Object Details

Statue of Max Miller

Browse information by:
Location
Makers
General Information
Classification
Object Parts
Object Condition
History
References
Photographs


Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright for Photograph:

Creative Commons

Location

Street:New Road / Royal Pavilion Gardens
Town:Brighton
Parish:Brighton
Council:Brighton & Hove City Council
County:East Sussex
Postcode:BN1
Location on Google Map
Object setting:Garden
and in:Road or Wayside
Access is:Public
Location note:Dome access road in a small grassed and fenced area.
In the AZ book:East Sussex
Page:162
Grid reference:E7
The A-Z books used are A-Z East Sussex and A-Z West Sussex (Editions 1A 2005). Geographers' A-Z Map Company Ltd. Sevenoaks.
Previous location:Near to the Stage Door of the Dome.

back to top

Makers

Name : Peter Webster
     Role:Sculptor

back to top

General Information

Commissioned by: Max Miller Appreciation Society
Construction period:January 2003 - May 2005
Unveiling date:01/05/2005
Work is:Extant
Owner custodian:Max Miller Appreciation Society
Object listing:Not listed
Description:Life sized bronze depicting Brighton born comedian Max Miller on stage. Reference is made to Miller’s act through his trade-mark stage clothing and hat, symbolically representing the “blue book, white book” and quotes from his stage patter. Modelled in clay and plaster from photographic and video references and cast in bronze using the lost wax method. The statue is mounted on a square plinth with inscriptions.
Signatures:At the top of the bronze base:
Webster
Inscription:Front of bronze base:

“The Cheeky Chappie”

Left of bronze base:

“There’ll never be another”

Right of bronze base:

“Listen, listen”

Back of bronze base:

“What if I am?”

back to top

Classification

Categories:Sculptural, Free Standing, Commemorative
Object type1:Statue
Object type2:Sculpture
Subject type1:Figurative
     Subject subtype1:Full-length
Subject type2:Portrait
     Subject subtype1:Standing

back to top

Object Parts

Part 1:Pedestal
     Material:Limestone facing over concrete
     Height (cm):120
     Width (cm):78
     Depth (cm):78
Part 2:Statue
     Material:Bronze, mid and dark brown patination
     Height (cm):276
     Width (cm):60
     Depth (cm):60
Part 3:Base
     Material:Limestone facing over concrete
     Height (cm):30
     Width (cm):110
     Depth (cm):110

back to top

Object Condition

Overall condition:Good
Risk assessment:No known risk
Date of on-site inspection:04/09/2007

back to top

History

History:Max Miller (21 November 1894, Brighton – 1963)
Britain’s top comedian in the 1930s, 40s, 50s. He starred in London’s West End and in 14 feature films. He became known as ‘the cheeky chappie’. Miller started as a song and dance man on Brighton seafront. His act was risqué and filled with double entendres. He always appeared on stage in a flower-patterned suit, plus fours, correspondent shoes and a trilby. His signature tune became ‘Mary From The Dairy’. Because of the content of his act he was regularly banned from the BBC airwaves.
‘I much prefer a retired bus driver to anybody in show business’.

The statue was held in storage during 2007 whilst major works took place in the area. It was resited a short distance from its original position on 8 August 2007 and rededicated on 12 August 2007.
Hard archive file:Yes

back to top

References

Source 1 :
     Title:'Walk of Fame: Official Guide'
     Type:Book
     Author:Walk of Fame Ltd.
     Date:00/05/2003
     Publisher:Walk of Fame Ltd. Brighton.


Further information:
http://www.maxmiller.org/statue3.htm

back to top

Photographs





Date: 03/09/2007
Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright: Creative Commons




Date: 03/09/2007
Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright: Creative Commons




Date: 03/09/2007
Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright: Creative Commons




Date: 03/09/2007
Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright: Creative Commons

back to top