Variety performer, singer, songwriter.
Largely associated with
Fullers' Theatres throughout his long career, Leonard Nelson was born in Melbourne and raised in Kew, Victoria. He began his professional variety career around the turn of the century playing weekend singing engagements on Sydney Harbour concert cruises and made his first appearance at the Tivoli Theatre during a trial turn. In 1902 he undertook a tour of the East playing military stations in countries that included India and the Phillipines, and after a chance meeting with Hetty Fuller he was guaranteed a start in New Zealand with
John Fuller Snr. A hit with Christchurch patrons right from the start Nelson is believed to have remained in New Zealand with the Fullers for several years before returning to Australia in mid-1907 where he took up a contract with
Harry Rickards.
After appearing on Rickards Tivoli circuit for some 3-4 years, during which time he wrote and performed arguably his biggest hit, "Mr Booze" (1908), Nelson returned to the Fullers circuit. He worked almost exclusively with that firm as one of its biggest local stars through until the early to mid-1920s, the only exceptions being when he was temporarily leased out to other organisations -
Birch and Carroll (Qld), for example. He also appeared with a number of revue/revusical companies, including Frederick Shipman's Fantastics (ca. 1917).
While Nelson did not write all his own material (including songs) some of his own compositions and collaborations were among his biggest hits, including "Goodbye Melbourne Town" (he reportedly changed the title to fit any town he was then playing) and "Let Me Go to Bendigo." At least two 'Leonard Nelson Songsters' were published in the 1920s.
Nelson is known to have still been performing in the mid-1940s, with one of his last known appearances being a Gala Empire Day Concert in Sydney in 1943. His son Roy followed him into show business as a light comedian, singer and songwriter.
[Source:
Australian Variety Theatre Archive]
