Foreword and introduction to my Book by "Diddy" David Hamilton

I don't think there has ever been a company that had so many stars appearing in so many different venues on the same day and all arranged by the same agent. Each of us had our own card to hand out to any member of the public daft enough to want one. On one side would be our photograph with biographical details on the back. Somehow or other, no matter how big the star, Carl's name managed to appear more times than ours. These were 'Gresh' cards, everything else was done 'Gresh-style'. Every year he would send me a card wishing me a 'Merry Greshmas'.

I first met Carl Gresham in the mid Sixties. I was working as a television announcer for ABC TV. The station that provided weekend programmes in the North and Midlands.

He introduced himself via a letter, which arrived at the Didsbury studios in Manchester. The letterhead included a huge photograph of him, so you knew right away with whom you were dealing. From that first letter I knew here was a man who liked to do it BIG.

In no time at all we were off on a whirlwind tour of the North of England. We must have appeared at every bingo hall, disco or supermarket that had an occasion it wanted to celebrate, coast to coast from Liverpool to Hull. Certainly we were the Kings of the Carnivals. One afternoon I opened three carnivals in three different counties before dashing to the TV studios for an evening shift.

When ABC TV chose me to be KEN DODD's "straight man" in "Doddy's Music Box" series in 1967, I soon earned the nickname "Diddy David", we broadened our horizons and went national.

We discovered we had three things in common: an enormous zest for work, having a laugh and earning money!

Once I was involved in a court case (a story to be told at another time) in Scarborough. By one of the great travesties of British Justice, I was forced to pay the costs. Not to worry. Carl fixed up a bingo appearance in York on the way home, and the losses were recouped.

In 1971 I was booked to appear in my first pantomime, in of all places, Carl's hometown, Bradford. In fact, it was Carl who advised me what song I, as Buttons, should sing to the boys and girls in my "Song Sheet" spot before the finale at the wonderful Alhambra Theatre. Should it be the classic and much loved "There's a worm at the bottom of the garden and its name is Wiggly Woo"? Not at all, Carl recommended I do the song from the British Rail TV commercial "Travel Inter City like the boys do". Such was my faith in the man I did it twice daily from Christmas until nearly Easter. I still have the publicity shots of me posing in my stationmaster's cap, waving a green flag. Was Carl getting free rail travel between Bradford and London? I certainly wasn't.

To this day I still wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night wondering how I became the first Buttons to sing to the kids a TV commercial.

It was a girlfriend of mine who christened Carl "Mr Cash Register Eyes". She noticed that when money was mentioned, his face would go red, he'd rub his hands together and his eyes would light up like a cash register.

After me Carl conducted whistle stop tours with BILL KENWRIGHT from "Coronation Street", FRAZER HINES from "Emmerdale Farm", and HUGHIE GREEN and I mean that most sincerely. And Carl is no mean performer in his own right. He has the radio shows and the pantos to prove it. Oh! Yes he has!

Who will ever forget his dear mother, who regarded us all as a bit of a nuisance, as we phoned Carl for more ideas of how we could expand our careers. I think she regarded show business with a healthy disdain, and wished her son had got a real job with none of these "n'er do well"s. Carl went from strength to strength winning a contract with Woolworths who booked over three hundred personal appearances throughout the country by various stars.

I can't think of any big stars Carl didn't work with. He knew them all and because he handled all the personal appearances himself he knew them at very close range. With so many stories to tell, it's high time he wrote the book. Let's face it, the man is a legend. And over forty years on from when he sent me that letter with his photo on top, I'm proud to call him my friend.

Extracts from the book

Heres a selection of images which will be in my new book

Click on an image to see a bigger version.

Adoring fan Jean Anderton meets her hero. Gresh on the right!	The Gresh with Jayne Mansfield	Jayne Mansfield	Pete Murray doing a Greshstyle	John Alderton doing a Greshstyle	Fans waiting for John Alderton
John Alderton meets and greets	The Gresh & Ernie Wise	The Gresh with Eric Morecambe	The Gresh with Alan Freeman	Gresh Compere's at the Dorchester	Gresh Sponsor on Opportunity Knocks
Gresh in Mother Goose 1972-3 (1)	Gresh in Mother Goose 1972-3 (2)	The Gresh with Steve & Helen Farrimond	Letter from Tony Curtis	The Very First Batley Variety Club Souvenir Issue	Batley Variety Club. Supporting Artiste's
Gresh Show Live from Woolworths with special guests	Gresh promoting Live Broadcast from Woolworths	Gresh with Liz Allen and Tonyt Monopoly	Gresh Show's Pennine Radio's Promotional Poster	Gresh's Live Pennine Radio Show in full flow	Garth Cawood Broadcasting on The Woolworth's Gresh Show
The Gresh with Tony Monopoly at Woolworth's Live Show	The Gresh's Live Show at Woolworth's still gooing strong	The Gresh - Early, Very Early Publicity Shots	The Gresh. Some More Very Early Publicity Photos	Gresh the Producer for Pennine Radio's 'Celebrity Concert'	Gresh the Producer for Pennine Radio's 'Celebrity Concert' 1986
The Stars go to Cayton Bay Holiday Camp duing 1970	The Stars go to Cayton Bay Holiday Camp duing 1969	Hughie Green's Xmas Card to the Gresh	Hughie Green's Xmas Card - Message to the Gresh	Publicity Flyer for Gresh in Mother Goose (2)	Gresh the DJ at work!
The Youngest Gresh Ever!	Gresh at a Royal Dinner - Queen's Hotel, Leeds. 26th Oct. 1972	The Royal Dinner Menu	A Gresh Pantomime Contract for ú30.00 - Good eh!	Gresh The Pop Singer turned Actor!	Gresh on the new BBC Radio Four programme Counterbeat
The Gresh is sacked as stand-in for Tom Courteney in Billy Liar!	The Gresh presents Live Television programmes in Sheffield	A Contract for RONNIE CORBETT to appear for Woolworth's	A Contract for BOB MONKHOUSE to appear for Woolworth's	A Contract for SIMON DEE to appear for Woolworth's	A Contract for KATIE BOYLE to appear for Woolworth's
Panto Greetings Telegram to Gresh from David Hamilton	Gresh mention in Richard Whiteley postcard to Derek A.J.Lister	The Gresh with Kiki Dee at Hope Kenwrights Birthday Bash	The Gresh with Frankie Vaughan & Lionel Blair	Kiki Dee entertaining at Hope Kenwrights Birthday Bash	Bill Kenwright with his Mum Hope at her Birthday Celebrations
The Masked Singer revealed - P.J.Proby	Gresh with Sandie Shaw	Gresh broadcasting from Pennine Radio	Gresh with Ernie Wise	Gresh with Honor Blackman	Gresh with Marianne Faithfull
Wayne Sleep and Helen	Helen and Frederick Pyne	Petula Clark and Helen	The Gresh, Ian Sharrock and Helen	Martin Shaw and Helen	Martin Shaw, Helen and The Gresh
Helen and Larry Grayson	Helen, Ronald Magill and Sheila Mercier	Palace Theatre Song and Dance	Steve Farrimond and Derek Nimmo	Helen and Gemma Craven	Gresh on Bernie Winters Death
Compere Garth Cawood Starts Gathering the Crowd	Hey Presto It's 10-00am here's Peter Wyngarde	Garth says He's Almost Here!......Honest!	One..Two...Two-and-a-half..3...Peter cuts the tape!	Moira Anderson doing a Greshstyle	Gresh's First Hi-Fi?
The Gresh with Patricia Phoenix	Patricia Phoenix	The Gresh as a cycling "Harrier" with Jerry Booth (Graham Haberfield) in the Rovers Return "Coronation Street"	Gresh The Actor....?	Gresh's First Appearance in "Corontaion Street"	"The Gresh On Pennine Radio At The Weekend"....Programme listings!
Gresh's Friend BILL KENWRIGHT and Ann Sidney visit him in Pantomime in Scunthorpe.	Gresh The Compere for the "Northern Song Contest"	Stanley Unwin liked to be paid in CASH After his Cabaret spot	Gresh The Royal Guest at the Royal Gala Thursday 26th October 1972	Royal Gala Dinner Menu	The Royal couple
Derek A. J. Lister and The Gresh...click image for more information.	Elaine Stritch and Gresh Hotel Bookings	Gareth Hunt and Gresh Hotel Bookings	Hand Written Confirmation for a Greshstyle from Henry Cooper	Hand Written letter from Doris Speed (Annie-Walker-in-Cori)	Hand Written letter from Margot Bryant (Minnie-in-Cori)
Hand Written letter from Noele Gordon	Hand Written No from Jimmy Saville	Hotel Bookings for John Noakes Greshstyle	Hughie Green Letter (1)	Hughie Green Letter (2)	Hughie Green Letter (3)
Hughie Green Letter (4)	Hughie Green Letter (5)	Hughie Green Letter (6)	Hughie Green Letter (7)	Hughie Green's Telegram about David Whitfield Contract	Letter from Larry Grayson
Letter from my Woolworth's Mentor Wonderful Gentleman!	Letter from Reginald Marsh (1)	Letter from Reginald Marsh (2)	Letter from The Duke Of Bedford (1)	Letter from The Duke Of Bedford (2)	Letter from The Duke Of Bedford (3)
Richard Whiteley Letter to Gresh when Gresh's Mum Died	Ronnie Corbett Letter from the London Palladium	Terry Wogan Greshstyle Confirmation	Tony Blackburn Greshstyle Confirmations	Tony Curtis Letter March 1973	Tony Curtis Letter May 1973
Tony Curtis Letter November 1972	Woolworth's In their Golden Greshstyle Days	Yootha Joyce Postcard to Gresh from New Zealand	Gresh Meets Royalty with the Stars	Spot the Gresh on a panel with Hughie Green	"Gresh known as "Mr Foam" supplies to Brian Dixon for his Butlins and Theatre "Superslam Wrestling Promotions"