Larry Cross

Born Russell Titus in New Brunswick, Canada, he went from school into stage work and regular broadcasting. His first band job came while he was still a student and this led to several appearances as singing compere at Lowe`s Theatre, Montreal. Next came a year in New York singing with the Richard Himber and Roger Wolf Kahn orchestras. Returning to Canada, Larry starred in many radio shows, one of which ran three years without a break, and became compere of the long-running 'Merchant Navy Show'. Not just a performer, Larry was an Honours Student at the Toronto Academy of Radio Art.

Following wartime service with the Canadian Army he returned to his radio work and made personal appearances coast to coast in the United States. He played Barbara Kelly`s husband in a series called 'John and Judy' written by Bernard Braden.

By the early fifties Larry had decided to come to Britain and in June 1951 Geraldo used him as vocalist on his recording of 'Across the wide Missouri'. The same month Parlophone signed him as a solo artist and released his 'Castles in the sand', a song from the prolific pens of Bob Hilliard and Dave Mann. Over the following eighteen months Parlophone made good use of the Cross voice, issuing a new record almost every month. In November 1954 he was the first artist to appear on the new Embassy label sold exclusivly by Woolworth stores. With twelve issues over the next three years Larry covered many hit songs of the day, without ever making the charts himself as the Embassy discs were not allowed to feature in the sales charts.

Larry had several radio airings and his natural mid- Atlantic broadcasting voice ensured him compere work on shows like 'Star Band Cavalcade' and Commonwealth of Song'. In 1955 he took over as host of a Radio Luxembourg series, 'People are Funny', sponsored by Pye Ltd. This was a programme that had originated in America in 1942 where the public were encouraged to take part in crazy stunts, with Larry`s first show being recorded in London`s Russell Square Turkish baths.

Also at home on the legitimate stage, in 1955 he toured in 'Anniversary Waltz' with Barbara Kelly and Bernard Braden, and it was straight acting on stage and in film that began to take up more of his time from here on.