Actor, character vocalist (baritone), society entertainer, writer, troupe leader.
The eldest son of long-time D'Oyley Carte Opera Company baritone Helier le Maistre (1866-1915) and his wife, contralto Nellie Wyatt, Eric Masters started out his career at age 14 in pantomime. He later joined the March Hares Concert Party before establishing himself in London as a musical comedy and revue actor in the 1910s (notably with George Edwardes). He made his Australian debut with the Tivoli Frolics (Brisbane) in October 1922, having spent three years touring the East for Maurice Bandmann. Masters later worked for the Fullers' Theatres, J. C. Williamson's, Hugh J. Ward, the Tivoli circuit and Frank Neil among other firms.
While on the Fullers circuit Masters was associated with such revue/revusical companies as The Frivolities (Perth, 1925), The Snap Company (Brisbane, 1925-26), Con Moreni's Ideals (Perth, 1927), Stud Foley's Follies (Adelaide, 1927), and Roy Rene's troupe - Mo's Merrymakers (Sydney, 1929). He also operated his own companies - notably the Merry Whirl Revue Co (1928, aka The Maxims), appeared regularly on radio as a singer and actor from 1925, and was given a role in Roy Rene's 1934 film, Strike Me Lucky.
During the 1930s Masters was largely associated with the Australian Broadcasting Commission as a member of its dramatic staff. In 1931 his "pierrotic phantasy," Motley, was produced by the ABC Players. Masters died in a private hospital in Springwood, Sydney, on 1 March 1939. He was survived by his wife, Decima.
[Source: Australian Variety Theatre Archive]
