English-born pianist, singer, impersonator, revue writer, company leader.
The earliest of Nat Hanley's engagements found to date are in 1914 when he appeared under the management of variety entrepreneurs Dix-Baker, J. C. Bain, and Harry Clay. However, it is likely that he arrived in Australia sometime prior to this, possibly appearing on either the Tivoli or Fullers' circuits. A talented pianist, his act saw him present an array of additional specialties that included impersonations, patter, jokes, singing, whistling, and trick performances. Self-proclaimed in later years as 'Australia's greatest trick pianist,' one of Hanley's more spectacular feats, as an Australian Variety photograph records, was his ability to play the piano upside down with his head on the floor (24 December 1919, p.27). Although primarily a solo performer, he occasionally worked in duos with comedians such as Jack 'Porky' Kearns and Arthur Elliott.
In early 1919, Hanley became involved in writing and directing revusicals for Andy Kerr at the Gaiety Theatre (Syd). Later that same year, he joined Reg Thornton's K-Nuts, appearing in both vaudeville and revusicals with that troupe up until 1921. He then began operating his own revusical ensemble, the Nat Hanley Revue Company, for several years. In 1924, he appeared with Fullers Fantastics Company and was also briefly a member of the George Wallace Revue Company. Between ca. 1926 and 1928, Hanley was engaged as a principal comedian in Phil Smith's Zigzag Revue Company, which toured Australia and New Zealand for Fullers Theatres' Ltd. Although he very likely wrote material (including songs) for many of Smith's revusicals, no details regarding his contribution to those productions has surfaced to date. After leaving Smith's troupe, Hanley appeared with several companies operating on the Fullers' circuit, including the Fullers' London Revue Company (1928) and Eric Masters' Merry Whirl Company (1928). In 1929, he re-formed the Nat Hanley Revue Company to tour the Clay and Union Pictures circuits.
