Butlins Redcoats - Notable Redcoats

Notable Redcoats

A number of entertainers have been Redcoats in the early stages of their careers. Becoming a Redcoat is seen as a way into show business, as it allows a performer to become established as a professional for the purposes of joining the Equity trade union which then allows the performer to work freely throughout the industry. In exceptional cases a Redcoat may even become notable whilst in the employment of Butlins Stephen Mulhern notably performed on the Royal Variety Performance in 1997 whilst still working as a Red coat, and in the past notable singers have had chart hits Clinton Ford reached number 27 in 1959 with Old Shep just after completing his final summer season at Pwllheli, however prior to this in 1957 Russ Hamilton recorded a number 2 hit in the UK "We Will Make Love" (held off the top spot by Elvis Presley and All Shook Up) shortly after this he recorded a number 4 hit in the U.S. Billboard with the song "Rainbow", all the time Russ continued to entertain Butlins guests – and it was Billy Butlin himself who asked Russ to record "We Will Make Love" for the benefit of Butlins guests.

Other artists have gone on to find success building on the skills they learned as a Redcoat such as Des O'Connor, Jimmy Tarbuck, and Michael Barrymore. The role is an important part of the entertainment and tourism culture of the United Kingdom and even today former redcoats are regularly identified in the press and in books by this role even though it may only have been a small part of their career.