Maurice Elwin's Pseudonyms

Maurice Elwin’s Pseudonyms

Pseudonyms Used As a Singer

“Maurice Elwin” was only Norman MacPhail Blair’s most common pseudonym. In his role as a dance band singer, he was seldom credited. In his solo work, he occasionally used variations on his real name:

NameLabel(s)Source
MacPhail BlairZonophoneCH, JW
Norman BlairZonophone, Panachord, May-FairCH, JW, MGT

More frequently, he used the name Maurice Elwin or one of more than sixty other pseudonyms; he also recorded under group names that obscured his identity. Note that while Elwin used the following names, he was not necessarily the only person to use them:

PseudonymLabel(s)NotesSources
Peter AldridgeGraftonMGT
Leslie AsterSternoML
Bernard ArmstrongArielMGT
Bert and BobDeccawith Cavan O’ConnorCH, JRR, JW
Walter (“W.”) BrooksGraftonMGT
John CoyneKiddyphoneMGT
Joseph CraneMarspenMGT
Creighton and LaughtonDeccawith Cavan O’ConnorJRR
John CurtisParlophone, ArielCH, JRR, JW, MGT
Curtis and MacParlophonewith Ronnie Munro?CH, JW
Jack DalePiccadillyCH, JW, MGT
Dale and GalePiccadillyunknown duettistCH, JW, MGT
Roy DanielsPhonycordpossibly Maurice ElwinCH, JW
Peter DarrellEclipseCH, JW, MGT
Cecil DeanAerona (AU)MGT
Richard DeaneMarspenMGT
Frank Denes (and Partner)Deccawith an anonymous yodeling partner (George van Dusen?)CH, JW
The Dixie Quartet/The Dixie Cotton Picker’s QuartetteParlophoneunknown partnersCH, JW, ML
Charley DominoDeccaCH, JRR, JW
Don and KenParlophoneMaurice Elwin and Fred Douglas (not Eddie Collis)MGT
Ronnie DonaldsonFilmophoneFD, MGT
R. DurantGrafton, Scala IdealMGT
Ray EllisMay-FairMGT
Dan FitzroyMarspenMGT
The Five and John CurtisCH
Noel FordhamParlophoneML
Geoffrey and GeorgeArielMaurice and Sydney (see below)MGT
Jack HanesParlophone, ArielCH, JW, MGT
Hampton and SmartArielMaurice Elwin and Eddie CollisMGT
Jack and JillZonophonewith Eve Becke (or Billie Lockwood?)CH, JRR, JW
Fred (“F.”) JacksonCurry’sMGT
Hal JonesKiddyphoneMGT
Maurice KelvinParlophone, ArielCH, JRR, JW, MGT
Bunny KingPeacockMGT
Robert KinnearImperialIR
Lane and SloanGraftonwith Hardy Williamson (“SIMS AND WRIGHT”; see below)
Roy LarocheCrownCH, JW, MGT
Joseph (“J.”) LeeKiddyphoneMGT
Julian LesterSterno, HomochordCH, JW, MGT
Mac and Bobmay have included ElwinCH, JW
Paul ManningImperial Junior (AU)IR, MGT
Matthews and HaleColumbiaCH
Maurice and SydneyZonophonewith Sydney Nesbitt (occasionally with Sydney Wilson)CH, JW
Cecil and Vivian MauriceParlophonewith Vivien LambeletCH, JW
Mellow and RichBroadcastwith Cavan O’ConnorCH, JW
The Melody BoysHomochordunknown duettistCH, JW
The Melody MakersVocalionunknown partnersCH, JW
Mick and MackSternowith Cavan O’ConnorCH, JW, MGT
Leonard NeameTrusoundpossibly Maurice ElwinMGT
Leslie NewtonPathé ActuelleCH, JW
J. NolanCurry’sMGT
Cecil NortonBroadcastMGT
Cecil ParkAerona (AU)MGT
Ronald PeelImperial, Imperial JuniorIR, MGT
The RamblersColumbiawith Sydney Wilson, Bert D’Arcy, and Hal Vidler (a.k.a. the Syncopated Four; see below)CH, JW
L. Rothery 1ImperialIR
Peter RutlandMay-FairMGT
Percy ScottAerona (AU)MGT
David SharronParlophoneML
Frank ShawGrand PreeMGT
L. Silberman’s TrioParlophoneunknown partnersCH, JW
Conrad SimpsonArielMGT
Al SimsHomochordCH, JW
Eric SimsDominion, Pathé ActuelleCH, JW, MGT
Sims/Simms and WallaceHomochordunknown duettistJW
Sims and WrightPathé Actuellewith Hardy WilliamsonCH, JW
The Singing RoversMetropole, Picadillyunknown partner or partnersCH, JW, MGT
The Singing SerenadersParlophone, Arielwith Jack Plant (and others?)CH, JW
Solemn and GayZonophonewith Cavan O’ConnorCH, JRR, JW
Henry StreetArielMGT
Murray StewartParlophoneCH, JW
Frank SummersMay-FairMGT
Sweet and LowRegal, Regal Zonophone, Sternosometimes Maurice Elwin with Cavan O’ConnorCH, JW
The Syncopated FourRegalwith Sydney Wilson, Bert D’Arcy, and Hal Vidler (a.k.a the Ramblers; see above)CH, JW
Mick Tabon/Tabor and Mack TaylorSternoCavan O’Connor and Maurice ElwinMGT
Topham and TurnerArielMaurice Elwin and Sydney WilsonMGT
Hugh TurnerPerfectCH, JW, MGT
Guy VictorPiccadilly, Curry’s, Imperial,
Savana
CH, IR, JW, MGT
Wilson and WallerParlophoneMGT
Arthur WatsonSternoML
Max Wynn/WinnDeccaCH, JW
Max Wynn and Jean GlynDeccaElwin was “Max Wynn”; his duettist has not been identified (Olive Groves?)CH, JW
May Wynn and John CurtisParlophonewith Olive GrovesCS
Lewis YoungGrand PreeMGT
Zonophone Concert QuartetteZonophoneunknown partnersCH, JW

Sources

ADM-HomHOMOPHONE & HOMOCHORD (British Records), by Frank Andrews & Bill Dean-Myatt
CHChris Hayes
CSChristopher Stone (in the Gramophone)
FDFilmophone Discography
IRThe Imperial Records
JRRJazz and Ragtime Records
JWJohn Wright
MGTMichael G. Thomas
MLMike Langridge
MS-FMichael Smith. The Decca ‘F’ Series 10 Inch Records.

Pseudonyms Used As a Composer

In addition to publishing music as Maurice Elwin, Norman MacPhail Blair used his real name (in the form “N. M. Blair,” occasionally misprinted on records as “M. M. Blair”), as well as the following pseudonyms:

PseudonymNotesSources
Horace BeverleyCH
Al BirgeCH
Jules CarditoCH
Al ChesterCH
Walter DobsonCH
Lee FosterCH
Laurence HallCH
Norrie LeslieCH
Alex LesterCH
Norman MacPhailCH
Ralph MainCH
Wilfred NestorCH
Walter NormanCH
Donald O’KeefeCH, JW
Victor PrinceCH
Ted RenardCH
Nat RiversCH
D. SandfordCH
Al SimsCH, JW
Tommy TaitCH
J. WeedonCH
Max WynnCH, JW

Sources

CHChris Hayes
JWJohn Wright

My thanks to John Wright, Terry Brown, and Steve Paget for sharing information that allowed me to compile this preliminary assessment of Elwin’s pseudonyms in days, not years.

Bibliography

Notes:

  1. Lionel Rothery was a real singer. On Imperial 1654, Rothery sings one side and Elwin the other, but Rothery’s name is on both sides of the record.