286:, "The Youth Show", "Star Parade" (later to become "Calling the Stars"), and "Rise and Shine" (an army quiz). Most shows were recorded before live audiences in Sydney, and distributed on disc to network stations. However Davey's popularity was such that listeners in Melbourne demanded to see the programs done "live". The Colgate-Palmolive production unit leased a theatre there, and played on Sunday nights to capacity houses.
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workload, but even while he was in hospital he continued to write his newspaper column and do radio shows. His doctors succeeded in banning him from the 1955 Redex trial, though he did later take part in the Ampol round-Australia reliability trial in 1956, again driving a Ford
Customline, and the 1957 and 1958
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Davey soon had his own breakfast show, a daytime quiz, an evening variety programme and voiceover work for Fox
Movietone newsreels. Abandoning his singing career, he adopted his trademark greeting of "Hi Ho, Everybody" and became Australia's highest paid and most popular radio performer, as a writer,
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Prior to stardom, Davey worked variously as a signwriter, used car salesman and assistant stage theatre manager. His father, despairing of his son's future, took him to sea, in an attempt to establish a career for his son as a mariner. After being given the hardest, most unpleasant jobs aboard the
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His health began to decline. Once again the
Macquarie Network called in the doctors. Their advice was the same as it had always been â a reduced workload and rest, something Jack wasn't about to agree to. In 1957 he added television to his workload, with three regular programs for Sydney station
339:
Despite his health problems, Davey increased his radio work and also took part in the second Redex Trial in 1954. However that proved too much for him, and shortly after returning to Sydney he suffered a second collapse, and was admitted to St Luke's
Hospital. Doctors told him he had to ease his
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Ignoring his doctors' advice to ease his workload, Davey seemed to throw himself into work with even greater gusto. 1955 saw the introduction of a new show "Go for Greys", sponsored by the makers of Greys cigarettes. At the same time he was working on the "Ampol Show", "Give it a Go", and other
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They said: 'Oh, yes, you can sing for us, Mr Davey, at three guineas.' So he said 'OK.' He had to sing three times a week. But even at three guineas, it's an actual factual story, which I have from a person who knew him all his life, that he went into Park Street in the city and he bought three
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Think", began on 2GB in 1934, and by 1935 Jack (also known then as "Crazy" Davey) was taken off the breakfast shift, because he was more valuable to the station as a host of its prime-time evening programs. At the same time he became the voice of Fox-Movietone newsreels, a position he held
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suits, ties, shoes and a motor car, within an hour of getting a job at three guineas. But when the end of the week came, he received a cheque for nine guineas. He said. 'Lew, if they're that careless with their money, they could have had me for three. I knew this is where I belonged.
391:. Working on his radio programs all week, Davey spent his Saturdays on production of his TV programs. The workload grew even further in 1958, when 2GB reintroduced him to breakfast radio, in an attempt to counter the popularity of television. But for Davey, time was running out.
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He continued his radio work, producing multiple weekly quiz shows, talent quests and other entertainment programs. On top of that he was also doing his regular Fox-Movietone newsreel, and began diversifying into other businesses ranging from nightclubs to car auctions.
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In mid-1959, X-rays revealed a small cancer in his right lung, but Davey went on with his work, including a trip to the United States to look at advances in television. Further tests, several weeks later, revealed the cancer had grown, and Davey was moved to hospital.
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He was a notorious gambler, and those close to him say he often spent money more quickly than he could earn it. But he was always confident of his ability to earn ever-increasing amounts to maintain his expensive lifestyle. His first quiz show, "That's What
160:, was a New Zealand-born singer and pioneering star of Australian radio as a performer, producer, writer and host from the early 1930s into the late 1950s. Later in his career he also worked briefly in television, primarily as a presenter.
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and his wife Ella May, nÊe Hunter. After leaving school, Davey worked in the haberdashery department of a large store, but left after a close friend and workmate died after falling down an open lift shaft.
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on the marathon in 1953. But his health was already beginning to deteriorate, and doctors were called after he collapsed with heart problems, at the home of friends later that year.
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Despite, or perhaps because of, the success of his programs, Davey decided to leave the production unit, believing he would be able to earn more money elsewhere. He joined the
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Davey married Dulcie May Mary Webb on 17 July 1936 in Sydney, but divorced in 1942. His second marriage was to
Dorothy Daisy Lush on 24 May 1947.
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As the war ended, Davey returned to radio, rejoining the
Colgate-Palmolive production unit, which moved its programs to rival Sydney station
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Davey arrived in Sydney in 1931 aboard his father's ship, and decided to stay in
Australia, and started his radio production company,
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Within two hours he had found himself a flat with a harbour view in fashionable McLeay Street, and borrowed ÂŖ2 from his landlady.
410:(with whom Davey had claimed to have shared a Vaucluse flat in the early 1930s). Davey's cremation was followed by a service at
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ship, Davey decided the life of a sailor was not for him, and instead decided to pursue a career in entertainment
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332:(a round-Australia rally) was announced, he was one of the first to enter. With co-driver Lou Moss, he took a
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in 1946. Davey remained there until his contract expired and then he returned to
Macquarie in 1950.
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on 14 October 1959, the same day as another larger-than-life
Australian character,
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Davey had had a love affair with cars for most of his life, and when the first
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233:. An account by his lifetime friend, aide and biographer, Lew Wright records:
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Australian
Dictionary of Biography: Davey, John Andrew (Jack) (1907â1959)
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551:, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University
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Lesley Johnson (1993). "Davey, John Andrew (Jack) (1907â1959)".
440:. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University
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156:(8 February 1907 – 14 October 1959), known as
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He and American-born radio personality and quiz-show host
570:"Recording of John Howard at 16 on Jack Davey Quiz Show"
460:"Radio Ace Jack Davey Urges his Wife to "Call It a Day""
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In 1955 one of Davey's contestants was sixteen-year-old
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By 1941 Davey was hosting three weekly programs on the
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634:Jack Davey at the National Film and Sound Archive
468:. Western Australia. 22 November 1941. p. 5
606:The Magic Spark, 50 Years of Radio in Australia
172:in Auckland on 8 February 1907 and educated at
16:New Zealand-born Australian radio personality
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496:. Western Australia. 25 May 1947. p. 1
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524:. Australia. 16 November 1935. p. 35
545:"Dorothy Isabel May Foster (1908â1981)"
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274:maintained a well-publicised rivalry.
572:. australianpolitics.com. 9 June 2002
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488:"Jack Davey Weds Beautiful Divorcee"
320:. A recording of the show survives.
669:New Zealand emigrants to Australia
629:Australian Dictionary of Biography
549:Australian Dictionary of Biography
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516:"Being Crazy with "Crazy" Davey"
19:For the English cricketer, see
465:The Mirror (Western Australia)
412:St Andrew's Anglican Cathedral
176:. Davey was the second son of
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521:The Australian Women's Weekly
344:trials, driving Chryslers.
318:Prime Minister of Australia
267:continuously for 25 years.
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659:Australian game show hosts
199:Jack Davey Productions Lmt
44:Portrait of Jack Davey by
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493:The Sunday Times (Perth)
178:Union Steam Ship Company
136:production company owner
330:Redex Reliability Trial
324:Redex and Ampol trials
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21:Jack Davey (cricketer)
664:Former 2GB presenters
608:. The Hawthorn Press.
597:This Fabulous Century
595:Luck, Peter (1981) .
400:St Vincent's Hospital
382:The Pressure Pak Show
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617:. Sydney: Ure Smith.
615:The Jack Davey Story
613:Wright, Lew (1961).
604:Walker, R.R (1973).
316:, who was to become
258:producer, and host.
168:Jack Davey was born
130:television presenter
532:– via Trove.
504:– via Trove.
476:– via Trove.
291:American Red Cross
217:Davey worked as a
182:Arthur Henry Davey
284:Macquarie Network
170:John Andrew Davey
154:John Andrew Davey
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388:Give it a Go
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88:(1959-10-14)
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654:1959 deaths
649:1907 births
576:19 November
408:Errol Flynn
348:Later years
314:John Howard
109:Occupations
76:New Zealand
643:Categories
418:References
205:Peter Luck
164:Early life
158:Jack Davey
127:radio host
64:1907-02-08
46:Noel Rubie
32:Jack Davey
355:Brylcreem
245:Marriages
147:1931â1959
133:voiceover
102:Australia
555:4 August
272:Bob Dyer
225:station
180:captain
72:Auckland
589:Sources
361:'s and
221:on the
219:crooner
207:writes:
528:15 May
500:15 May
472:15 May
444:15 May
193:Career
115:Singer
94:Sydney
371:ATN-7
363:Dulux
342:Ampol
253:Radio
578:2017
557:2024
530:2020
502:2020
474:2020
446:2020
385:and
83:Died
54:Born
48:1946
365:.
359:Eno
303:2UE
264:You
231:2GB
227:2BL
223:ABC
201:.
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518:.
490:.
462:.
426:^
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62:(
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