Professor Wallace- or the continuing adventures of the Bell Family in Sydney. (Jimmy Wallace's dad.....)

 This is a small advertising pamphlet for Professor Wallace who was a travelling entertainer in Sydney up to the 1950s/60s.

Professor Wallace was the father of juggler Jimmy Wallace and the family lived for some time in Marrickville in Sydney's inner west, and just around the corner from where I live. So this pamphlet is very interesting for me.

As you can see, Professor Wallace did not work alone and had a few friends who helped him out. I'd really like to know the identity of Harry the Comedy Juggler.

 Professor Wallace and his Punch and Judy show were a feature of children's parties in Sydney for many years. His daughter Florence, gave an interview to the City of Sydney Council archives which details the family's adventures - you can access that here.

The letters in the phone number date this to the 1950s -  60s in Sydney. 

James or Jimmy Wallace- Professor Wallace's son, was a famous juggler in Sydney and Brisbane. I have written about him here. 

Some updates

 

Just some small updates; 

I am currently trying to write about W C Fields' tour of Australia. Neil Litchfield of Stage Whispers Magazine sent this photo of Fields to me.

This photo was taken in Australia and shows Fields in the costume he wore on stage. He toured in 1903 and in 1914, and, according to Variety Magazine, was supposed to tour in 1918, but broke his contract with the Tivoli to continue performing with the Follies in the USA.

I have also recently found a postcard of Clara Braatz, aunt of Selma Braatz, a juggler who toured Australia in 1914. Clara accompanied Selma on her tour.

And in news that belongs to the category of 'humble brag', I was able to identify some photos of Jimmy Wallace held in the State Library of NSW. They agreed with my ID and have labelled the photos accordingly.

The link to the photos is here 

 

Jugglers ( and others) at the Sydney Tivoli 1901-1903

 Once upon a time, Sydney had wonderful buildings like this;

Harry Rickards' Tivoli Theatre in Castlereagh Street.

Between the years 1901-1903 Rickards imported the best of the world's vaudeville talent, and supported the best of Australian Vaudeville talent too.

Amongst his amazing performers during those years were;

Lennon, Hyman and Lennon- Australian club jugglers and passers who were the main local exponents of the art. They had a long career as a partnership and Bert Lennon went on to manage the Tivoli in Adelaide. Bert was a legendary member of the South Australian theatrical community all his life.

The above is the group in 1906 when they were performing for William Anderson in Sydney.

However, back to 1901-1903 and the  Tivoli.

Another legendary group of local juggers were the Lentons. They were hat jugglers.

The two male Lentons started juggling as children. The name Lenton was associated with hat juggling in Australia for over a decade.

But it was Rickards' ability to import the best performers in the world to Australia that made the Tivoli legendary.

Derenda and Breen were high class club jugglers from the US and allegedly introduced the game of netball to Australia.

The Harbecks were some of the only hoop jugglers and rollers in the world. 

Of course the best juggler in the world was this guy who came to the Tivoli in 1902 for the second time.

The incomparable Cinquevalli.

However, this guy who came in 1903 was pretty highly regarded too.

W C Fields. By the time Fields got to Sydney his wife, Hattie, had joined him. She apparently added a lot to the humour of his totally silent act. 

 It wasn't only jugglers that Rickards imported.

Sandow was a huge draw for the Tivoli.

And these performers, French, look like fun.

Of course it cost a bit to get to the Tivoli.

And some audience members might have had to forget about buying dainty footwear from Grace Brothers.

But it would have been worth every penny.!

All this material comes from programmes held at the State Library of NSW. The programmes are bound in a book format and they are getting very fragile now.

I'm not sure how long they will last, but I hope the library takes steps to preserve these lovely souvenirs of our cultural (and juggling) heritage.

Paula Coutts- Australian Juggler

 The Southern suburbs of Sydney was an unusual place to find a female juggler in 1948, but that was the home of one of Australia’s most successful exports, Pauline Coutts.

Pauline, known professionally as Paula, was born in Sydney in 1930. Her father Arthur (b1904)  was a balancer and had appeared as a minor player on the Australian variety circuits before she was born. He encouraged his daughter in his profession and Paula’s first appearance was at 9 years old, in a picture taken at Bondi Beach. In the picture,  Arthur balances on one hand whilst Paula has her body wrapped around him. Thus began a successful vaudeville partnership- Paul and Pauline.

Before they got their professional start, both Pauline and Arthur worked for some time for the local post office in Kogarah. But fame was too enticing and when Pauline turned 18, father and daughter left Australia for the bright lights of England.

As Paul and Pauline, the pair toured the English provinces , Wales and Scotland for about 3 years.  Sometimes Pauline would perform twice, once with her father and once as Paula Coutts , lady juggler. In 1949 Paul and Pauline were presenting head and other balancing , feats of endurance and dental work. Paula was also juggling on the same bill. Advertisements from the time call her ‘cute and clever.’

In 1951 they returned to Australia. A picture was published in the local newspaper of Paula, doing the splits, balancing her father. It was an odd counterpoint to their original visual debut on Bondi Beach.  

At this time, Arthur seems to have returned to the post office, but Paula, in her unusual occupation as lady juggler, revisited  England. She was described as ‘a dainty Australian juggler’ ‘attractive’, and as presenting some unusual feats in her ball juggling specialty. Paula mainly juggled with balls, and was a skilful snooker player. 

Another performance during this time, was a spot in the Gene Kelly film, Invitation to the Dance. Paula appears in the circus segment, dressed as a clown, juggling balls and clubs. In a later interview Paula said ‘ Gene Kelly’s got what it takes.’

In celebration of her celluloid debut, her dad gave a brief interview to a local Sydney paper. He dismissed her juggling skills saying, ‘she was the worst of the lot’ , but ‘ she has the personality’. According to the proud father, Gene Kelly had wanted a boy juggler for the role, but was so impressed with Pauline that he offered her the part.  Arthur’s attitude towards Paula’s juggling was fairly typical at a time when female jugglers were rare. Unfortunately, her skills were often disregarded in favour of comments on her physique or personality.

In 1952 Paula joined other entertainers on a tour to the Middle East to entertain the troops.

In 1953 she returned home for a brief visit and was greeted by newspaper reports. She was quoted as being a smog refugee travelling home  for her health. The report was accompanied by Paula juggling three balls in a bikini. She was described as ‘small and shapely with a mass of red curls’. Her plan was to reunite with her father as Paul and Pauline. 

In 1954 the pair performed together  for the Hot Ice spectacular as the only non-skating act. Off stage, they gave the skating star, Pat Gregory, juggling lessons between performances. Hot Ice toured Australia for six months visiting Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. 

Paula’s appearances in Australia were sporadic over the next few years, She appeared in RSL clubs and for charity galas in the suburbs. In 1961 she joined a large cast in a show called Yellzapoppin. The show successfully toured New Zealand and Paula was pictured tossing tennis racquets in a photo spread. 

By 1963 she was back in England. She appeared in TV shows such as The Good Ol Days for the BBC and joined and performed for the CAA ( Creative Artists Association.) In 1964 she was described as ‘ that rarity, a girl juggler, not only efficient but dauntingly attractive.’  By 1973 she was back in Australia appearing on the Bert Newton Show.

From this date references to Paula juggling are quite rare. There is some evidence that she may, in later life, have taken to TV acting. It seems she passed away in 2022.

The Kiraku Brothers in Australia 1935

 

The Kiraku brothers, Risley performers who juggled with their feet, arrived in Australia in March 1935. The pair, Kamejiro Yoshida, aged 38, and Hirokichi Fuji, 35, were imported from London where they were performing regularly in theatres and music halls.

Hiro was from Gefu and had been apprenticed to an acrobatic troupe, The Hamamura troupe, by his uncle when he was ten. Kamejiro, from Kyoto, the older performer, was also a graduate of the same school. Both were sons of farmers and they had travelled the world as acrobats since they were children.

Tivoli owner Frank Neil paid a bond of 200 pounds to insure them before they appeared on Australian stages. He also committed to providing food, clothing and medical care and swore that their appearance would incur no cost to the Commonwealth.

Signed photo in my collection

Their first performances were in Western Australia, and they were sensational.

They took the stage costumed in tennis gear. Kamejiro- the older and stockier, in blue coat and trousers  and Hiro in a quirky hat with yellow buttonhole. Hiro provided the laughs, whilst Kamejiro was the base. The act began with Hiro performing some handsprings, then Kamejiro lay on his back on a couch and began to twirl his partner with his feet. The hardest trick was the foot to foot, where Hiro performed a full somersault landing with his feet on Kamejiro’s feet.

 Kamejiro then moved to the floor where he caught Hiro on his hands and ‘while supporting him in an upright position, rolled across the stage.’ The reviewer of the show was astounded by this feat of strength.

The Kirakus were immensely popular in Western Australia, but their stay was short. They were due to tour the east coast in a revue, Birds of the Night. However, before they left the west, Hiro authored an article for the local paper. In it, Hiro said that he preferred to be identified as a gymnast rather than an acrobat, as acrobats wore tights whilst he and Kamejiro wore flannels. He also detailed long and painful training sessions, broken bones, cut lips, concussions and endless hours of practice. He described his partner, who he called Kame, as like his brother and both as ‘happy go lucky.’ The full article is here.

From the newspapers- probably in costume

 In the last week of their stay in Perth, Hiro sprained a tendon in his foot, but he performed the next night with a smile. He had been on stage since childhood and was well acquainted with the painful repercussions of the Risley life.

The pair arrived in Melbourne in April. They were immediately employed in the revue ‘Birds of the Night,’ which starred Mrs Frank Neil. They were described as ‘probably the finest acrobatic turn ever presented at this theatre,’ and were undoubtedly the stars of the show.

They performed in Sydney in July and were warmly greeted. They stayed for the whole month and left the country in August.

Although their visit was brief, the Kirakus were widely regarded as one of the best Risley acts to perform in Australia. Their reception was particularly warm in Western Australia where they were photographed and interviewed. Their association with the Tivoli Theatre ensured their success with Australian audiences.

They returned to England and performed in pantomime and variety until 1940. Hiro was interned during the war while it appears that Kamejiro returned to Japan. Hiro died in England in 1968.

I used this excellent website about Japanese performers as a contributing source for this article.

 

Alfio Silvestri

 I recently acquired these pictures of Alfio Silvestri- there's not a lot of information about Alfio available, so I've posted what I know here hoping that somebody might know more. He was, by all accounts I've read, a very skilled juggler. 

In the graveyard of variety artists in England lies Alfio Silvestri, once hailed as ‘the greatest juggler on earth.’

He was born in 1909 and in his early years lived in Milan. When he appeared on the  British variety circuit  he was introduced as a famous continental juggler, and it’s probable that he honed his craft in the theatres of France and Italy.

In 1932 he debuted in the English variety theatres, he was 22, a slim young man with a polished act. He claimed to be the only person in the world who could juggle 10 balls while standing on one foot.

His speciality was ball juggling, he juggled footballs and billiard balls and his finale was catching balls thrown to him by the audience on a stick in his mouth. This audience interaction was much praised by critics.

Between 1932- 1955, he appeared in all the major music halls in England, Scotland and Ireland with this act.

Alfio Silvestri died in 1992 and was buried in Twickenham cemetery England by the Variety Artistes Benevolent fund.

 

 

Ossie Delroy and Jack Delroy- The Delroys.

 With Thanks to Kate Besley and Mark St Leon for their help- Particularly Kate who patiently answered my emails.

In late 1912, a young juggling duo, The Delroys, began appearing in advertisements, in theatre trade magazines and newspapers. They were hoop rollers extraordinaire, comedy artists, brothers in juggling.

They were Jack and Ossie, the Delroys, and both were in their early 20s.  In November 1912 they played the National Amphitheatre and in early 1913 they played with Mysto, the magician. They passed hoops and made comedic remarks, they juggled tennis racquets, Ossie rode a unicycle and juggled, and they offered five pounds to anybody in the audience who could do the same.

After reaching the heights of the Brennan circuit at the National Amphitheatre, their career was sidelined to the fringes of the Australian vaudeville scene. The variety theatres were experimenting with moving pictures, so there was less work, and the pay was declining. The Delroys travelled to New Zealand for a short tour in 1913, and then they sailed to Asia where they joined Harmston’s Circus. In August, Jack wrote to Variety Magazine in Sydney, raving about their good reviews and great houses in China.

The Delroys spent about 3 years with Harmstons and toured through Asia. In 1916 the partners split and Jack left the circus.

 

JACK

 When Jack left, he was not alone. He had started a relationship with the circus owner’s daughter, Nellie Harmston. The couple, with a friend, John Gordon Kerr, and with Nellie’s daughter Jeanette, embarked on a ship in Shanghai for the United States in 1916.

Jack Delroy’s real name was Pierce Alexander McDonald and he was born in Parkes New South Wales in 1893.  He was a slender, handsome man with light brown hair and grey eyes. John Gordon Kerr who accompanied Jack and Nellie to the US, was supposed to be Jack’s new juggling partner. However, in October 1916 Jack was advertising for a new partner who could pass clubs and hoops because Kerr was ill and in 1917 he died in Illonois. 

Jack and Nellie worked with a circus in Pittsburgh in 1917 and Jack also managed a Chinese touring group. In 1920 they decided to return to Australia. On the way they toured the Chinese troupe in Shanghai.

Nellie Harmston McDonald, known by her stage name Nellie Harmston, had developed an act with performing birds. She had over 20 birds, including cockatoos, who performed various tricks including acrobatics, mini trapeze, musical items and tumbling. One cockatoo, The Colonel, was described as almost human. They were enormously popular particularly with children. When the couple arrived in Australia, Nellie and her bird act was almost immediately booked as a headliner for the Tivoli Circuit.

Jack was not in demand as a juggler, it was Nellie who was booked continuously throughout the early 1920s. Jack was referred to as Nellie’s ‘hubby’ who ‘assisted with the birds.’

Denied the opportunity to juggle regularly, Jack branched into business. In 1922 he became part owner of a confectionery store in Sydney called Hills which was later renamed Macs. The store had the exclusive licence to provide sweets to all the theatres in Sydney and was located next to the Theatre Royal. He also obtained the copyright for the ‘sawing a woman in half illusion’ and warned in large advertisements, that magicians in Sydney would have to ask permission before performing the trick in public.

Everyones Magazine 1920s

Nellie’s cockatoos were world famous and Nellie was a talented juggler, performer and animal trainer. Her act often included cats, rats and birds. It was constantly booked in theatres in Australia.  Around 1923 Nellie left the country with the bird act and the family remained overseas for three years. When they returned the birds starred as headliners and once again toured the Tivoli Circuit.

In 1927, Jack imported a Chinese acrobatic troupe The Kwong Sing Wah troupe, who played the Tivoli. Later that year Jack created McDonald’s Wonder Show which included the troupe. There was also a juggler, Manelli, in the Wonder Show.  This was Jack’s alter ego. Young Jeanette also performed and sometimes conducted the cockatoo act.  Mc Donald’s Wonder Show did good business. It was ‘comedy, novelty, melody and thrills, delighting both the ear and the eye.’

In 1928 Nellie suddenly passed away in Sydney, and Jeanette and Jack were left alone, with the birds, to make a living.

They travelled to New Zealand, Jack appearing as Manelli the juggler. The reviews said that Manelli ‘appeared to be able to juggle anything light or heavy and his feats with hoops and hats were remarkably clever.’ Jack appeared with a partner called Mack, who dressed as a tramp and performed humorous feats as Jack juggled. The New Zealand papers said that Jack was the heir to Cinquevalli.

Advertisement for Jack and Jeanette's show in New Zealand newspaper

Jean performed a living marionette act. Her mother had died less than 6 months before, yet she continued working with Jack in New Zealand almost continuously through to mid-1929.

Jack Delroy , juggler, reappeared in Australia in 1930 and in the early years of the decade was juggling in regional shows. In 1934 he married Alice Doell in New Zealand. The couple, with Jean, remained there. In 1934 Jack listed his occupation as merchant.  In 1951 he became a New Zealand citizen.

Meanwhile Jean continued performing with her living marionettes, becoming a feature between the movies. She eventually settled in New Zealand and had a family who still lives there.

Jack returned to Australia in old age and died in 1975 in Sydney.

 

OSSIE

The adventures of Ossie Delroy made him a legend in the Australian theatrical and circus communities.

When Jack left Harmston’s circus with Nellie, Ossie remained. He stayed with the circus for almost two decades and became Harmston’s right hand man. Originally, he performed a unicycle/juggling act, but with time he became a jack of all trades, a manager, an advance man, a trainer, an acrobat and a trouble shooter.

When Ossie became Ossie Delroy the juggler, it seems he left his origins behind. Fragmentary evidence suggests that his real name was Oswald Albert Smith and he was born in Newtown in Sydney in 1890. His mother was Mercy Smith and his father, John Thomas, was a brickmaker.

 

Ossie with Harmston's Circus-

Ossie travelled through Asia with Harmston’s Circus for over 10 years. In 1924 he was described as ‘doing a wire act, trick bicycle, comedy juggling, and musical offering. In addition to this he is elephant trainer, transport man and above all he is Willie Harmston’s first lieutenant’.

Ossie did a quick stop in Australia in 1924 to get married, but he soon travelled to Asia to rejoin his boss. The boss died in 1936, and Ossie, perhaps not happy with the new management, returned to Australia and New Zealand with Sole Brothers circus in 1938.

In New Zealand, he was described as the ‘juggling genius and hoop spinner’ direct from India. A review said ‘His wonderful control in juggling five hoops or balls at the one time was greatly appreciated and his club work and every feature of his display was clean and finished.’

Ossie toured with Sole Brothers across Australia in 1939. War was declared in September that year, and Ossie was too old to fight. He remained with the circus until 1941 when he joined the famous Thorpe McConville show.

Ossie with Jimmy Wallace- Pix Magazine (damaged photo in my collection)

In 1940 he featured in a two page photo spread in Pix Magazine with young Jimmy Wallace. They were shown juggling hoops, clubs and balls and passing. Ossie, lying about his age, was too old to fight, and Jimmy too young. Jimmy had been juggling since he was a boy and it’s possible that Ossie was his juggling teacher and mentor as they lived in neighbouring suburbs.

In August 1941, Ossie enlisted with an Australian Army entertainment unit led by comedian, Jim Gerald. Ossie lied to the army about his age, and entertained the troops on the front line, often unicycling and juggling in dangerous conditions.  He returned to Australia in 1943 and entertained the forces with the Waratah troupe in North and Western Australia, where he and Jimmy were called a ‘perfect juggling team’.  He returned to the front lines in New Guinea with this touring company in 1943.

Ossie on the Unicycle entertaining the troops in the Middle East- Australian War Memorial 

After the war Ossie teamed with Jimmy and they performed at the Brisbane Theatre Royal. He continued working with McConville, and during the 1950s teamed with Jimmy again. He was in his 60s at this time.

In Sydney Ossie loitered in Pitt Street at Poverty Point with all the local performers. They elected a mayor and gossiped about work and lack of it. Ossie was a well known and respected character in the community and continued working well into the 1950s.

Ossie scaring a child - 1951 newspaper

Ossie seems to have stopped the travelling showman life in the 1960s. He passed away in 1978 in his home in Sydney. He is spoken of as a legend in the circus world, and his adventures took him a long way from his humble beginnings as a brick makers son in Newtown.