Canada A Country by Consent: World War I: The Dumbells 1914-1918

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The Dumbells 1914-1918

The Dumbells were a very popular group of entertainers during World War I. Frame from Vimy Ridge movie Their "Concert Party" brought impudent, funny and very pertinent entertainment to our war weary troops. First organized by Merton Plunkett of the YMCA from soldiers in the Third Division, they delighted troops with their "Dumbell Rag," "Oh It's a Lovely War," and their female impersonators.

Beginning with costumes made from bandages (field dressings) and lamps made from old cans, they attained such excellence that their show survived the war and played London and Broadway until well into the 1930s. The singer who accompanies the film of Vimy Ridge is Stan Bennett. He's singing "My Word" from the Dumbell show, "Aces High."

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Further Reference

A Country by Consent is a national history of Canada which studies the major political events that have shaped the country, presented in a cohesive, chronological narrative. Many of these main events are introduced by an audiovisual overview, enlivened by narration, sound effects and music.

This was the first digital, multimedia history of Canada. It started out as a laserdisc in 1993 and the CD-ROM version has been used in schools across the country. It has been approved as a curriculum-supporting resource by provincial and territorial ministries of education. This online, public domain site is the fifth edition of the project.