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BiographyHistory

OVERVIEW

One of the most successful revusical companies to operate in Australian during the 1920s, the Jim Gerald Miniature Musical Comedy Company formed in 1922 and toured almost continuously through until the mid-1930s. Up until 1929, the troupe toured the Fullers' Australia and New Zealand circuits, competing for popularity stakes with the firm's other high-profile troupes, notably Nat Phillips' Stiffy and Mo Revue Co, George Wallace Revue Company, Ward and Sherman's American Revue Company, and F. Gayle Wyer's Bandbox Revue Company. Following the collapse of the Fullers' theatrical operations in the late 1920s, Gerald's troupe moved on to the Tivoli circuit and, despite increased competition from the 'talkies', managed to continue drawing large audiences in the major cities, often playing seasons of five months or more in any one venue.

Although Gerald briefly experimented with the revue genre during the late 1920s and early 1930s, his most popular shows were one-act musical comedies. Gerald wrote most of the productions himself, among the most popular being those he first staged in 1922: Barebacks; A Millionaire for a Night; 1914-1918, Or, For the Duration; The Tennis Club; and Whips and Quips. Almost all of these were still being staged in the 1930s, albeit with new titles.

The core membership of Gerald's troupe remained remarkably consistent over the years, with several performers remaining with the company for almost a decade. Among the key members of the troupe were his wife Essie Jennings and brother Lance Vane, who also acted as the troupe's stage manager. The other principal members were Reg Hawthorne, Howard Hall, Ernest Crawford, Mona Thomas, and choreographer Polly McLaren.

DETAILED BIOGRAPHY

1922-1929: Jim Gerald's Miniature Musical Comedy Company debuted in Newcastle in July 1922 with A Millionaire for a Night, opening in Sydney later the next month to rapturous critical acclaim. The initial line-up comprised several members of the Walter George Sunshine Players, the troupe Gerald had joined the previous year. These performers were Essie Jennings, Reg Hawthorne, and dancer/choreographer Polly McLaren. In starting up his own revusical company, Gerald was required to write (or adapt) his own works, this by now being a tradition among Australian revusical troupes. Having already been accorded much acclaim for his original sketches, the creative aspects involved in running his own troupe were not too difficult for him, and indeed from around 1922, Gerald began to emerge as one of Australia's more popular writers of one-act musical comedies. Among his most popular revusicals were Bare Backs, A Millionaire for a Night, The Tennis Club, The Merry Masquerader, Whips and Quips, Don't Tell the Wife, and, arguably his greatest success, 1914-1918; Or, For the Duration. Set in three scenes (a military camp, aboard a transport ship, and in the trenches on Armistice Day), the revue's narrative is once again drawn from Gerald's wartime experiences, and in this respect was a fleshed-out adaptation of 'The New Recruit' sketch with additional musical sequences. 1914-1918 was to be one of the earliest of productions for Gerald's Miniature Musical Comedy Company, and continued to be revived throughout the 1920s.

During its first five years of operations, the troupe toured consistently around Australia and New Zealand on the Fullers' circuit, establishing itself as one of the four leading Australian-based revue troupes. Most seasons rarely ran for less than six months, with some continuing for up to eight months. As competition from the film industry began to increase markedly over the latter half of the decade, Gerald instigated a number of changes to his shows, some of which were taken up by most other revusical troupes. Among these was his decision to utilise the members of his troupe as first-part vaudeville entertainers rather than employing guest performers, a tradition on the variety stage that dated back to the minstrel shows of the nineteenth century. This allowed him the opportunity to still offer variety entertainment while also reducing operational costs. The vaudeville first part, invariably presented under the title Happy Ideas, generally comprised song-and-dance turns, comedy routines and sketches, and specialty acts that utilised the particular talents of individual members of the troupe, including performances on musical instruments, acrobatics (often featuring Gerald himself), and 'humourosities.' One of Gerald's famous solo routines during the 1920s, for example, was his rendition of 'Paddy McGinty's Goat' (the text for which, with accompanying photographs, is published in the March 1923 issue of the Theatre Magazine, p.21).

Another change to the troupe's entertainment programme was Gerald's experiment with the revue format around 1929-1930. Although he was certainly not the first to stage revue-style follies in Australia, Gerald's shows during this period did make use of a number of innovations that he had observed while in America and England in 1928. Among the more notable innovations were new lighting and stage designs. In its review of one of the first productions in Australia of Happy Ideas, Everyone's records for example, that the show was mounted 'with a suggestion of lavishness, which is emphasized by the stage lighting. Evidently one of the wrinkles picked up by Gerald in America, varied coloured and ever changing lights [were] thrown from the wings on to a gold drop centre panelled by rich figured material.' The critic also suggested that while the new show made a strong impression, introducing 'much in the way of novelty and effective presentation,' its move away from the revusical format--'the stuff that landed him in the front row of local comedy merchants'--meant that it didn't have the same dramatic scope (1 May 1929, p.49).

Aside from the revusicals it staged, the troupe also regularly appeared in Christmas pantomimes for the Fullers. In all of these, Gerald appeared as the dame, while he also wrote and directed several pantomimes himself. Indeed, by 1926, Gerald and members of his revusical company had racked up five consecutive Christmas seasons for the Fullers.

In 1927, the troupe also revived a British two-act musical comedy, The Honeymoon Girl. Gerald's version reportedly contained some new material, mostly introduced by his character 'Mumps,' along with several new song-and-dance sequences (Brisbane Courier 15 August 1927, p.11; Just It 13 October 1928, p.28). It was staged in place of the usual variety and revue/revusical programme. Initially serving as the concluding show to each season, its popularity meant that it often ran for at least several weeks, and was regularly revived by the troupe well into the 1930s.

The Jim Gerald Revue Company ended its association with Fullers Theatres Ltd in September 1929 when it undertook a tour of New Zealand for the Tivoli organisation. By this time, too, several of the original troupe members also moved on, with two of the most significant losses being Lance Vane and Polly McLaren (although Vane later returned ca. 1934). Among the new members engaged between 1927 and 1929, however, were several performers who already had high-profile reputations: Amy Rochelle, Harry Burgess, Dan Weldon, Tommy Dale (ex-Dale and Barling), Phyllis du Barry, Ward Lear Jnr, Letty Craydon, and Ron Shand.

1930-1935: Upon its return to Australia in March 1930, the troupe went directly to the Melbourne Tivoli Theatre, where it played a five-month season to largely packed houses. One of the special guest performers during its Melbourne engagement was Sadie Gale, who was forced to remain in the city for six months while her husband, Roy Rene, recovered from a serious illness. Gerald had, by this stage, reverted back to the first-part vaudeville/second-part revusical format, opening most shows with a vaudeville-style revue (given the generic title Happy Ideas), and revivals of his more popular revusicals. Several revusicals had by then also been given new titles: namely Circus Days (previously Barebacks), The Naughty Earl (previously Not Likely), and Sport of Kings (previously Whips and Quips). Gerald would also revive the minstrel show for at least one week during any extended season in city. Billed as The Old Time Minstrel Show, Gerald and Reg Hawthorne would take on the comic endman roles of Mr Tambo (Gerald) and Mr Bones (Hawthorne).

While the troupe's movements over the next five years still require further research, it appears certain that it continued to tour the Tivoli circuit on a full-time basis. Over Christmas and New Year 1933/1934, for example, the troupe presented a short season of children's entertainment at the Tivoli Theatre, Sydney. Essentially a revue for juveniles, the production was augmented by a number of specialty acts, including Harry Abdy's Animal and Bird Circus, The Three Orlandos (dancers), and The Three Alecs (acrobatic clowns), and featured the two scenas 'Joy Bells' and 'Happy Hours.' At the end of 1934, however, the troupe moved off the Tivoli circuit after accepting an engagement by Frank Neil to appear in his production of Mother Goose. Staged at the King's Theatre, Melbourne, the pantomime was a collaboration between Neil and Gerald.

Most Referenced Works

Notes

1. JIM GERALD REVUE COMPANY PERSONNEL:

All dates shown below are established years only. In some instances, people may have been associated with the company prior to or after the dates shown but these years have not yet been identified.

One factor that helped establish and maintain Gerald's long-term success was his ability to select the right combination of character actors to support his comic material. In this respect, he, like Nat Phillips, Bert Le Blanc, and George Wallace, surrounded himself with the right mix of professionalism, looks, and talent, thus making the productions fresh and seemingly spontaneous. Among the original troupe were several performers who remained key personnel for many years. These artists, aside from Essie Jennings, were his brother Lance Vane (8 years), ex-J. C. Williamson actor Reg Hawthorne (11 years), Howard Hall (11 years), Ernest Crawford (7 years), and Mona Thomas (7 years). Choreographer, dancer, and soubrette Polly McLaren (6 years) was also a significant factor in the troupe's popularity between 1922 and 1926, with her name given prominence in many of the published reviews during that period.

1.1. Principal troupe members were Una Baines (1928), Frieda Bohning (1932-1934), Thelma Bryce (1932-1933), Harry Burgess (1927-1928), Neva Carr-Glynn (1926-1928), Robbie Clifton (1934), Lily Coburn (1929-1934), Lou Cottam (1932-1934), Ernest Crawford (1922-1928), Dot Creswell (1927-1928), Letty Craydon (1923-24, 1928), Tommy Dale (1928-1934), Phyllis du Barry (1927-1928), Thelma Duff (1930-1934), Jim Foran (1930), Linda Foy (1929), May Geary (1926-1928), Jessie Gillam (1932-1933), Joan Graham (1930), Howard Hall (1922-1933), Reg Hawthorne (1922-1933), Billy Heaton (1928-1929), Joe Hudson (1930), Heather Jones (1931-1933), Vilma Kaye (1931-1934), Betty Lambert (1926-1928), Ward Lear Jnr (1928), Flora McDonald (1927), Polly McLaren (1922-1927), Ray McLean (1927-1930), Dot McLean (1927), Jack Manners (1927), George Moon Jnr (1934), Olivette (1928), Dalton Payne (1927), Harry Payne (1927), Les Pearce (1927-1928), Will Perryman (1932-1934), Edna Ralston (1930, 1934), Shannon Raye (1922), Max Reddy (1934), Amy Rochelle (1928), Cecil Scott (1927-1928), Ron Shand (1929), Charles L. Sherman (1934), Mona Thomas (1923-1928), Winnie Trevail (1922), Lance Vane (1922-1928, 1934), Marie Ward (1930), Dan Weldon (1927).

1.2. Members of the Twinkers Ballet included Laurel Barrett (1922), Edna Drake (1922), Iris McKenzie (1922), Vera Nixon (1922), Myra Rowe (1922-1923, 1926), Gladys Taylor (1922), Irene Vando (1922). The six-member chorus was expanded to twelve sometime during the early 1930s.

1.3. Occasional or special guest performers include The Eleven Wonders (1927), Sadie Gale (1930).
1.4. Additional notes and/or historical clarification :
2. THE HONEYMOON GIRL:

Arguably Jim Gerald's most successful production of the late 1920s and early 1930s, this full two-act musical comedy appears to have been staged from 1927 onwards as a finale to each of Gerald's revusical seasons. Gerald's adaptation was not the first to be produced in Australia, however, with Hugh J. Ward's Company of Comedians reportedly staging it some years previous (ctd. Brisbane Courier 2 August 1927, p.17). Although little information regarding the original English stage production has been located, the Courier further records that its score was a collaboration between Rudolph Nelson, H. Sullivan, and Herman Darewski (8 August 1927, p.28).

Set in the Hotel des Palmes, a hostelry with a distinctly Bohemian flavour, most of the action revolves around 'Mumps,' the boots of the establishment. Staying at the hotel is Dulcie (the honeymoon girl) who is betrothed to Leoni, the nephew of General Zonzo. Described in the Brisbane Courier as a 'gay old spark,' the General gets into and creates all sorts of mayhem (much of it directed at his nephew) through his infatuation with Madame Castellano, an equally sparkling widow. Other key characters include Yvette and Vivette, two maids who (with the aid of Mumps) get the love affair between Dulcie and Leoni even more tangled; Cherie, a Russian dancer; M. Courvosier, the frantic hotel proprietor; and his trusted and equally frantic booking clerk, Mariette.

A review of the 1930 Tivoli (Melbourne) revival notes, 'No one can dispute Jim Gerald's place in the affections of Australian audiences as a laughter-getter, and his performance in The Honeymoon Girl... was well up to the standard. That the new musical comedy is just another version of one of the limited number of stock plots which lie so ready to the hands of the popular librettists - in this instance it is of the interrupted wedding, lost photograph etc variety - does not really matter. Gerald is the whole show, or most of it, as far as the real box office entertainment in concerned. Chief of the supporting players is Sadie Gale, who performs her part of Saroska, a Russian dancer, very well and acts attractively. The juvenile lead, Jim Foran, is also the possessor of a good voice... Gerald's antics, particularly those in the wedding breakfast scene, kept the audience in a state of laughter' (Age 19 May 1930, p.12).

Songs performed in the show, as highlighted in the Sydney Morning Herald of 23 January 1934, included 'You're More than all the World' (sung by Dulcie and Leoni) and 'I Never See Maggie Alone' (sung by Jim Gerald as Mumps).
Most critics appear to agree that the comedian's quaint style of delivery was especially suited to the role of the Hotel des Palmes' hall porter, around whom most of the incidents revolved. The Sydney Morning Herald critic writes, for example, that 'Mr Gerald's special quality of humour is adapted effectively to the part... [and] aroused great laughter. [His] remarkable power over his audience was particularly noticeable in his song and monologue, "I Said Oh!"' (10 October 1927, p.7). The Brisbane Courier's review, in reporting on what was to be a sold-out two week Empire Theatre season, similarly records, 'He proves himself a capable character comedian and makes the most of his clever lines, while his nimble dancing adds greatly to his work in this production. He never spares himself to make the most of a particular situation, and Saturday's large audience accorded his efforts a full measure of appreciation' (8 August 1927, p.28).

The known production dates for this musical comedy are:
Further Reference:
3. OLD TIME MINSTREL SHOW (aka The Olde Time Nigger Minstrels):

'The best show this company has produced during its present season,' writes an Age theatre critic in 1930, 'the minstrel show form of entertainment so obviously affords opportunity for variety and brightness that from the time the curtain went up on the chatter and patter of the corner men, Jim Gerald (Tambo) and Reg Hawthorne (Bones), there was no doubt regarding the success of the show. It went with a swing and neatness that left a very favourable impression upon the audience. Negro songs, jokes, and dances predominated, and it was pleasing to hear again such favourites as "Dinah, Dixie Star" (yodelling song), "Caroline Moon," "Chloe" and others. Mr Jim Foran was again heard in a pleasing tenor solo, "Sligo"... Miss Edna Ralston sang "The Lone Girl Flyer" and the audience joined in at the invitation of Mr Gerald when the words were outlined on a canvas. The song, which concerns the achievements of Miss Amy Johnson, was sung enthusiastically' (9 June 1930, p.13).

Four years later, the same paper records, 'A bright and attractive programme was presented, the first half comprising a nigger minstrel entertainment, followed by a tabloid musical comedy entitled Broadway Nights. In the first part Jim Gerald and Max Reddy (tambos), Charles Sherman and Owen Laurence (bones) were assisted by the full company. The old time plantation songs, including "My Old Kentucky Home," were warmly appreciated... as were the vocal numbers of Russell Callow, the "Mississippi Holiday" by Edna Ralston and the ballet, and "The River Boat" by the company' (9 July 1934, p.12).

The known production dates for The Old Time Minstrel Show are:
Entries connected with this record have been sourced from historical research into Australian-written music theatre and film conducted by Dr Clay Djubal.

Last amended 3 Nov 2011 14:27:18

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