NAT HANLEY
AUSTRALIAN VARIETY THEATRE ARCHIVE: RESEARCH NOTES
See last page for citation, copyright and last updated details.
(ca. 1894-1952) English-born comedian, musician, revue writer, company leader, ragtime dancer, boxer. [Born
Nathaniel John Brooks]
After arriving in Australia shortly before World War I, Nat Hanley maintained a presence in the local entertainment
industry up until at least 1939. His built his whistling, impersonation and monologue act around his piano playing, but
also partnered other well-known artists. He produced revusicals in the 1920s, and was a member of numerous variety
companies, including the Gay Follies (1914), Empire Comedy Co (1915), K-Nuts (1919), the So and So's (1923), and
his own troupe the Nat Hanley Revue Co (aka the Zigzag Revue Co). Hanley also established several short-term
partnerships during his career, including those with Jack Kearns (1941), Muriel Dale (1917), Arthur Elliott (1922) and
Joe Valli (1933). He spent seven months working overseas in 1930 (including Britain, America and South Africa) and
remained active in Australia as a performer until the year before his death.
► See also: the AVTA's Nat Hanley biography.
NB: There are more images from the Brooks family at the end of this document.
Nat Hanley (left)
All images
courtesy of the
Brooks family unless otherwise
noted.
1914
Maitland Daily Mercury (NSW) 22 Oct. 1914, 8.
Australian Variety (Sydney)
16 Dec. 1914, n. pag.
Maitland Daily Mercury (NSW) 24 Oct. 1914, 4.
►
1915
Australian Variety (Sydney) 29 July 1914, 6.
Auckland (NZ)
New Zealand Herald (Auckland, NZ) 3 Aug. 1915, 4.
_____________
Observer (Auckland, NZ) 9 Aug. 1917, 9.
Auckland (NZ)
"Opera House." New Zealand Herald (Auckland, NZ)
4 Aug. 1915, 5.
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-
bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH19150804.2.33&srpos=
3&
Wellington (NZ)
Dominion (Wellington, NZ) 1 Oct. 1915, 9.
Dunedin (NZ)
Otago Daily Times (Dunedin, NZ) 8 Nov. 1915, 1.
Regional New South Wales
Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW) 24 Dec. 1915, 7.
Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW) 31 Dec. 1915, 7.
►
1916
Australian Variety (Sydney) 19 Jan. 1916, n. pag.
Regional New South Wales
Goulburn
Goulburn Evening Penny Post (NSW) 6 June 1916, 2.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/9597634
Bathurst
National Advocate (Bathurst, NSW) 12 Aug. 1916, 4.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/17098973
Newcastle
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW)
19 Sept. 1916, 8.
Bathurst
National Advocate (Bathurst, NSW) 27 Nov. 1916, 2.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/158532526
1917
Goulburn (NSW)
Goulburn Evening Penny Post (NSW) 4 Aug. 1917, 2.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/9582650
Brisbane (Fullers Theatres)
"Empire Theatre." Brisbane Courier 20 Aug. 1917, 4.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/1594683
Wagga Wagga (NSW)
Daily Advertiser (Wagga Wagga, NSW) 20 Oct. 1917, 5.
1918
Hobart
Kurri Kurri (NSW)
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate
(NSW) 24 Apr. 1918, 6.
Newcastle (NSW)
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate
(NSW) 6 May 1918, 8.
Wollongong (NSW)
1919
Katoomba (NSW)
Blue Mountain Echo (Katoomba, NSW) 4 Feb. 1919, 4.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/12042620
cont...
Moree (NSW)
Moree Gwydir Examiner and General Advertiser (NSW)
3 June 1919, 2.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/12277522
Blue Mountain Echo (Katoomba, NSW) 14 Feb. 1919, 1.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/12042625
◄
Sydney
Australian Variety (Sydney) 5 Sept. 1919, 5.
Theatre Magazine (Sydney) Oct. 1919, 28.
Theatre Magazine (Sydney) Nov. 1919, 28.
Australian Variety (Sydney) 24 Dec. 1919, 27.
1920
Newcastle (NSW)
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW)
21 Feb. 1920, 12.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/15219143
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW)
25 Feb. 1920, 6.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/15219165
Bathurst (NSW)
National Advocate (Bathurst, NSW) 10 Apr.
1920, 3.
New Zealand
Fielding
Fielding Star (NZ) 25 May 1920, 3.
Gisborne
Poverty Bay Herald (Gisborne, NZ) 25 June 1920, 5.
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-
bin/paperspast?a=d&d=PBH19200625.2.45&e
Dunedin
Otago Daily Times (Dunedin, NZ) 8 Nov. 1920, 1.
Christchurch
Press (Christchurch, NZ) 6 Dec. 1920, 1.
1921
Wellington
Evening Post (Wellington, NZ) 3 Jan. 1921, 2.
Auckland
Auckland Star (NZ) 20 May 1921, 10.
Wellington
Evening Post (Wellington, NZ) 23 July 1921, 9.
Orange (NSW)
Bathurst (NSW)
Orange (NSW)
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/10773313
1922
Maitland (NSW)
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/14567100
Brisbane
Brisbane Courier 26 Aug. 1922, 2.
"The Empire." Brisbane Courier 11 Sept. 1922, 8.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/20570615
Brisbane Courier 11 Sept. 1922, 2.
Newcastle (NSW)
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW) 28 Sept. 1922, 8.
Adelaide
Mail (Adelaide) 21 Oct. 1922, 3.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/5316269
Perth
West Australian (Perth) 8 Dec. 1922, 2.
1923
Perth
Daily News (Perth) 5 Jan. 1923, 6.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/8009228
Fremantle (WA)
1924
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW) 19 Sept. 1924, 10.
1927
Sydney
Evening News (Sydney) 14 Jan. 1927, 4.
Perth
Mirror (Perth) 4 June 1927, 7.
Newcastle (NSW)
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miner's Advocate (NSW) 24 Dec. 1927, 12.
1928
Advertiser (Adelaide) 28 Jan. 1928, 19.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/2901651
Everyone's (Sydney) 1 Aug. 1928, 42.
Brisbane
Worker (Brisbane) 5 Dec. 1928, 15.
Brisbane Courier 12 Dec. 1928, 7.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/1655462
Sydney
Launceston (Tas)
1929
Mercury (Hobart) 8 Jan. 1929, 5.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/1801645
Perth
Daily News (Perth) 1 Feb. 1929, 7.
Daily News (Perth) 12 Feb. 1929, 10.
cont...
Queenslander (Brisbane) 12 Sept. 1929, 58.
(Keith Conley is actually Keith Connelly)
1930
Townsville (Qld)
Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld) 5 July 1930, 3.
1931
Sydney
Sydney Morning Herald 22 May 1931, 2.
Perth
Daily News (Perth) 21 Sept. 1931, 2.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/8416972
Newcastle (NSW)
Newcastle Sun (NSW) 3 July 1931, 8.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/16587549
Perth
Mirror (Perth)19 Sept. 1931, 11.
1933
Wollongong (NSW)
South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus (NSW)
30 June 1933, 9.
Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW) 20 Oct. 1933, 5.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/15251892
Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW) 27 Oct. 1933, 6.
1934
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW) 13 Feb. 1934, 12.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/1522960
Adelaide
Advertiser (Adelaide) 14 July 1934, 2.
Brisbane
Courier Mail (Brisbane) 1 Sept. (1934), 2.
Townsville (Qld)
Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld)
22 Dec. 1934, 3. ►
1935
Sydney
The Biz (Fairfield, NSW) 8 Mar. (1935), 5.
Newcastle (NSW)
Wollongong (NSW)
Illawarra Mercury 10 May 1935, 12.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW)
13 Apr. 1935, 2.
Sydney
◄
Cootamundra (NSW)
Cootamundra Herald (NSW)
13 Sept. 1935, 6.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/16
291922
Cootamundra (NSW)
Cootamundra Herald (NSW)
16 Sept. 1935, 2.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/162919
26
Echuca (Vic)
Riverine Herald (Echuca, Vic)
10 Oct. 1935, 1.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/
116558650
Riverine Herald (Echuca, Vic) 7 Oct. 1935, 3.
Tasmania
Hobart
Mercury (Hobart) 7 Nov. 1935, 7.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/1829605
Mercury (Hobart) 18 Nov. 1935, 8.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/1829757
Franklin
Huon and Derwent Times (Franklin, Tas) 21 Nov. 1935, 5.
Hobart
Mercury (Hobart) 29 Nov. 1935, 12.
1936
Brisbane
Courier Mail (Brisbane) 30 Apr. 1936, 4.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/1964099
Courier Mail (Brisbaner) 18 July 1936, 11.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/1965810
Courier Mail (Brisbane) 1 Sept 1936, 2.
Courier Mail (Brisbane) 7 Sept 1936, 2.
cont...
Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld) 8 Sept. 1936, 9.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/9933825
Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld) 23 Oct. 1936, 3.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/9934315
Courier Mail (Brisbane) 27 Nov. 1936, 2.
Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld) 23 Dec. 1936, 5.
1937
Brisbane
Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld) 22 Jan. 1937, 4.
Worker (Brisbane) 26 Jan. 1937, 24.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/6735944
Courier Mail (Brisbane) 6 Feb. 1937, 9.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/1970212
Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld) 12 Feb. 1937, 5.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/9935502
Courier Mail (Brisbane) 17 Apr. 1937, 10.
Rockhampton (Qld)
Central Queensland Herald (Rockhampton)
9 Sept. 1937, 57.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/6907500
◄
Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser
(Qld) 15 Sept. 1937, 10.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/17909828
Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld) 22 Sept. 1937, 12.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/5386554
Brisbane
Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld) 24 Sept. 1937, 11. Hanley's company possibly being managed by Bert Corrie.
Rockhampton (Qld)
Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld) 25 Sept. 1937, 2.
Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld) 15 Oct. 1937, 12.
Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld) 16 Nov. 1937, 12.
1938
Courier Mail (Brisbane) 3 Mar. 1938, 18.
Courier Mail (Brisbane) 11 May 1938, 25.
Brisbane
Courier Mail (Brisbane) 20 Sept. (1938), 19.
Courier Mail (Brisbane) 31 Dec. (1938), 12.
1939
Courier Mail (Brisbane) 1 May 1939, 22.
Courier Mail (Brisbane) 6 May 1939, 18.
New South Wales
South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus
(NSW) 7 July 1939, 16.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/15470907
Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW) 11
Oct. 1939, 8.
1940-1952
cont...
South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus (NSW)
10 May 1940, 6.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/15471872
Sydney Morning Herald 15 Mar. 1941, 2.
Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate (Parramatta, NSW) 25 Sept. 1946, 11.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/10010818
Newcastle Sun (NSW) 5 June 1947, 16.
Wellington Times (NSW) 9 May 1949, 6.
Wellington Times (NSW) 12 May 1949, 7.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/16362979
►
Sydney Morning Herald 1 Nov.
1946, 7.
Sydney
Newcastle (NSW)
Rockhampton (Qld)
Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld) 10 June 1949, 2.
Cumberland Argus (Parramatta, NSW) 4 July 1951, 1.
Goulburn Evening Post (NSW) 21 Dec. 1950, 4.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/10016607
►
Miscellaneous and Family Images
L: With unidentified friend (possibly 1920s).
ca. 1940s
Making blackface charcoal in a drum
So and So's Company postcard (Perth, 1923). (see Nat Hanley biography for front of postcard)
Connie (4th
from left), n. yr.
Additional information contributed by Terry Brooks (Nat Hanley's son). All images are from the Brooks family collection unless otherwise noted.
Australian Variety Theatre Archive: Research Notes
Published by Clay Djubal: 30/12/2014 • Last updated: 11/05/2018
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Any works snagged or transcribed from other sources remain the copyright of their respective authors/publishers.
The authorship and/or original publication details are provided and these should be cited (not the AVTA).*
New information is continuously being made available as more newspapers are digitised by Trove (Australian National Library
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Top row, third from left
With Colin and Natalie (ca. 1950).
R: With sons Colin (L) and Terry (R) in1943.