Travel Tuesday
2015 - Adelaide Australia
Click here for our day in Adelaide.
Roy Rene was a great Australian vaudeville performer and radio broadcaster. Born Henry van der Sluys in 1891, he grew up in Adelaide in a family of nine. His Jewish Dutch migrant father worked as a cigar maker on Hindley Street.
Rene won a singing competition at the age of 10. This led to pantomime performances across Adelaide, including at the historic Tivoli Hotel. The family moved to Melbourne, where Rene studied performance art. Among his acts was a highly successful comedy partnership with Nat Phillips known as Stiffy and Mo.
Rene was especially popular during the Great Depression and World War II. He also later performed on radio. Many of his most popular phrases, including “streuth” and “you beaut!”, were once common in Australian slang.
I had no idea of his background, but I certainly knew about Mo McCackie. Your knowledge of Australia beyond the two big cities is impressive.
ReplyDeleteI love the sculpture, and what an attitude he must have had, which was most entertaining I'm sure!
ReplyDeleteI do like that sculpture.
ReplyDelete...a new bit of history for me. Thanks Jackie for Rene's story. Enjoy your week.
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