Albert Whelan

Albert Whelan (born Albert Waxman; 5 May 1875 – 19 February 1961) was an Australian popular singer and entertainer, who was prominent in English music halls during the first half of the 20th century.

Biography The son of an immigrant Polish Jewish pawnbroker, Whelan was born in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1875 (as was his fellow music-hall performer Florrie Forde). He worked as an accountant and mechanic before moving with a friend in 1898 to the goldfields at Coolgardie, Western Australia, where the pair entertained the prospectors and miners by singing and dancing. After returning to Melbourne, he appeared on local variety bills.

He emigrated to Britain in 1901, making his debut in a novelty dance act at the Empire, Leicester Square, and later appearing in the musical The Belle of New York. He rapidly honed his act, and settled on a style which would vary little over his career. Immaculately dressed in bow-tie, hat, coat, scarf, tails, and gloves, he sang, danced and played the piano. He was an excellent mimic, and adapted easily to changing vocal styles. Whelan was acknowledged as one of the first entertainers to have a signature tune, appearing on-stage (and exiting at the end of his act) whistling Robert Vollstedt's waltz from Die Lustige Brüder ("The Jolly Brothers").

According to theatre historian Roy Busby, "[He] presented a polished turn as a debonair man about town, strolling onto the stage, nonchalantly whistling... rather like a man all dressed up with no place to go...". His entrance to the stage, and then the painstaking removal of his accessories, took some three minutes, as did his exit, leading on one occasion to him simply entering casually, and then exiting without any intermediate performance, after his time slot had been reduced in length. In 1927, he appeared in the Royal Variety Performance, and for the 1931 performance teamed with the contrasting Billy Bennett in the cross-talking duo "Alexander and Mose". He also had minor roles in a number of British films of the 1930s and 1940s.

Whelan was a member of the Grand Order of Water Rats and served as "King Rat" in 1948. His second wife, Doris Chard, was an entertainer known as "Dainty Doris". He died in 1961 at the age of 85.

Selected filmography An Intimate Interlude (1928) short film made in the sound-on-film Phonofilm process Matinee Idol (1933) Stars on Parade (1936) Action for Slander (1937) The Girl in the Taxi (1937) Stardust (1938) Danny Boy (1941)