Elton Hayes

Elton Hayes (16 February 1915 – 23 September 2001) was a British actor and guitarist.

Elton Hayes was born in Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, England. Both his parents were actors and he made his first stage appearance aged nine. He too wanted to be an actor and he learned the violin and the ukulele. In his 'teens he won a scholarship to the Fay Compton School of Dramatic Arts where he received an extensive theatrical education. His first job was as assistant stage manager with the Old Stagers' Company at the Canterbury Theatre. He sang in his spare time at local social clubs.

Hayes took up the guitar shortly before World War II when he accepted one as security from a friend who had borrowed 30 shillings. Guitars would bring him fame later, accompanying his old English folk songs and ballads.

In 1939 he volunteered for military service and was commissioned in the Royal West Kent Regiment and posted to India. After the Japanese surrender he hitch-hiked to Bombay where he was appointed Officer Commanding ENSA in Rawalpindi. Despite contracting rheumatic fever, which caused his fingers to stiffen, he continued playing.

A few days after returning to Britain he visited the BBC, still in uniform, to watch a broadcast of Children's Hour and was immediately taken on to write and perform musical versions of Edward Lear's Nonsense Rhymes. This was followed in 1946 by a regular slot on the BBC Radio show In Town Tonight. From then on he performed on radio and television frequently in Britain. On an eight-week tour of North America he made 113 appearances. As an actor he appeared in "The Beaux Stratagem" at the Lyric Theatre for 18 months from 1949.

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