Topic: Solved NIC#1301 - "Tallulah" JAP special of James Robertson Justice

[nicanary]

What is this, and who is driving it? Apologies for the poor photo.

[Lavrakas]

It's certainly the Brighton Speed Trials, probably a GN front axle, just possibly Richard Bolster in an early incarnation of his JAP/MG/Rudge/Hudson special, but more likely not.

[nicanary]

It's certainly the Brighton Speed Trials, probably a GN front axle, just possibly Richard Bolster in an early incarnation of his JAP/MG/Rudge/Hudson special, but more likely not.

More likely not is correct! You are correct in that it is taken at Brighton.

[nicanary]

Experts?

[D-type]

Paul Emery in an Emeryson?

[nicanary]

Paul Emery in an Emeryson?

No.

[FrontMan]

G.N.-based special "Tallulah", driven by James Justice, but still trawling for further details.

[nicanary]

G.N.-based special "Tallulah", driven by James Justice, but still trawling for further details.

Yes! Very well done. I didn't know of the existence of this car until I saw it in a magazine, although I knew Justice was a motoring enthusiast, All I lknow is that it was JAP powered. The image was taken at the 1933 Brighton Speed Trials, over a standing kilometre, where the car failed to finish (!).

The owner/driver was a well-known film and stage star in the UK for many years. Overseas members will best remember him for being Warren Ingram of the eponymous racing team in the 1956 film Checkpoint, a copy of an imaginary Mille Miglia. The film itself is silly - Lagonda V12s racing against Stanguellinis and Porsche 356s.

[FrontMan]

....still searching for details regarding the car. Meanwhile, another great motoring film of JRJ's was "The Fast Lady" featuring a 4 1/2 Litre Bentley. Still available on DVD, and co-starring Stanley Baxter (as "Murdoch Troon") and Leslie Phillips as that rarest of all human beings, an unscrupulous car dealer .

For a short time JRJ was the team manager for Whitney Straight, played professional ice-hockey, excelled at wild-fowling, and was a highly accomplished linguist. Regrettably, he was also a maestro of the Bagpipes, once described as "An ill wind that no-one plays any good.". He was not born in Scotland, but liked to pretend that he was.

[nicanary]

So a member I assumed was a Frenchman has knowledge of a 1950s British film star. Methinks he's an expatriate. Thanks for the additional info.

[Allan L]

So a member I assumed was a Frenchman has knowledge of a 1950s British film star. Methinks he's an expatriate.

as he reveals here: https://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/2017-46/si_044/msg561266/#new

[FrontMan]

I am undone! As a distant relative of Sir Percey Blakeney, though of the opposite political spectrum, my mission here is to make sure that the "Aristos" DO end up on the block. . 

[FrontMan]

....the only other picture I can find; a Brunell photograph from 1933, Lewes Speed Trials. The car appears to be professionally buit, but with little thought to engine cooling.

And, inspiration for the name, the wild child of the day, Tallulah Bankhead.

[FrontMan]

..........

[w6okey]

..........

In 1933, Justice entered several events.
JRJ entered Shelsley Walsh twice, once on 27th May 1933 and again on 30th September 1933. He non-started on the first date.

On the second date, he was able to attempt his first run but recorded a ‘Fail’ which either means he spun off the track or the car broke down, probably the latter as he did not take his second run.

The car on both occasions was described as a ”J.A.P. Special” of just over 1 litre capacity.

He also entered the Brighton Speed Trial in the September,

“The 1,100 c.c. class also gave the crowd an idea of the result of enthusiasts’ labours in the search for speed, and J. Justice (J.A. P. Special), G. L. Glegg (Dorcas II) and E. J. Moor (Wash In) all gave rise to varying degrees of amusement and admiration. Justice’s machine ” Tallulah ” noisily expired before the end of the course, and was pushed back to the start by way of the arcade under the terrace.”

In 1933 Lewes ran 4 events  13 May  (Kent and Sussex LCC)
24 June (Kent and Sussex LCC)
9 Sept (Kent and Sussex LCC)
21 Oct  (Bugatti Owners)
The photo above is from one of those events.

[FrontMan]

Thanks for that valuable input, Mr. w6okey

[nicanary]

Thanks for that valuable input, Mr. w6okey

Indeed. Top sleuthing. I am not living in my own home at the moment (dog sitting) so I have no access to my meagre library to add anything more.

For those with a Sky Movies subscription, I recommend Talking Pictures channel which specialises in films of 1930-1960 and I can almost guarantee that Justice will appear on a daily basis.

[Allan L]

He even appeared as Colonel Vladimir Denisovich Sklarnoff in a 1956 film starring Bob Hope and Katherine Hepburn! I know because a car like mine also appeared in that film - here it is with Bob Hope about to drive it away: