AustLit

1. THE GEORGE WALLACE 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.

As with Stiffy and Mo, Bert Le Blanc, and Jim Gerald, much of George Wallace's popularity can also be put down to the remarkable talents of his fellow performers and, notably, long-serving troupe member Marshall Crosby, who often played the comedian's on-stage foil. The initial company, as formed in 1924, also included Harry Burgess (ex-American Burlesque Co), Tom Lincoln, George Lloyd, Nellie Dean, Jacky White, Rene Albert, Marie Nyman, Pat Reid, and a chorus known as The Six Twinklers. Over the years, he also engaged such local stars as Sadie Gale (the pair were romantically linked for a brief period), Ivy Moore, Lulla Fanning, Ada Scaddan, Fred 'Check' Hayes, Frank Haining, and Bert and Evelyn Dudley. Many of these performers remained with Wallace for years at a time, providing him with an ensemble that could readily adapt whenever the lead comedian began improvising. It also allowed his revusicals to develop more rounded characters, an issue of some significance in a genre even more hampered by storytelling time than the musical. That his company remained so stable over the years, despite the rigours of touring Australia and New Zealand--it played the Dominion circuit at least three times during the 1920s (1924, 1927-28, and 1928-29)--suggests that it was more than ably run by its charismatic leader.

1.1. Principal troupe members between 1924 and 1934 were Harry Burgess (1924-1925), Bunny Cannan (1928), Keith Connelly (1929-1930), Marshal Crosby (1924-1930), Nellie Dean (1924-1925), John V. Dobbie (1929-1930), Bert Dudley (1929-1930 ), Tup Dudley (1929-1930), Mercia Elliott (1925), Lulla Fanning (1925), Tom Foggitt (1928), Sadie Gale (1925), Jack Grant (1929-1930), Frank Haining (1925-1928), Frederick 'Check' Hayes (1925), Maida Jones (1928), Tom Lincoln (1924-1928), George Lloyd (1924-1925), Georgie McGrath (1928), Gwen Matthews (1929-1930), Ivy Moore (1925), Olga Muir (1924), Marie Nyman (1924-1928), Pat Reid (1924), Leonard Rich (1929-1930), Jim Romaine (1929-1930), Lena Ryan (1925), Ada Scaddan (1925-1928), Bebe Scott (1929-1930), Jack Scott (1928), Irene Shamrock (1929-1930), Alec Thompson (1928), Bert Tucker (1928), Jacky White (1924-1925).

1.2. Chorus/ballet members between 1924 and 1934 included Isobel Broadfoot (1925), Thelma Buxton (1928), Rene Langton (1928), Phyllis Lough (1925), Ivy Moyle (1928), Betty Norber (1928), Olive Partridge (1928), Sybil Rudd (1928), Hilary Salmon (1925), Eileen Smith (1925), Alma Stewart (1925), Doris Whimp (1925).

1.3. Occasional or special guest performers included Baby Myrtle Gourlay (1930) and The Two Dalys (1928).

1.4. Musicians and musical ensembles included The Five Flaming Youths (1928-1930).

1.5. Additional notes and/or historical clarification:

• Mercia Elliot and Lulla Fanning were daughters of high-profile minstrel performers Arthur Elliott (comedian) and Maud Fanning (blackface singer).
• Maurice Diamond: employed as Wallace's choreographer ca. 1929-1930.
• Georgie McGrath is sometimes referred to as George.
• Bebe Scott: George Wallace's half-sister, she married English radio actor George Randall. For five years during the 1930s, she and Randall presented the children's radio program The Cap and Bebe Show on the ABC Brisbane radio station 4QG.