Vic Oliver

Victor Oliver von Samek was born on July 8, 1898, in Vienna, Austria-Hungary, into a Jewish family. His father was Baron Viktor von Samek. During his youth, he participated in various sports including tennis, football, and hockey, and in 1914, he became the junior tennis champion of Austria. He initially pursued medical studies at Vienna University but abandoned this path to focus on music. As a child prodigy on the violin, he studied under Gustav Mahler for a time.

During the First World War, he served in the Austrian cavalry as an adjutant to Prince René of Bourbon-Parma. Towards the war’s end, he escaped to France using a forged passport. After the war, he briefly worked in banking and textiles while also performing as a jazz drummer in Rouen and Le Havre. In late 1922, he traveled to the United States, where he performed in vaudeville as a pianist and occasional singer. In 1923, he joined a jazz group named The Nine Nights of Jazz, and in 1924, he formed a double act with violinist Margaret Crangle. Following their act's dissolution, in 1927, he became the conductor and host of a traveling radio show in the U.S., utilizing a portable transmitter.

In 1928, he reunited with Margaret Crangle. He discovered his talent for comedy unexpectedly when he apologized to an audience after falling from a piano stool, and his apology elicited more laughs than the accident itself. This incident led to a career in comedy, which took him across the United States, including performances at the Palace Theatre in New York, considered the top venue in vaudeville at the time, in 1929. Returning to England with Crangle, he performed at the London Palladium in 1931, establishing his presence in Britain.

He developed a reputation for skilled, introductory humor with a modest, deferential style. His act often involved deliberately playing the violin poorly. By 1935, he was headlining at the London Palladium and shared the record for appearances at the Holborn Empire with Max Miller. He was the principal comedian in C. B. Cochran’s revue "Follow the Sun" at the Adelphi Theatre, where he met Sarah Churchill, the daughter of Winston Churchill. Churchill later joined him in New York during his performance in the revue "It’s the Tops," and they married on December 25, 1936. Winston Churchill’s disapproval was reportedly due to Oliver’s divorces and possibly his association with music hall entertainment.

Throughout the late 1930s and early 1940s, Oliver featured in numerous revues, including "Black and Blue," "Black Velvet," and "The Night and the Music." During World War II, he was active on BBC radio, hosting "Hi, Gang!" and appearing on programs such as "Oliver Twist," "Yankee Doodle Do," and "Vic Oliver Introduces." Notably, he was the first guest ("castaway") on Roy Plomley's "Desert Island Discs" on January 29, 1942; the original broadcast is lost but was recalled in a 2012 BBC documentary.

In 1944, Oliver founded the Vic Oliver Concert Orchestra, which performed light classical pieces and full operas, touring with the ensemble. He performed at the Royal Variety Performance in 1945 and 1952. After the war, he remained active in London revues, pantomimes, and radio, gaining recognition as a precursor to Victor Borge due to his combination of musical expertise and comedy.

In 1953, he launched the radio program "Variety Playhouse," featuring music, comedy, and light drama, though it did not last indefinitely. In 1962, he appeared in the film "Discord in Three Flats" with Cicely Courtneidge and Jack Hulbert.

As a Jewish individual, Oliver was listed on the Nazi "Black Book" of persons to be arrested and killed in the event of a successful invasion of Britain. He became a British citizen in 1948. He supported Brentford Football Club, serving as vice-president in the early 1950s and later as president of the Brentford Supporters' Club.

Oliver and Sarah Churchill divorced in 1945. In 1946, he married Natalie Frances Conder in Westminster, London, with whom he had one daughter. He died suddenly during a performance in Johannesburg, South Africa, on August 15, 1964, at age 66. Some of his relatives continue to reside in Vienna.

He was portrayed by Gerrard McArthur in the 2002 film "The Gathering Storm." Among his published works is his autobiography titled "Mr. Showbusiness," published in 1954. His filmography includes "Rhythm in the Air" (1936), "Who's Your Lady Friend?" (1937), "Meet Mr. Penny" (1938), "Around the Town" (1938), "Room for Two" (1940), "Hi Gang!" (1941), "He Found a Star" (1941), "Give Us the Moon" (1944), and "I'll Be Your Sweetheart" (1945).