She Threw Herself Off The Hollywood Sign
ARTICLES of GENERAL INTEREST
McCONKEY’S CHIMES AND THE ACTRESS WHO THREW HERSELF OFF THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN
Ring the bell at the McConkey residence in Greave Close and you’ll hear the familiar refrain of ‘Davy, Davy Crockett’ from Bill Hayes’s 1956 hit ‘The Ballad of Davy Crockett’. Brian McConkey, an accomplished local musician himself, has always loved the song which featured in the Disneyland miniseries released in 1954. Walt Disney Productions launched a massive marketing campaign in the UK in 1955 to publicise the film Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier and to make British youth “Crockett conscious”. Brian and thousands of other baby boomers were hooked.
Brian’s interest in links with America stretches to his Scottish family history, which includes
a significant story of McConkey emigration there. One of the earliest documented arrivals was Samuel McConkey (originally Machanochie in Scotland). He emigrated from Dumfries, Scotland in 1750 with his three sons. Samuel McConkey gained historical prominence by owning McConkey’s Ferry Inn in Upper Makefield Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. This site is historically famous as the place General George Washington crossed the Delaware River on Christmas night in 1776, paving the way for ultimate American victory in the Revolutionary War.
Welsh influence across the pond has been significant. While Davy Crockett was one of the defenders killed at the Alamo in 1836, according to Bill Groneman’s 1990 book, Alamo Defenders, one of the others who perished there was the Welshman Lewis Johnson. Interestingly there is a small hamlet in Navarro County Texas called Barry, one of four in the USA, while ten different states have a place called Cardiff. Welsh influence stretches back to folklore tales that Prince Madoc discovered America when he sailed across the Atlantic in 1170, well before Columbus did so in 1492. At least 16 of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence were of Welsh descent, including William Floyd and Francis Lewis. Eight of America’s Presidents are also known to have had Welsh roots, including Abraham Lincoln whose great-great-grandfather, John Morris, was a farmer near Conwy.
Wales of course, has had its fair share of cultural influences across the Atlantic. Dylan Thomas, who died in New York on 9th November 1953, is still celebrated by literary societies there today. Actress Bette Davis had Welsh family, and hosting a press conference in Cardiff in 1975, she talked about her roots there and said goodbye to her guests with a glowing ‘nos da’. Interestingly she always claimed that her inspiration was a young Welsh actress originally born in Port Talbot, called Peg Entwhistle. Perhaps her story inspired Anthony Hopkins and Michael Sheen, both with a high profile in the US and also from the town.
Peg Entwhistle was born Millicent Lilian Entwistle in February 1908. Peg’s parents emigrated to America when she was young. Peg’s acting talent led her to success on stage, eventually on Broadway, performing in ten plays, one of which ran for 232 performances. She followed that with a stint in Los Angeles, during which she starred with Humphrey Bogarde in ‘Mad House’. Her time in Los Angeles led to her one film role as a supporting actress in ‘13 Women’. Sadly, this was not released until a month after her death on 18th September 1932. It’s not clear exactly why she famously threw herself off the ‘H’ on the Hollywood sign. She was not forgotten though. Half a dozen songs including Lana Del Rey’s song ‘Lust for Life’ and even a musical Goodnight September, have referenced her life and tragic end.
One imagines Welsh influences in the United States will remain significant. Perhaps some Americans have even matched the McConkeys and have a doorbell chime based on tunes by Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, Bonnie Tyler or the Manic Street Preachers.