Rodney, president of Ilkley Manor House Trust, started regular attendance at Leeds theatres 70 years ago. Aged 15, he left school to become a junior reporter for the local newspaper in Morley and got free tickets.
Later in life, he was involved in key developments in Leeds theatres – Lord Harewood bringing Opera North to the City and the building and rebuilding of Leeds Playhouse (where he was chairman of the Board for nine years).
In this month's coffee morning talk, he will remember the history of Leeds theatres – not only the Playhouse but also the Theatre Royal, City Varieties, Empire Palace and Grand Theatre – together with the famous names who appeared there: Charlie Chaplin, Houdini, Lillie Langtry, Gracie Fields, Vera Lynn, Laurel and Hardy, Morecambe and Wise and many more.