Wardrop Hamilton LEAR - Written by his grand daughter Rosemary McFarlane (nee LEAR)

Ward Lear was born in Bendigo, Victoria in 1874, sixth child of a plumber, grandson of a convict, great grandson of a miner. He was tall for his generation (a little under 6 feet), had sandy fair hair, a full face with fresh complexion and blue/grey eyes.  His adult children would describe him as shy, and a non-conformist with a dislike for any snobbery and a strong distrust for the establishment. However by his twenties he had abandoned the Victorian countryside and his more respectable family and taken up the unlikely profession of a music hall comedian on the vaudeville stage.

He toured all states of Australia many times, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, and became in his day a very well known and well loved entertainer. The pioneering Australian theatrical entrepreneur, Sir Benjamin Fuller, was influential in sending him to England and wanted Ward to tour America but the shy Australian rejected this career opportunity and returned home taking a South African theatre engagement on the way. By now Ward was married to English theatrical dancer, Mary Rose Mackintosh and had a 2 year old son, Harold George Wardrop Hamilton, to be known as James or Little Jim, because Ward’s nickname amongst theatrical mates was “Jimmy”.  Three daughters were to follow 2 years apart, Thelma born in Tasmania, Hinemoa (Mona) born in New Zealand and Stephanie born in Sydney. All four children were to follow their parents onto the stage. Ward was probably influential in his brother Percival Hercules (“the Mighty Hercules”) taking up his career in the circus.

Ward Lear had an engaging sense of humour and for the whole of his life a child’s delight in jokes and puns. His solo acts included impersonations, songs, whistling, juggling, and sleight of hand. He made famous his Nigger Minstrel Act and would don black face paint and a top hat to bring to receptive Australian audiences his version of this new American theatre craze.

In 1920 Ward was cast as a policeman in the famous silent movie made from C.J. Dennis story “The Sentimental Bloke”. Soon the Depression was to impact on live theatre worldwide. By 1933 Fullers Vaudeville Circuit had folded and the great Victorian-era of theatres such as the Tivoli in Sydney were closing their doors or becoming cinemas. 

In my childhood in the 1940s and 50s I was taken to charity performances by ‘Grandpa’ Ward Lear re-living the cheeky days of vaudeville with some of his famous younger contemporaries – Roy Rene, Jim Gerald, and George Wallace in the great old legitimate theatre houses of Sydney. Ward Lear’s last engagement was an annual booking as Father Christmas for Mark Foys and Grace Brothers stores. 

His son, my dad, James (billed as Ward Lear Junior) followed bis father’s steps and toured Australasia with the Fullers Circuit before heading for England where he worked as actor, dancer and comedian in pantomimes, revues, and repertory. He played on the West End in the C.B. Cochrane production of Cole Porter’s “Wake Up And Dream” which was then invited by the King of Spain to perform in a theatre festival in Barcelona. Dad moved into the picture theatre world as a theatre manager then later specialising in movie advertising and publicity for Columbia Pictures Australia and Hoyts Theatres.