AUSTRALIAN EPHEMERA COLLECTION FINDING AID

ALBERT WHELAN (1975-19610

PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAMS AND EPHEMERA (PROMPT)

PRINTED AUSTRALIANA

MAY 2015

Albert Whelan (5 May 1875 – 19 February 1961), was an Australian popular singer and entertainer, who was prominent in the English during the first half of the 20th century. Whelan was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1875. Early in his career, Whelan moved to Western Australia, where he found fame as a singer and dancer, entertaining the miners working the gold fields. At the turn of the 20th century, he emigrated to Britain, making his debut in a novelty dance act at the Empire, . He rapidly honed his act, and settled on a style which would vary little over his career, although his ability to update the content of his act ensured his career was both long and successful, lasting well into his eighties. Whelan was acknowledged as one of the first entertainers to have a signature tune, appearing on-stage (and exiting at the end of his act) whistling Robert Vollstedt's waltz from Die Lustige Brüder (The Jolly Brothers). Immaculately dressed in bow-tie and tails, he sang, danced and played the piano. He was an excellent mimic, and adapted easily to changing vocal styles. His recording career spanned the first half of the 20th century, from The Whistling Bowery Boy in 1905 to his final recordings made in 1960. He also had minor roles in a number of British films of the 1930s and 1940s. His son was the pianist Gordon Whelan. He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1957 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the BBC Television Theatre.

Printed materials in the PROMPT collection include programs and printed ephemera such as brochures, leaflets, tickets, etc. Theatre programs are taken as the prime documentary evidence of a performance. The list is based on imperfect holdings, and is updated as gaps in the Library’s holdings are filled. Unless otherwise stated, all entries are based on published programs in the PROMPT collection.

The Albert Whelan PROMPT files may be accessed through the Library’s Special Collections Reading Room by eCallslip request: http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/3532141

Programs in the National Library’ PROMPT collection are arranged chronologically. All except one of the programs currently held are for performances in and Northern Ireland. The Australian program is first listed, as it is the earliest program held.

The National Library’s collection also includes:  A digitised playbill  A biographical clippings file. Further material is also available through Trove:  Newspaper articles  Pictures and photographs  Music, sound and video recordings

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1897/98 4 September. Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne The French Maid AW as Alphonse Newspaper style program

1901 6 November. Empire Theatre, [Variety] AW as “Mimic”

1905 [Variety]

1907 26 August. The London Music Hall, London. [Variety] AW as “The Australian Entertainer”

1911 18 December. Empire Palace, Lodndon [Variety] Fragment pf programme showing cast list

1915 28 June. Finsbury Park Empire, London. [Variety] AW as “The Australian Entertainer”. Also in cast are Oscar Asche; Lily Brayton

1916 December. The Palace, Shaftsbury Ave, London [Variety] AW as “The Australian Entertainer”.

1918 10 June. The Victoria Palace, London. , Managing Director. [Variety show] AW as the “Australian Entertainer”

1920 2 February. Kilburn Empire, England [Variety] AW as the “Popular Australian Entertainer”

1925 22 June. Nottingham Empire, Nottingham, England Moss’ Empires Ltd [Variety] AW as “The Australian”

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1925 7 September. London Coliseum [Variety] AW as the “Australian Entertainer”

1926 22 March and 18 October. Finsbury Park Empire Theatre, London. The Review of Variety AW as “the Australian” One copy dated 22 March, one copy dated 18 October

1928 16 January London Coliseum [Variety] AW as the “Australian Entertainer”.

1928 11 June . Ardwick Theatre [Variety] AW as the “Australian Entertainer”

1929 1 April. Nottingham Empire, Nottingham, England Moss’ Empires Ltd [Variety Show] AW as “the Australian” Program stamped “balcony program. Price One Penny”

1931 20 July. Kingston Empire, Surrey, England King shot syndicate and Mr Stanley Watson present [Variety Show] AW as “The Australian”. 2 programs.

1931 19 October . Manchester Hippodrome, England [Variety] AW as the “Popular Australian Entertainer.”

1931 30 November. Victoria Palace, London [Variety] AW as the “Popular Australian Entertainer.”

1933 29 May Birmingham Hippodrome [Variety] AW as the “Popular Australian Entertainer.”

1934 5 March. , London Garrick Theatre magazine programme no 993 Modern and Old Time Music Hall AW as the “World Famous Australian Entertainer”.

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1934 12 March. Lewisham Hippodrome, London. [Variety] AW as the “Celebrated Australian Entertainer”.

1934 2 April. London Pavilion London Pavilion magazine programme no. 997 Non Stop Variety AW as the “Well-Known Australian Entertainer”.

1935 26 December Wimbledon Theatre Robinson Crusoe Plus pantomime stars including AW

1938 20 March. Gaiety Theatre, London Savage Parade

1938 5 September. Chiswick Empire Theatre, London Varieties AW as “The Famous Broadcaster”.

1939 17 April. Pol born Empire, London. [Variety show] AW as “The Popular Broadcaster”.

1939 18 December. Kingston Empire, Surrey, England [Variety show] AW as “The Modern the Broadcaster”

1941 24 December – 3 January, Winter Gardens, Morecombe Aladdin AW as Abanzar

1941 11 August. Hippodrome, London, England Mayfair Follies AW as the “Famous Entertainer”.

1944 11 December. Birmingham Hippodrome, England [Variety] AW as the “Public Broadcaster”.

1945 26 February. Wood Green Empire, London. [Variety] AW as the “Popular Broadcaster”.

1946 2 September. Camberwell Palace, London. [Variety] AW as the “BBC Popular Entertainer ”

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1947 5 May. Chiswick Empire [Variety] AW as the “Popular Broadcaster”

1947 9 June. Bristol Hippodrome, Bristol, England [Variety] AW as the “Public Broadcaster”.

1947 16 November. London Coliseum, London, England. Grand Concert in Aid of Newsvendors Benevolent and Provident Institution. Produced by John Sharman Souvenir Program AW as the “famous Australian Entertainer”.

1947 8 December . Wolverhampton Hippodrome, Wolverhampton, England [Variety] AW as the “Public Broadcaster”.

1948 6 September. Manchester hippodrome, Manchester, England [Variety] AW as the “Public Broadcaster”.

1948 29 December. Theatre Royal, Exeter, England. Cliff Gwilliam presents Mother Goose AW as Quong Ho Program signed by Edward J Wood who played as Demon of the Grotto.

1949 24 April. Colosseum, Charing Cross, London. E Division of Metropolitan Police Athletic Club presents Grand Charity Concert AW as “Comedian and Whistler”.

1940s? ?. Comedy Theatre, location unclear Orchids and Onions

1950 24 April. Kensington Empire, London, England. [Variety] AW as the “Public Broadcaster”. Cast also includes Johnny Lockwood and Dick Emery.

1950 19 November. Palladium, London, England. Sponsored by the News of the world in conjunction with the rats revels society Variety cavalcade at the Palladium, BBC in the Light Programme. A celebration of 100 years of the British Music Hall by the Grand Order Water Rats and the Grand Order of Lady Ratlings.

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1951 16 July. Plaza Theatre Worthing, England Grand Variety Programme AW presenting “My hat – My stick – My gloves!”

1951 13 August. Newcastle Empire, Newcastle, England Do You Remember? AW as the “Australian Entertainer” and introduces Buster Keaton

1951 10 September. Lewisham Hippodrome, London, England Do You Remember? AW as the “Australian Entertainer”.

1951 22 October. Chiswick Empire, London. Manager, Harry Harbour [Variety Show] AW as “The Australian Entertainer”

1952 21 January. Palace variety Theatre, Blackpool, England. Aladdin AW as Abazazer.

1952 14 July. Grand Theatre, Southhampton, England Do You Remember? AW as “the broadcaster” and the inventor of the signature tune.

1952 3 November. The Metropolitan Theatre, London, England Do You Remember? AW introduced as the inventor of the signature tune.

1952 24 November. The Grand Theatre, Bolton, England Bernard Delafont presents Tops of the Bill AW as “originator of the signature tune”

1954 25 October. Empire Theatre, Belfast, Northern Ireland [Variety] AW as the “Australian Broadcaster”.

1956 30 January. Empress Theatre, Brixton, London, England [Variety] AW as the “Famous Entertainer”. Includes ticket for stalls at 4 shillings

1956 25 March. The Coliseum, London, England Testimonial Concert to Sam Harbour in recognition to his 30 years with the

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Coliseum (1926 - 1956) vaudeville acts include Joy Nichols, Winifred at well, Benny Hill

1956 27 May. The Coliseum, London, England A Gala Concert Stars from the Water Rats including AW

1957 30 December. Metropolitan Music Hall, Edgeware Road, London Variety Theatres Consolidated [Variety Show] AW as “The Australian Entertainer”.

1958 28 September. Victoria Palace, London, England Tribute to Albert Whelan The performance commemorates Whelan’s Diamond Jubilee in show business. Cast includes Max Bygraves, Flanagan and Allen, Tommy Trinder and Frankie Vaughan.

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