American actor, comedian, writer, manager, director.
The son of a US High Court Judge, George Ward came to Australia with Charles L. Sherman in 1920 under contract to Fullers Theatres. The two comedians were initially billed as they had in the bUSA, as the 'banana kings,' a reference to their comedy argument about a bunch of bananas. Ward had also by then established himself as a director, notably with the Columbia Burlesque Company. He undertook a similar role in Australia, overseeing a series of original Ward-Sherman revusicals that were staged under the auspices of the American Revue Company (later known as the Ward-Sherman Revue Company). In these Ward found much popularity through his alter-ego, Hermie Shultz.
After Ward and Sherman went their separate ways Ward toured his own company (with comedian Bert Le Blanc) for several years and was later associated with The Merrymakers of 1929, The Co-optimists (1929), and the Frivolities of 1932 among others. He also worked for J.C. Williamsons and during the late 1930s and in the early 1940s established himself on radio, initially in Sydney for the ABC and later for Hobart's 7HO (as "Uncle Hermie").
[Source: Australian Variety Theatre Archive]
