Did Hollywood legend Cary Grant play for Aston Villa?

It is the startling question posed by an ultra-rare football programme: did Hollywood legend Cary Grant play against Aston Villa? 

There’s a possibility he did. The yellowed flyer for a match between Villa and a squad of pantomime stars that took place on January 25, 1910, featured the Pender Troupe, a group of acrobats and tumblers well known on both sides of the Atlantic. 

And the Pender Troupe featured a boy stilt walker called Archibald Leach. In adulthood, Archie would gain global fame as suave heart-throb Cary Grant. The programme surfaced in 2021 among sports memorabilia auctioned by West Brom based Midlands Sports Auctions. Back then, no one knew of its possible significance. 

It shows that some of the biggest theatre names of the day turned out at Villa Park. The 22 celebs were captained by George Robery, who played for Millwall before making a name as one of the all-time great panto stars. 

Seth and Albert Egbert  - the celebrated Egbert Brothers – were big in the early British film industry. Mark Daly was another silver screen headliner and member of the acclaimed Fred Karno company which included Charlie Chaplain. 

The charity match was kicked off by vaudeville star Ava Reeve. It’s unknown which worthy cause benefitted. Could Cary Grant, born in Bristol, really have been present – even as a mere ball boy? 

Did Cary Grant play for Aston Villa?

Known for a string of Hitchcock blockbusters, he would’ve been only six at the time, but, back  then, child performers were a staple of music hall entertainment. It is highly unlikely he was performing with the troupe in 1910, but Cary may have travelled with them to Birmingham. He had links to the act as a boy, watching their performances at Bristol’s Hippodrome. 

In his autobiography, “Archie Leach by Cary Grant”, he said: “I learned about Bob Pender’s troupe of young performers – or knockabout comedians, as they were called, the ranks of which were being regularly depleted as soon as each boy came to military age.” 

He added: “Bob Pender suggested to my father that his promising looking son Archibald should go to Norwich where the troupe were performing for an interview. What’s more, he enclosed the rail fare.” 

At 16, he was touring the States with the act.  The six strong Pender Troupe were certainly big. In 1911, the act headlined at New York’s Folies Bergere Club. They appeared in 10 consecutive Drury Lane pantos and were in two Gaumont silent films. 

The Villa Park engagement proved a busy day for the professional, host team. Villa also treated fans to a more serious game against rivals West Brom. Was Cary Grant looking on? There is no concrete evidence, but the day is an intriguing slice of Birmingham history, if nothing else. And the panto match proved football can be a dame of two halves.