He made his London debut in 1901, but was not an immediate success and returned to provincial theatres for several years, gradually increasing his popularity in the north of England.
[4] He wore make-up, a black frock coat, trousers, and a bowler hat, and sported a large marguerite flower.
[7] One source suggests that Pleasants dropped dead on stage, and that he had been only "subbing" for Arthur Lucan and Kitty McShane of Old Mother Riley fame.
The 7 February 1924 edition of Variety carried the following report: "Francis Laidler's[8] pantomime at Prince's Theatre, Bradford is having a particularly unhappy time.
She was shampooing her hair with spirit mixture assisted by her mother when the stuff caught fire, setting the room ablaze.