~ Danny Boy ~

Oh, Danny Boy the pipes, the pipes are calling from glen to glen and down the mountainside the summer's gone and all the roses falling it's you, it's you must go and I must bide. But come ye back when summer's in the meadow or when the valley's hushed and white with snow, it's there I'll be in sunshine or in shadow, oh, Danny Boy oh, Danny Boy I love you so

~ Mario Bianchi ~

Mario Bianchi known as Monty Banks was born in Cesena Northern Italy. A short plump excitable little man with curly hair a round homely face and dark humorous eyes, everyone liked Monty that was no surprise. He came from farming stock he had several tenement farms in Cesena his sister Maria ran a farm of her own. All the latest equipment he would test to provide the tenants with the very best. Monty was a natural comedian he lived in America for a number of years appearing in comedy films in Hollywood., he had taken out naturalisation papers but failed to sign them as he should. This lapse caused many problems he could not foresee, when in World War 2 Italy joined forces with Germany. Before the war he arrived in England to work as a film director on the film set he and Gracie met. This casual meeting changed the course of her life with many added values as his wife.

~ A Testing Time ~

Life is a testing time we are not meant to be happy for too long in the midst of it all things are apt to go wrong. During her illness Gracie received sack-loads of letters and gift after gift which gave her low spirits a tremendous lift. It seemed when she married Monty happiness would extend even more six weeks after her wedding Britain was at war. Monty became an 'enemy' of her own country which caused a great upheaval in her life but she stood by her husband like any loyal wife. Gracie said, "If Monty is interned they must intern me too," in the eyes of the law that would never do. So she followed him to America until the dark clouds passed away and the sun came peeping through.

~ Dancing With Tears In My Eyes ~

For I'm dancing with tears in my eyes cause the boy in my arms wasn't you, dancing with somebody new when it's you that my heart's calling to. Trying to smile once in a while but I find it so hard to do. For I'm dancing with tears in my eyes cause the boy in my arms isn't you.

~ Love Is Everywhere ~

When Gracie was seriously ill in hospital feeling so weak a little nurse emerged with the meal trolley Monty promptly waved her away, then came bustling in with a huge silver tray. "From now on" he said "I will be feeding this invalid." He produced a bowl of steaming meat broth the juice of a dozen beef steaks which he fed to her with a spoon, Grace would get better and she would recover soon. Nearly half a million letters were stacked in crates there was parcels, fruit, flowers and thousands of everything arriving each day, admirers had expressed their love in a most remarkable way. A message from the Queen, red roses from Prime Minister Mr. Attlee, more red roses from Lord Derby it seemed everyone in England loved Gracie Fields. She had made them laugh made them cry and helped them a bit here and there, "It reminds me of your song" Monty said, "Love Is Everywhere.

~ Darryl Zanuck ~

Monty and Gracie arrived in America she had signed a contract to make four films. The big chief of Twentieth Century Fox agreed to pay £50, 000 for each one, a hectic whirl of activity had begun. Darryl Zanuck she had never met Monty made the arrangements a time was set. "We must be absolutely punctual", he said. Gracie sat in the lounge next to the dining-room, around the corner a waiter poked his head to make sure no strangers were about, any intruders he promptly threw out. A little man with a tiny smudge of a moustache and a rather absent-minded air drifted in. Gracie was terrified any moment the great important Darryl Zanuck and his retinue would sweep in. Better for her to throw him out than that haughty waiter bloke. The little man passed his hand across his face then he spoke. "Are you Gracie Fields?" "Yes". "Ah, I'm Darryl Zanuck". Oh, dear! After a few minutes talk Gracie said in her autobiography. Amid a city shrieking with personalities and hair-raising ideas, Darryl Zanuck burned quietly like a small grey lighthouse on dangerous rocks, as secure as can be. The waves might break all around him but he was never at sea. 

~ The Belle of New York ~

Twentieth Century Fox prepared a grand reception and banquet for Gracie at the Waldorf Astoria. Two hundred columnists would be there. Monty did not approve of her make-up or her hair. He whisked her off to the posh Ambassador's hotel in New York. The chief hairdresser came to her suite, Monty gave strict orders for a coiffure smart and neat. When the process was over the mirror reflected no smile, Gracie's hair looked like a Japanese pagoda the girl informed her it was the latest style. Monty nearly collapsed, "My God Grace, you can't attend the reception looking a sight like that." She stuck her head under the tap rubbed it with a towel and put on her hat. She arrived a little late everybody stared she forced a smile, cold trickles from her wet hair dribbling down her neck all the while. The column in a newspaper the next day was most encouraging. Gracie Fields the highest paid actress in the world breezed in as natural as a gust of wind. She flashed a big honest-to-goodness smile, pushed her hat back with a broad comedy gesture and said "This makes me feel like a blooming queen, how wonderful you Americans are." Gracie felt more like a damp squib than a world famous star.