POPULAR VAUDEVILLE SHOW COMING TO GREYMOUTH

Grey River Argus, 23 February 1949, Page 6

POPULAR VAUDEVILLE SHOW COMING TO GREYMOUTH

Commencing on Wednesday, March 9, “The Amazing Mr Rooklyn”, one of the best vaudeville shows to visit New Zealand for some years, will open a four-night season at the Regent. Theatre, Greymouth. Yesterday, the advance manager, Mr George Rox, visited Greymouth to make preliminary arrangements. The show will also be presented in Westport. Memories of the 1924 train stoppage were recalled yesterday by Mr Rox, when another company he was managing left Christchurch in buses for Greymouth. The company totalled 94, and when they reached the Bealey Hotel they found the Waimakariri River in flood. The hotel could accommodate about ten, and Mr Rox and the late jockey, Harold Young, organised beds for the ladies—four in a double and two in a single. The others slept on the floor by the fire, and by tea time they had eaten all provisions in the house. About mid-night, Mr Rox and Young went through the service cars seeking more food, and found sausages and steak consigned to settlers at Arthur’s Pass. These were commandeered and cooked, and all passengers enjoyed a hot meal by 1.30 a.m. During the night the river broke, and the passengers were transported by dray to buses on the other side. When they reached the Arthur’s Pass Hotel, a very welcome hot meal awaited them and they proceeded on to Greymouth, reaching their destination at 11 p.m.. after a 41-hour journey from Christchurch. VAUDEVILLE GAINING IN POPULARITY Mr Rox stated . yesterday, that vaudeville was definitely gaining in popularity, more marked during the past two years especially. In the heyday of* vaudeville, four companies were touring New Zealand continuously. At present there were six “flesh and blood” companies,, including two circuses, in the Dominion, and another, the Italian Opera, has arrived.

Mr Rox, who lives in Sydney, has received advice that the Kiwi Concert Party has just arrived there after a run of two years and two months in Melbourne. They will open their Sydney season to-morrow. Recalling the stars of the past, Mr Rox said that Jim Gerald, retired, is living in Melbourne; George Storey

is “comfortable” in Sydney on the rents of flats in which he invested his savings; George Wallace has a store and poultry farm near Penrith, but still goes on the air once a week; Marshall Crosby is still broadcasting. George Sortie, of Fuller’s, died recently, a very wealthy man. At the age of 91, Mons. Rex, the contortionist, can still kick a leg round his neck; Kitty Bluett, daughter of Fred, of vaudeville fame, is on her way to London; the comedian, Don Nicholl. when he last heard of him, was seriously ill, and Billy Bovis died last year, aged, 83 but Ward Lear,, aged 79, and Ted Tutty, only four years his junior, are still on the boards.

Lyla Thompson, who used to sing “She Sells Sea Shells”, is living in retirement in Sydney, where the duettists, Vai and Lottie Newman, run a wine shop. FORMER ARTISTS

Several former artists, including Humphrey Bishop and his brother, Con Moreni, Charles Zoli, Colin Crane, of “Showboat” fame, Harry Grunden, and the New Zealander, Clifford O’Keefe, are now in radio in Australia, but Edgely and Dawe, after years on the air, have gone back to the footlights, and are now playing at the Theatre Royal, Hobart. Now retired, Leonard Nelson (“Mr Booze”) lives at Biackneath, New South Wales, while Maude Fanning, at 82, is a grandmother. Stanley McKay tours Northern Queensland towns to avoid the winter.

Well remembered in Greymouth with Pat Hanna’s Diggers, Joe Valli, the Scottish comedian, has completely lost his voice, and is now caretaker of the Actors’ Equity holiday settlement at Sussex Inlet, New South Wales.

Mr Rox began his stage career as a youth in Sydney, but later became a hurdle rider. However, a series of injuries fbrced him to retire, and he re-joined the show business in the managerial department. Tours have taken him to many parts of the world.