Born: February 13 1892
Born: November 22 1954
By Peter Tatchell (reprinted from LAUGH MAGAZINE #3, 1992)
In the annals of Australian show business the name of Roy Rene is regarded with awe. He was the most popular comedian to tread the boards downunder and his rapport-with a live audience was mesmerizing. In the guise of his legendary “Mo” character, a leering, spluttering reprobate ever at odds with authority figures and “putting one over” the mugs, he became country’s top theatrical drawcard for over thirty years. Along the way he had a crack at the movies and radio, but by all accounts these performances were but a mere shadow of his greatness on stage. Like the Al Jolson of Broadway, there was something magic in the way he communicated across the footlights.
Roy’s real name was Harry van der Sluys, the fourth of seven children born to a Dutch Jew and his English wife on February 15th 1892 in Adelaide. As a child, Harry broke into show business as a singer and made his first stage appearance at age ten in a pantomime called “Sinbad The Sailor”. Three years later, the Sluice family (as they called themselves) moved to Melbourne and as ‘Boy Roy, the Child Soprano’ he got work in the big-time theatres along Bourke Street, and played a number of country centres as well. When his voice broke, the boy soprano turned to comedy and managed to build an act with the contributions of fellow performers eager to lend a hand. In most cases the cast-off jokes were the sort they weren’t allowed to tell on stage, but Roy spent the next few years building a career and a reputation as he travelled round Victoria and New South Wales and “overseas’ to New Zealand.
When appearing on the Fuller circuit he used. the surname “Rene” (taken from a well-known French clown) to add a touch of artistry to his billing. In 1914, Roy Rene teamed with fellow-vaudevillian Nat Phillips as a double act “Stiffy And Mo” and they were an immediate success. From the start, Roy was always the scene-stealer but Phillips was content to handle the writing and producing side of things and reap the benefits of a successful team. The duo played to packed houses for over a decade, gaining notoriety as the bawdiest performers in the business. Just about every ‘blue’ joke doing the rounds was attributed to them, such was their fame. Ironically, one of Stiffy and Mo’s greatest successes was in the all-Australian pantomime “The Bunyip” which premiered at Christmas 1916 in Sydney.
Three months later, on March 29 1917, Roy married an actress Dot Davis but the union was brief (although they were not divorced until 1929). Into the 1920s, Rene and Phillips toured the Fuller’s circuit until 1925 when Roy was amazed to discover his partner was being paid more than he was (in view of Nat’s writing and production contributions). A blazing row in Adelaide resulted in the two going their separate ways for a time, with Roy teaming with such performers as Mike Connors and Fred Bluett and appearing in a straight play Give And Take with American import Harry Green.
Sir Benjamin Fuller convinced Stiffy and Mo to patch up their differences in 1927, and once again they broke box-office records before finally calling it quits a year later in New Zealand. It was during this brief reunion the two recorded a couple of 78s for Parlophone, and thus preserved their teamwork for later generations.
Following the break with Phillips, Roy launched his own company “Mo And His Merrymakers” and returned to Sydney where, on July 3 1929 he married his beloved Sadie Gale a performer in his troup. Six months later though, he was felled by a nearly fatal bout of peritonitis and although he recovered, his health remained fragile for the rest of his life.
One of the first things he did after the illness was to record a sketch called “Mr. Macachie” with Sadie and Lou Vernon for Parlophone The routine became a classic and Roy decided to adopt the name of Vernon’s character as his own, noting the enthusiastic audience response to his pronunciation of the ‘Cack’ syllable. And from that time on, ‘Mo McCackie’ entered showbiz folklore.
Roy returned to the stage after his illness at the height of the great depression and flesh-and-blood theatre was in a bad way. “Pot Luck” at the Melbourne Tivoli wasn’t a success, so he and Sadie did a tour of Hoyt’s cinemas throughout suburban Sydney for a time before teaming up with his old straight man Mike Connors and his wife Queenie Paul who had taken over management of the Tivs.
Sadie, meanwhile, had opted for a career in motherhood and presented Roy a son (Sam) followed soon after by a daughter (Myra). In 1934, Cinesound offered Roy himself a career move by starring him in a motion picture called Strike Me Lucky (titled after one of Mo’s many catch-phrases). Despite having healthy production values, the film was not successful in capturing the Rene artistry, and he fell ill at ease with no audience to work to. It was to be his only venture into the movies.
Back at the footlights he was in his element, and on the stages of the Melbourne and Sydney Tivoli theatres he reigned supreme. For the next decade (apart from a two-year break at the beginning of the war) he’d have the ‘mob rolling in the aisles with his send-ups of “Private Lives’, Henry the Eighth and his amazing personification of Elizabeth the First (the Virgin Queen).
During the war years he took part in a series of revues which played limited runs in the main capital cities, appearing with Bob Dyer, Dick Bentley, Joy Nichols, Charles Norman and old mate Mike Connors. Sadie also joined him from time to time.
With the end of hostilities, new management at the Tivoli decided to spend its money importing major overseas names like George Formby, Tommy Trinder, Chico Marx and Arthur Askey, and Roy’s contract was not renewed. An era in Australian show business had come to an end.
He wasn’t idle for long though. A fortnight after recording a guest spot in February 1946, Roy Rene joined the list of top radio performers in the Colgate-Palmolive unit, a production team responsible for several popular programs broadcast nationally each week. Sharing a microphone with headliners like Jack Davey and Dick Bentley, many people in the industry wondered how his visual humour and spluttering diction would transfer to the airwaves. But they needn’t have worried … in a very short time the medium was his.
He took part in two Colgate presentations Calling The Stars (on Tuesday nights) and Colgate Cavalcade (on Fridays). With Hal Lashwood as his straight man, he appeared week after week in such favourites as “The Barmaid And The Butcher”, “Philip And Aubrey”, “The Brains Trust” and (from July 8th 1947) the immortal “McCackie Mansion”. For ten minutes every Tuesday night, listeners across the country would be treated to the antics of Mo McCackie, his son “Young Harry” (played by Harry Griffiths), “Mr. Lasho” (Hal Lashwood), “Horrible Herbie” (Jack Burgess) and “Spencer The Garbageman” (Harry Avondale). The lines may have been corny and at times anti-Semitic (by today’s standards) but there was no denying its popularity. And, of course, it was very funny.
Roy stayed with the unit until the middle of 1951 when Colgate moved their sponsorship to quiz shows. By then, his health was starting to become problem but he agreed to star in a proposed A.B.C. program McCackie Manor being put together by Hal Lashwood. Unfortunately the pilot episode failed to convince them to go ahead with a series.
In 1952 Roy ventured back into a recording studio to perform a number of his old routines for the small Prestophone label. Supported by Sadie, Harry Griffiths and others, the sketches lacked the sparkle of his radio work (and the response of an audience). Owing to mismanagement on the marketing side the discs had only limited distribution and have now become rarities (although several of the tracks later turned up on subsequent Festival LPs which enjoyed good sales nationwide).
Before long however, Roy was back on the airwaves for one last hurrah. In March 1952 he headlined the new Atlantic Show on Saturday nights with Patricia Shay and Pat Hodgins (later replaced by Hal Lashwood). He was as popular as ever, but in May 1953 he suffered a heart attack and had to retire.
Roy died on November 22 1954, but to show business veterans and the “mugs” who saw him perform, he is still regarded as the best there ever was, a performer whose timing was unequalled and whose catchphrases and style have become part of the Australian character.
FILM
Strike Me Lucky (85m)
(1935 Cinesound feature)
RADIO
The following series were broadcast throughout Australia … the Melbourne airings are given:
Mo
3AW Monday to Friday 7-00pm c.1937
with Lloyd Lamble
(a large number of these 5 minute segments were produced, but only 18 are known to survive:
episodes 13 to 18 and 145 to 156)
The Misadventures of Mo
3AR Saturday 7:30 – 7:50pm March 2 to August 24 1940
with Sadie Gale
1 Submarine D-T
2 Bolonia Bound
3 Behind The Bars
4 Out Of The Frying Pan
5 Wing-Commander Mo
6 Long Live The King
7 Plot And Counter Plot
8 Behind The Bars (?)
9 Smash And Grab
10 Off Again – Gone Again!
11 Hot From Hollywood
12 Crazy People
13 Double Exposure
14 Breach Of Promise
15 Kidnapped
16 Lynch Law
17 Beware Of Blondes
18 The Plot Thickens
19 Southward Ho!
20 ?
21 The Castaways
22 The Rescue
23 ?
24 A Gentleman Of The Press
25 Father’s Day
26 All’s Well That Ends Well
(no recordings are known to survive)
Blackouts
3LO Wednesday 7:45 – 8:00pm March 6 to May 15 1940
with Sadie Gale
(no recordings are known to survive)
Station One MO
3LO Wednesday 7:45 – 8:00pm May 22 to August 21 1940
with Sadie Gale (script by John MacLeod)
(no recordings are known to survive)
Calling The Stars
Tuesdays 8-00pm March 1946 to May 29 1951
Colgate Cavalcade
Fridays June 21 1946 to March 16 1951
(During the period Roy appeared on these two Colgate/Palmolive Productions they were broadcast over three different networks in the main capital cities (on 3AW until November 1946, on 3KZ until December 1949, then 3DB)
Also appearing were Dick Bentley, Jack Davey, Kitty Bluett, Hal Lashwood, Willie Fennell, George Foster, Jack Burgess, Harry Avondale, Harry Griffiths, Rita Pauncefort, Dorothy Foster and many others.
“McCackie Mansion” was a segment of Calling The Stars. “Brains Incorporated” was a segment of Colgate Cavalcade.
Hal Lashwood saved a large number of 16” transcription discs of Calling The Stars and these survive in the Jamie Kelly sound archive.
Accompanying paperwork itemizes those segments featuring Roy Rene:
Roy Rene spots on Calling The Stars:
205* March 26 1946 Mo’s Life Story (recorded February 11)
207* April 16 1946 Candidate For Parliament (recorded February 18)
208* April 23 1946 The Green Eye Of The Little Yellow God (recorded February 25)
209* April 30 1946 Telling Stories (recorded March 11)
210” May 7 1946 Domestic Drama (recorded March 18)
211* May 14 1946 Private Mo (recorded March 25)
(the script numbering jumps #212)
213* May 21 1946 The Mental Marvel (recorded April 8)
214* May 28 1946 Lifesaving Hero (recorded April 15)
215* June 4 1946 The Jockey (recorded April 24)
216* June 11 1946 Next Door Neighbours (recorded April 29)
217* June 18 1946 In Court + Return of Dick Bentley (recorded May 6)
June 25 1946 (possibly not broadcast)
218* July 2 1946 Train Conductor (recorded May 13)
???* July 9 1946 The Barber (recorded May 20)
221* July 16 1946 Show Boat Artist + Model Prison (recorded June 3)
(the show was performed live from July 9, so it’s possible the above two recordings were not aired)
222 July 9 1946 The Barmaid And The Butcher + Murder Mystery
223 July 16 1946 Getting Accommodation
224 July 23 1946 The Shooting Of Dan McGrew + Talking Parrott
225 July 30 1946 Police Recruit
226 August 6 1946 Rent Collector Fennell
227 August 13 1946 Not Understood + sketch with Willie
228 August 20 1946 untitled 6 min sketch
229 August 27 1946 Free Thinkers’ Club + Emperor Nero
230 September 3 1946 Underneath The Arches/Dreaming
September 10 1946 (possibly not broadcast)
231 September 17 1946 sketch with Willie Fennell
232 September 24 1946 Philip And Aubrey/On The Outside Looking In
233 October 1 1946 untitled 5 min sketch + Mr. Dangle
234 October 8 1946 Atomic Bomb + Philip And Aubrey/Underneath The Arches
235 October 15 1946 Wreck Of The Hesperus + Play of Hesperus
236 October 22 1946 The Barmaid And The Butcher + Philip And Aubrey/Free
237 October 29 1946 Speech On Etiquette + Chair Of Love
238 November 5 1946 Boy From The Bush At The Cup
November 12 1946 NO BROADCAST
239 November 19 1946 The Barmaid And The Butcher
240 November 26 1946 Philip And Aubrey/Two Very Ordinary People
241 December 3 1946 The Village Blacksmith
242 December 10 1946 Love
243 December 17 1946 The Barmaid And The Butcher/Barmaid And The Butcher song
244 December 24 1946 untitled 5½ min sketch with Mylo (recorded December 11)
245 January 14 1947 Casabianca
246 January 2 1947 Detective Agency
247 January 28 1947 Philip And Aubrey: My Night Out
248 February 4 1947 Banking Money
249 February 11 1947 The Chef
250 February 18 1947 Enrolling Son
251 February 25 1947 Philip And Aubrey/Jolly Good Pals
252 March 4 1947 The Shop Assistant
253 March 11 1947 The Prospective Son-In-Law
254 March 18 1947 A Film Of Mo’s Life/Mammy
255 March 25 1947 The Commissionaire
256 April 1 1947 The Police Recruit
257 April 8 1947 Philip And Aubrey/Dreaming (recorded March 12)
258 April 15 1947 Roy Rene Sr.
259 April 22 1947 Visiting Doctor
260 April 29 1947 Philip And Aubrey/Leicester Square
261 May 6 1947 The Farmer
262 May 13 1947 Joining A Golf Club
263 May 20 1947 Member Of The Golf Club
264 May 27 1947 Golf Club
265 June 3 1947 Philip And Aubrey/The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo
266 June 10 1947 Matrimonial Agency
267 June 17 1947 The Doctor’s Assistant
268 June 24 1947 Baby Mo And The Babysitter
269 July 1 1947 Philip & Aubrey – Stony Broke In No Man’s Land
270 July 8 1947 Storytime – Goldilocks
271 July 15 1947 Storytime – The Babes In The Wood
273 July 29 1947 Philip & Aubrey – I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now
274 August 5 1947 Percy Pugh – Young Lochinvar
275 August 12 1947 Men Buying A Hat As Women Would
276 August 19 1947 Jack’s Illness
277 August 26 1947 Philip & Aubrey – Two Very Ordinary People
278 September 2 1947 Percy Pugh – Sally In Our Alley
280 September 16 1947 Fairy Story – Jack And The Beanstalk
281 September 23 1947 Mo’s Piano Lesson
282 September 30 1947 Mo, The Male Nurse
Roy also began appearing in McCackie Mansion spots with the July 8 broadcast (from October 7, this segment was his sole contribution to the programme):
270 July 8 1947 Dancing Partner
271 July 15 1947 £7 In Army Boot
272 July 22 1947 Lottery Ticket
273 July 29 1947 Five Hundred Rabbits
274 August 5 1947 Minding The Baby
275 August 12 1947 Income Tax
276 August 19 1947 6 Kisses Mrs. McCackie
277 August 26 1947 Lion Tamer Job
278 September 2 1947 Selling The Sofa
279 September 9 1947 S.P. Bookie
280 September 16 1947 Lodge Night
281 September 23 1947 £5 And Note
282 September 30 1947 Harry’s Love Letter
283 October 7 1947 Stolen Home Brew
284 October 14 1947 Crystal Ball
285 October 21 1947 Lily White
(not broadcast October 28)
286 November 4 1947 Dog – Little Lulu
287 November 11 1947 Anniversary
288 November 18 1947 Buried Treasure
289 November 25 1947 Eric Parrant Quiz
290 December 2 1947 Ned Kelly Trial
291 December 9 1947 Letter To Joe Grogan
292 December 16 1947 Bath Salts
293 January 13 1948 Melbourne – Sydney
294 January 20 1948 Canary – Mr. Chifley
295 January 27 1948 New York Phone Call
296 February 3 1948 Buying Baby Car
297 February 10 1948 Spencer Smellie
298 February 17 1948 Horrible Herbie’s Birthday Gift
299 February 24 1948 Lasho The Psychic
300 March 2 1948 Insurance Policy
301 March 9 1948 Haile Selassie
302 March 16 1948 Mo’s Family Crest
303 March 23 1948 Mo’s Advice Column
304 March 30 1948 Mo’s Boys Club Turn
305 April 6 1948 Winning Horse In Raffle
(not broadcast April 13)
306 April 20 1948 Letter To Lana Turner
307 April 27 1948 Mo’s Beer Cure
308 May 4 1948 Being A Hero
309 May 11 1948 Getting A Job
310 May 18 1948 A Day At The Zoo
311 May 25 1948 A Picnic In The Country
312 June 1 1948 Race Track
313 June 8 1948 Luna Park
314 June 15 1948 Sore Tooth
315 June 22 1948 New Car
316 June 29 1948 Horrible’s Cow
317 July 6 1948 ?
318 July 13 1948 Gold Mine
319 July 20 1948 Cricket
320 July 27 1948 First Anniversary
321 August 3 1948 Lottery Win
322 August 10 1948 Spencer Away
323 August 17 1948 Trick Cigar
324 August 24 1948 French Film
325 August 31 1948 Umbrella
326 September 7 1948 Yachting
327 September 14 1948 Bees
328 September 21 1948 Laugh
329 September 28 1948 Knitting
330 October 5 1948 Brains Trust Plug
331 October 12 1948 Burglar Alarm
332 Oct 19 1948 Mo’s Autobiography
333 October 26 1948 To Melbourne For The Cup
334 November 2 1948 The Melbourne Cup
335 November 9 1948 Mo’s New Fridge (?)
336 November 16 1948 Golf
337 November 23 1948 Mo In Opera (?)
338 November 30 1948 Caledonian Ball
339 December 7 1948 Redfern 123
340 December 14 1948 Caravan
341 December 21 1948 Holiday – Grubba Grubba
342 January 18 1949 ?
343 January 25 1949 Counterfeit Money
344 February 1 1949 Uncle Haricot Bean Arrives
345 February 8 1949 Pressure Cooker tag
346 February 15 1949 Beer In Shower
347 February 22 1949 Advertising For A Housekeeper
348 March 1 1949 ?
349 March 8 1949 Bebe Scott – Housekeeper
350 March 15 1949 Bobbie Hunt – Housekeeper
351 March 22 1949 Queenie Ashton – Housekeeper
352 March 29 1949 Nellie Lamport
353 April 5 1949 Neva Carr Glynn
(not broadcast April 12)
354 April 19 1949 Lady Gherkin’s Garden Party
355 April 26 1949 The Proposal To Miss Olivia Shakespeare
356 May 3 1949 Not Tonight Josephine
357 May 10 1949 Uncle Eric
358 May 17 1949 The Breach Of Promise Suit
359 May 24 1949 The £5000 Settlement
360 May 31 1949 Moey The Hypnotist
361 June 7 1949 Sly Grog Joint
362 June 14 1949 Arabian Fez tag
363 June 21 1949 ?
364 June 28 1949 Temperance tag
365 July 5 1949 Landlord’s Summons
366 July 12 1949 Young Harry’s Birth
367 July 19 1949 Lead Up To McCackie Birthday
368 July 26 1949 ?
369 August 2 1949 Buying A Car
370 August 9 1949 Mo With A Hangover
371 August 16 1949 The Registered Letter
372 August 23 1949 Overgrown Nose Advert
373 August 30 1949 The Davis Cup
374 September 6 1949 The Visit To The Zoo
375 September 13 1949 Mo Is Wanted
376 September 20 1949 Harry’s Exam
377 September 27 1949 The Seance
378 October 4 1949 Visit To The Minerva
379 October 11 1949 Fur For The Barmaid
380 October 18 1949 Lasho’s Market Stall
381 October 25 1949 Petrol For The Melbourne Cup
382 November 1 1949 Melbourne Cup Winning Sweep Ticket
383 November 8 1949 Apple Catchers
384 November 15 1949 Greyhound From Cyril The Snatch
385 November 22 1949 Moey For Mayor
386 November 29 1949 Little Bo Peep Pantomime
387 December 6 1949 Mo Wants To Drive A Taxi
388 December 13 1949 Mo Recites Shakespeare
389 December 20 1949 Mo’s Christmas Eve
390 January 17 1950 Award For Happiest And Healthiest Family
391 January 24 1950 New Boarder Obediah Heep
392 January 31 1950 Obediah Comes Into Money
393 February 7 1950 Aunty Rachel’s Picture
394 February 14 1950 Mo’s Cure For Smoking
395 February 21 1950 Cinesound Newsreel
396 February 28 1950 Getting Obediah To Move Out
397 March 7 1950 ?
398 March 14 1950 Snograss The Butler
399 March 21 1950 Mo’s Old Flame Daisy Cheyne
400 March 28 1950 McCackie Buys Land
401 April 4 1950 Installing Gas Fire
402 April 11 1950 Harry’s Girl Friend
403 April 18 1950 Guest Of The A.J.C.
404 April 25 1950 (no McCackie Mansion) Mo and Hal perform The Difference
405 May 2 1950 Algebra Lessons
406 May 9 1950 Harry’s Scout Master
407 May 16 1950 New Radio Set
408 May 23 1950 Kitchen Plumbing
409 May 30 1950 Telephone Shock
410 June 6 1950 New Canadian Quiz Master
411 June 13 1950 Raising Chickens
412 June 20 1950 Building Horrible’s Room
413 June 27 1950 Football Fans
414 July 4 1950 Police Drive On Unlicensed Drivers
415 July 11 1950 Mo’s Scottish Inheritance
416 July 18 1950 ?
417 July 25 1950 ?
418 August 1 1950 Mo In Hawaii
419 August 8 1950 ?
420 August 15 1950 ?
421 August 22 1950 ?
422 August 29 1950 ?
423 September 5 1950 ?
424 September 12 1950 ?
425 September 19 1950 ?
426 September 26 1950 ?
427 October 3 1950 ? (final McCackie Mansion)
from October 10 to May 29 1951, Roy appeared in various solo spots (Philip & Aubrey, Hopalong McCackie, etc.)
The Atlantic Show
3AW Saturdays 7:30pm March 29 to October 4 1952, Tuesdays October 14 1952 to May 1953
with Pat Hodgins (to Oct 4), Hal Lashwood (from Oct 14), Patricia Shay, Kathy Lloyd and the Horrie Dargie Quintet.
(a sample disc featuring extracts of the first edition is all that is known to survive)
Memories Of Mo
in 1955 Hal Lashwood presented a series of 52 half-hour tribute programmes, which included recordings taken from Calling The Stars and Colgate Cavalcade.
RECORDINGS
Eucalyptus Baby/Tit Bits
Parlophone 78rpm A 2329
both with Nat Phillips
The Sailors (parts 1 and 2)
Parlophone 78rpm A 2330
both with Nat Phillips
Mr. Macachie (parts 1 and 2)
Columbia 78rpm DO 216
with Sadie Gale, Lou Vernon
The Green Eye Of The Little Yellow God (parts l and 2)
Prestophone 78rpm PD 1
Mo McCackie At The Stage Door (parts 1 and 2)
Prestophone 78rpm PD 3
with Sadie Gale
McCackie Madhouse (parts 1 and 2)
Prestophone 78rpm PD 4
This ls Mo
Festival LP FL 30676, Calendar LP SR66 9843, Universal Record Club LP U44
Underneath The Arches
McCackie Mansion : Mo Writes To Hollywood
The Rose Of No Man’s Land + The Difference
The Barmaid And The Butcher
Phillip And Aubrey: Two Very Ordinary People
McCackie Mansion: Mo’s Cow
My Night Out
McCackie Mansion: Mo’s Anniversary Party
This Is Mo – Volume 2
Festival LP FL 30751
McCackie Mansion: The Xmas Present
Free
Phillip And Aubrey: Jolly Good Pals
The Jockey
Phillip And Aubrey: The Man Who Broke The Bank At Monte Carlo
The Barmaid And The Butcher
I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now
McCackie Mansion: Burglar Alarm
Life Is A Very Funny Proposition
McCackie Mansion
Festival EP DC 10624
The Xmas Present
The Burglar Alarm
The Best Of Mo
Festival double LP FL 30974/5
McCackie Mansion: The Scottish Butcher
Mo The Hero
McCackie Mansion: Mo’s New Shower
Mo Joins A Golf Club
Phillip And Aubrey
McCackie Mansion: Mo Goes To The Dogs
The Barmaid And me Butcher
McCackie Mansion: Sly Grog
Mo’s Life Story: Mo Sings “Mammy”
The Village Blacksmith
McCackie Mansion: Mo In Opera
The Movie Director*
At The Stage Door*
Domestic Bliss*
*featuring Sadie Gale, originally recorded for Prestophone
Laugh With Jack And Mo
Festival LP FL. 30978
The Builders
Snatch And Grab*
Brains Trust
Mo’s Piano Lesson
Jack Davey The Storyteller*
Krazy Kops
Sourpusses*
Professor Mo On Etiquette
Jack Davey The Storyteller*
(* Roy Rene not featured on these tracks)
A Man Called Mo
Festival double LP L 45307/8
reissue of The Best Of Mo
The Immortal Mo
Festival double LP L 4543 1 /2
reissue of Laugh With Jack And Mo and This Is Mo (volume 1)
The Wonderful Wireless
Telmak double LP TMAK 046
features one Roy Rene track: Strike Me Lucky (with Hal Lashwood) (aka The Jockey)
Memories Of Mo
Hammard double LP HAM 110
*** reissue of above tracks
The Jockey
McCackie Mansion: Burglar Alarm
Phillip And Aubrey: Jolly Good Pals
The Barmaid And The Butcher
Brains Trust
McCackie Mansion: Mo In Opera
Phillip And Aubrey: The Rose Of No Man’s Land + The Difference
Mo The Hero
The Barmaid And The Butcher
McCackie Mansion: Mo Goes To The Dogs
Mo Joins A Golf Club
The Village Blacksmith
McCackie Mansion: Overseas Phone Call*
The Barmaid And The Butcher
McCackie Mansion: The Scottish Butcher
Phillip And Aubrey: Two Very Ordinary People
McCackie Mansion: Mo Writes To Hollywood
(* not previously released)
Stars of Australian Stage & Radio – volume 1
Larrikin CD LRH 429
contains Prestophone recording: McCackie Madhouse
Stars of Australian Stage & Radio – volume 2
Larrikin CD LRH 430
contains Parlophone Stiffy & Mo recording: Eucalyptus Baby
Mrs. ‘Obbs, Dad & Dave and Friends
National Film & Sound Archive 2cd CD/NFSA/CM 0001
contains McCackie Mansion: The Xmas Present
Variety … Radio Style
ScreenSound Australia 2cd CD/NFSA/RV 0013
contains the complete Colgate Cavalcade #136
all the above LPs feature excerpts from Calling The Stars and Colgate Cavalcade radio broadcasts, featuring Hal Lashwood, Jack Burgess, Harry Avondale, Harry Griffiths and Edwin Fuin
BOOKS
Mo’s Memoirs
by Roy Rene (ghosted by Elizabeth Lambert and Max Harris)
Reed And Harris, 1945
Five To Remember
by John Thompson
(has a chapter about Roy Rene)
Memoirs Of An Abominable Showman
by Billy Maloney
(has a chapter about Roy Rene: Strike Me Lucky!)
Rigby Limited, 1968
A Man Called Mo
by Fred Parsons
Heinemann, 1973
This Fabulous Century
by Peter Luck
(Roy Rene is featured in the chapter: Humour)
Circus Books, 1979
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