person or book cover
Photo courtesy of the Fryer Library
Charles Delavale Charles Delavale i(A100530 works by) (birth name: Ernest Charles Vockler) (a.k.a. "Ike" Delavale)
Also writes as: Ern Vockler
Born: Established: 1897 ; Died: Ceased: 1968
Gender: Male
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BiographyHistory

Comic, eccentric dancer, revue and pantomime actor, producer, manager.

Charles Delavale's extraordinarily-long career began ca. 1911 as the juvenile comedian and dancer Ern Vockler and continued up until at least the mid-1950s. Known as Ike Delavale from 1923 onwards, he built a reputation as one of the country's leading entertainers in two popular partnerships - the Delavale Brothers (1910s) and Delavale and Stagpoole (1920s).

At the Shaftesbury Theatre in Perth in 1920, Delavale teamed up with former American Burlesque Company comedian Paul Stanhope to briefly form the onstage characters Ike (Delavale) and Spike (Stanhope). In 1921, he and Stagpoole joined Walter George Sunshine Players, and later appeared briefly with Bert Le Blanc's Travesty Stars.

By 1925, Charles Delavale was one of Harry Clay's major attractions, producing his own revues and pantomimes with the Ike Delavale Revue Company . Among his more popular productions were The Giggle House and The Good Ship Ribtickler (both 1924). Following Harry Clay's death in 1925, Delavale spent several years as one of the company's senior managers. In 1928 he moved to the Fullers' organisation as a producer. Among his more popular works from this period were Ike's Vacation, Suffragettes, Chuckle , and Odds and Ends. One of his last known big-budget shows was the pantomime Old Mother Hubbard (1931). He later toured with Maggie Buckley (1930s-1940s).

Highly regarded as a revusical writer/director, troupe manager/proprietor, and radio celebrity (from 1930), Delavale worked for most of the big Australian-based firms and had long associations with Harry Clay, Fullers' Theatre , Les Shipp, Stanley McKay , and Bruce Carroll (Perth). He also toured New Zealand twice with the Delavale Brothers (1917/1919) and twice with Stanley McKay's Gaieties (1935/1936). His last-known engagements were in 1947 with Bruce Carroll's Tivoli Theatre (Perth).

[Source: Australian Variety Theatre Archive]

Most Referenced Works

Notes

  • 1. HISTORICAL NOTES AND CORRECTIONS:

    1.1. Ike Delavale was the brother-in-law of another high-profile Australian comedian with the same surname, Ern Delavale.

  • 2. FURTHER REFERENCE:

    The following list comprises articles, paragraphs, and reports relating to Charles Delavale (and Elvie Stagpoole) that are not given individual entries in this database.

      • The Age: 10 September 1928, p.12.
      • Australian Variety and Show World: 18 March 1920, p.6 / 12 November 1920, n. pag. / 3 December 1920, p.17.
      • Everyone's: 6 April 1921, p.15 / 13 April 1921, n. pag. / 15 June 1921, p.15 / 14 September 1921, p.20 / 10 September 1924, p.34 / 15 December 1926, p.103 [advert] / 23 February 1927, p.46 / 1 January 1930, p.34.
      • Theatre Magazine: May 1921, n. pag. / November 1922, p.3 / November 1923, p.25 / March 1925, n. pag.

  • This entry has been sourced from research undertaken by Dr Clay Djubal into Australian-written popular music theatre (ca. 1850-1930). See also the Australian Variety Theatre Archive

Last amended 22 Apr 2018 09:11:57
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