stories and laughter. Ian Wallace was especially known for singing a funny song called "The Hippopotamus" by Flanders and Swann.

Ian continued to sing in operas in the mid-1960s. He sang important roles like Leporello in Don Giovanni. He also played Pistol in Verdi's opera Falstaff. Besides singing, he acted on television and in films. He also performed at many charity events. People liked him because he was always cheerful and friendly.

Published Works

Ian Wallace wrote two books about his life. These books are called autobiographies. Their titles are Promise Me You'll Sing Mud and Nothing Quite Like It.