From Wellington. Singer, dancer, and actor who performed in Auckland and Wellington in the 1940s-1950s. Described as "The 'Pin-up' Girl of the New Zealand Armed Forces" (in Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 29, 3 August 1944, Page 2).
Ponds, Billie, 1928?-
There are 5 related items to this topic
Image
Photographs relating to musical performances, competitions, actors, and musicians
Date: [ca 1922-1960s]
From: Unwin, William Henry 1909-1992: Photographs relating to the life and career of musician Harry Unwin
By: Jay, Harry, 1905-1987; Steele Photography Ltd; Stewart and White Ltd
Reference: PAColl-10379-4
Description: Photographs relating to Harry Unwin and his life as a musician, circa 1922 to 1960s. Taken by a range of photographers, most of whom are unidentified. - Contains images relating to Unwin's performances as a violinist when he was a child, playing the piano accordion (and winning Wellington Competitions Society trophy), and as a double bassist and pianist with various groups. Images include staged group and candid individual portraits of Unwin both by himself and performing with others. Images of note are an orchestra playing in a back yard, a music group by a band rotunda, and a dance band at a party in Upper Hutt [W Beavis?]. - Also contains images from Unwin's time working in Australia. Images of note include a series of photographs of a curtain call, images of Billie Ponds backstage in a variety of costumes, and for shows including 'Gay White Way' and 'The 3 [Pickini?] sisters'. - Set also contains autographed portraits. Includes one from Chico Marx saying "To [Harry?] Kiwis. Kindest regards. Chico Marx", a number from a drummer and pianist called Ron, a violinist called Nanette, a female impersonator "[Mitchell Milch?]", and other actors in a number of shows. - Identified photographers include Steele Photography Ltd (Auckland), Stewart & White Ltd (Auckland), The 'Truth' and 'Daily Mirror' features service (Sydney), Batchelor's Candid Studio (Hastings), Perfect Photo, and Harry Jay (Melbourne). Some images have annotations on the rear of the print with further information. Quantity: 45 b&w original photographic print(s). Physical Description: Silver gelatin photoprints
Manuscript
Newspaper clippings
Date: [ca 1947-1977]
From: Unwin, William Henry, 1909-1992: Papers relating to the life and career of musician Harry Unwin
Reference: fMS-Papers-11909-6
Description: Contains newspaper clippings collected by Harry Unwin relating to show business, entertainers, and Sydney's nightclubs, circa 1946 to 1950s. Clippings relate to people including actor John O'Malley, performer Don Nicol, showgirl Nanette Allan, magician and singer Tex Morton, actress and dancer Billie Ponds, nightclub performer Nellie Small, musician Horrie Dargie, actor Phillip Jay (his arrest at Bondi Beach), hypnotist Rooklyn, and Mr New Zealand John Penman. Contains feature articles on the nightclubbing scene in Sydney (with Sammy Lee's nightclub in Kings Cross featured), beauty pageants (including Pacific Neptune's Daughter), and Tivoli producer Bob Barre taking performers to the United States. Also contains a 1977 article about "Pornpals". Quantity: 1 folder(s). Physical Description: Printed matter (with some Mss annotations)
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Photographs of female friends, colleagues, and [admirers or girlfriends?]
Date: [ca 1940s-1950s]
From: Unwin, William Henry 1909-1992: Photographs relating to the life and career of musician Harry Unwin
By: Ascot Photographers (Christchurch, N.Z.); Cabaret Candid Photography; Smith, Robert H, active 1952
Reference: PAColl-10379-6
Description: Photographs of various women in Harry Unwin's life, 1940s-1950s, some of whom he may have been romantically involved with. Taken by a range of photographers, many of whom are unidentified. - Contains portraits of women, many of whom have autographed and sent their image to Unwin. Includes studio portraits and glamour photographs. Some first names are given, including "Norma", "Glad", "Miskey", "Betty", "Mona", "Margaret", 'Joan", and "Elvie", but many are unidentified. One image features a topless woman on the beach. - Includes a series of images of dancer Billie Ponds. These include professional stage shots in costume and studio portraits that she has given to Unwin. Ponds has autographed or annotated the rear of a number of the images. Also includes images of Unwin and Ponds together by a fountain and at a railway station, and Ponds with an older woman [possibly her mother?]. Another series features a blond woman identified only as "Elese" and includes professional portraits in a swimsuit and high-heeled shoes on a beach as well as informal snapshots [possibly taken by Unwin?]. One portrait is signed "To Harry, with fondest regards, Elese". Elese and Unwin are photographed together holding a koala and with a koala sitting on the back of an Alsatian dog, drinking in evening wear, holding hands, and outside Christchurch Cathedral (with Elese in a [adult Girl Guide?] uniform). - Named photographers include Cabaret Candid Photography, 'Truth' and 'Daily Mirror' feature service, Capitol Studio (Brisbane), Doug Balmer, Ascot Photographers (Christchurch), Robert H Smith (Wellington), Maxim Studio (Western Australia), and Majestic Studios (Coburg, Melbourne). Quantity: 57 b&w original photographic print(s). Physical Description: Silver gelatin photoprints
Image
Photographs relating to beach trips and swimming
Date: [ca 1930s-1950s]
From: Unwin, William Henry 1909-1992: Photographs relating to the life and career of musician Harry Unwin
Reference: PAColl-10379-7
Description: Photographs relating to Harry Unwin on trips to the beach with a variety of unidentified people, most of whom are women, 1940s-1950s. Taken by a range of unidentified photographers. - Includes a set of photographs of Unwin posing in his swimsuit on the beach and in the water. In one image he is with Billie Ponds and in another with male Tivoli Theatre performers. - Beaches pictured include Bronte Beach (Sydney), Scarborough Beach (Perth), Palm Beach [Sydney?], and St Kilda Beach (Melbourne). One image shows Unwin on a boat, another Unwin emerging from a swimming pool, and a third shows him as a younger man lying in a rocky river. - Some images include annotations on the rear of the print. Quantity: 33 b&w original photographic print(s). Physical Description: Silver gelatin photoprints
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Photographs mainly relating to Australian productions and performers in those productions
Date: [ca 1937-1970s]
From: Unwin, William Henry, 1909-1992: Papers relating to the life and career of musician Harry Unwin
By: Jay, Harry, 1905-1987
Reference: MS-Papers-11909-8
Description: Contains photographs collected by Harry Unwin mainly relating to overseas performances. - Features publicity images for Australian stage productions of 'Oklahoma', 'Pardon my French', 'Spice and ice', and 'Pleasures of Paris'. Production companies include J C Williamson and Tivoli Circuit. Many of these images were taken by Melbourne photographer Harry Jay. Some images include topless women. - Also contains images of performers, including musicians and dancers. Identified performers include Billie Ponds, Jack Powell, Winnie Atwell, Syd and Max Harrison, children Richard Leigh and Johnnie "The tiny tots of rhythm", and the Kiwi Concert Party dressed as a mariachi band with female impersonator Phil Jay. - A series of colour photomechanical prints shows 'The Oasis' in Queensland and a holograph photograph depicts a naked woman sitting surrounded by balloons. Other - Contains photographs that were not retained in Library's photographic collection 'Photographs relating to the life and music career of Harry Unwin' (reference number: PA-Group-00980) due to being duplicate images or relating to overseas performances. Quantity: 1 folder(s). Physical Description: Photographic prints