Australian Variety Theatre Archive

The Australian Variety Theatre Archive is a research website devoted to popular culture entertainment between circa 1850 and 1930. This year, 2013, marks its third year of publication.

The AVTA went online on 10 May 2011, the 146th anniversary of the birth of Australian vaudeville entrepreneur Harry Clay. Since then the archive has published more than 450 new records , while also updating a large majority of the entries which were available at the start .

Dr Clay Djubal would like to thank all those people who have contributed to the archive during the past 12 months. Without their help the AVTA would be much less enlightened.

He would also like to thank the 15,727 people who have visited the site between 10 May 2012 and 10 May 2013. The busiest month was October 2012 with 1,352 visitors.

AUSTRALIAN VARIETY AND POPULAR CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT: TIMELINE

Includes significant births, deaths, theatre openings,  and troupe, practitioner and industry activity from the early 1800s to the 1990s.

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Entrepreneurs:

William Anderson • J. Billin • James Brennan • Dan Carroll • Sir Benjamin Carroll • John Fuller (Jnr) • Will Harris • Jack Landow  • George R. Lawrence • John Lazar • Samuel Lazar • Hugh D. McIntosh • Frank Reis

Practitioners:

Harry Abdy • Anderson Sisters • James Bell • Madame Bell • Harry Burgess • “Tiki” Carpenter • Carlton Chase • Essie Clay • Kate Clay • Harley Cohen • Connors & Paul • Connors & Witt • James Craydon • Lettie Craydon • Marshall Crosby • Claude Dampier • Harry de Robeck • Hosea Easton • Nell Fleming • Walter George • Claude Golding • Syd James • George A. Jones • Clara Keating • Alf J. Lawrance • Fred Leslie • Levante • J. Martini • Morris & Wilson • Alf Moynham • Slade Murray • Blanche Murray • Flo Murray • Charlie Pope • Pope & Sayles • Bert Ray • Irving Sayles • Ivy Schilling • W. Billy Speed • Harry Taylor • Three Starrs • Ed Warrington • Les Warton • Fred Whitlow • Charles Zoli

Industry:

African Theatres Trust • Australasian Sketcher with Pen and Pencil • Bondi Aquarium • The Manly Chute • John J. Liddy • Mendelssohn’s Photographic Studio • Ramos and Ramos • Summer Continentals (Bris)

Composers/Music Directors:

Marsh Little • Harold Middleton • Bert Rache • Evan Senior • Charles Zwar

Troupes:

Anzac Coves • Australian Eleven Minstrel & Variety Co • Blythe Waterland’s Serenaders • Coo-ees, The • Gallipoli Strollers (1) • Gallipoli Strollers (2) • Georgia Minstrels (1) • Georgia Minstrels (2) • Graham Mitchell’s Jesters • Graham Mitchell’s Serenaders • Hugo’s Buffalo Minstrels • Issues Comedy Co • Jasper’s Pantomime Company • Kookaburras • Lawton and Leslies’ All Nations Co • London Revels • Madge Cloherty’s Celebrities • Matsa Vaudeville Co • Palais Royal Cabaret & Vaudeville Co • Richard Shafto’s Revels • Royal Strollers • Sentimental Blokes • Serenaders, The [1936] • Slade Murray’s Gaiety Burlesque Co • Smart Set • Smart Set Diggers • Snowdrop Minstrels • Sunbeam Pantomime Children • Sunshine Kiddies • Tivoli Frolics • Trilby Tourists • Vital & Electric Sparks • Walter George Sunshine Players • World’s Entertainers

Organisations:
Brennan’s Amphitheatres Ltd • Con-Paul Theatres • Fuller-Ward • Jones & Lawrence • Frank Levy
• Pugliese Enterprises • Stephenson and Linley

Industry:

African Theatres Trust • Australasian Sketcher with Pen and Pencil • Bondi Aquarium • The Manly Chute • John J. Liddy • Mendelssohn’s Photographic Studio • Ramos and Ramos • Summer Continentals (Bris)

Theatres:

Academy of Music (1879-84; Adelaide) •  Academy of Music / Bijou Theatre: No 1 (Melb) • Academy of Music / Gaiety Theatre (Syd) • Adelphi Theatre / Grand Opera House / Tivoli Theatre: No 2 (Syd) • Albany Town Hall (WA) • Albert Hall / Gaiety Theatre (Bris) • Bijou Theatre / Theatre Royal (Boulder, WA) • Bijou Theatre [2] (Melb) • Bohemia Theatre (Bris) • Coliseum Theatre (Nth Syd) • Cremorne Gardens (Albany, WA) • Cremorne Gardens / Cremorne Theatre (Bris) • Cremorne Gardens / Cremorne Theatre / Palace Theatre (Perth) •Cremorne Theatre and Gardens (Kalgoorlie, WA) • Dutton Park Garden Theatre (Bris) • Earl’s Court (Rockhampton, Qld) • Eden Gardens (Manly, NSW) • Enmore Theatre (Enmore, Syd) • Gaiety Theatre (Melb) • Garden Theatre (Darlinghurst, Syd) Haymarket Theatre (Melb) • Hippodrome / Royal Pictures / Empire (Adel) • Hippodrome / Capital Theatre (Syd) • King’s Theatre (Adel) • King’s Theatre (Melb) • Lawler’s Music Hall / Sydney Music Hall (Syd) • Lyric Theatre (St Kilda, Melb) • Majestic Theatre (Newtown, Syd) • Manchester Unity Hall (Newtown, Syd) • Mason’s Concert Hall / Victoria Theatre / Royal Victoria / Queensland Theatre (Bris) Melrose Gardens / Melrose Theatre / Prince of Wales (Perth) • Olympia Gardens / Theatre (Perth) • Olympic Theatre (Melb) • Opera House [1] / Prince of Wales Opera House / Her Majesty’s Opera House / Alhambra Palace of Varieties (Melb) • Opera House / Kelly and Leon’s Opera House (Syd) • Polytechnic Hall / Novelty Theatre / Duke’s Theatre / Hall of Science / Nugget Theatre / Cottier’s Theatre (Melb) • Princess Theatre (Melb) • Shaftesbury Theatre / Luxor Theatre / Tivoli (Perth) • St George’s Hall (Newtown, Syd) • Theatre Royal (Bris) • Theatre Royal (Melb) • Theatre Royal (Perth) • Tivoli Gardens and Theatre (Hamilton, Bris) • Tivoli Gardens / Her Majesty’s Theatre (Kalgoorlie, WA) • Tivoli Theatre [1] (Syd) • Trocadero (Newtown, Syd) • Varieties, The / Australia Hall / Opera Comique (Melb) • Victoria Theatre (Newcastle, NSW) • Victory Theatre (Marrickville, Syd)

Works:

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The AVTA also published two new pages:

Industry: Transoceanic Circuits and Troupes: Juvenile Companies.

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The AVTA is another publication from