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Jack Haskell (producer)

{{Short description|American choreographer (1886–1963)}}

Jack Haskell (13 April 1886 – April 1963) was an American theatrical producer who specialised in revue, later a dance director in Hollywood. Much of his early work was for J. C. Williamson's (JCW) in Australia.

History

=London=

In London Haskell produced

  • La Petite Cabaret, reckoned to have been the first revue, staged at the Palace Theatre, London, in April 1912. He also staged a cabaret at London's exclusive nightclub, Ciro's.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article122792759 |title=The Bing Boys Are Here |newspaper=Sunday Times (Sydney) |issue=1663 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=2 December 1917 |access-date=8 June 2022 |page=17 |via=National Library of Australia}}

=Australia=

File:Jack Haskell 1920.png

Haskell came to Australia from England,{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136729668 |title=In the Limelight |newspaper=The Mirror (Sydney) |issue=29 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=12 January 1918 |access-date=8 June 2022 |page=14 |via=National Library of Australia}}

From 1914 he was associated with Hugh D. McIntosh in producing revues for JCW.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59362044 |title=Jack Cannot in Vaudeville |newspaper=The Mail (Adelaide) |volume=3 |issue=131 |location=South Australia |date=14 November 1914 |access-date=8 June 2022 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}

In January 1919 he left for London via America after 15 months' residence in Australia.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130595424 |title=Jack Haskell, Revue Producer |newspaper=The World's News |issue=893 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=25 January 1919 |access-date=8 June 2022 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}

He was busy while in London, producing the revue Round the World in Eighty Days, the musical comedy Nobody's Boy, Midnight Frolic, and Oh, Joy (known in Australia as Oh, Boy). He assisted Oscar Asche in producing Eastward Ho! at the Alhambra, and rehearsed a touring company of Gay Bohemia, and Joyland at the London Hippodrome.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15866952 |title=Music and Drama |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=25,560 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=6 December 1919 |access-date=8 June 2022 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}

He was back in Australia in December 1919, and began work on Kissing Time with Gladys Moncrieff for JCW, which opened on 31 January 1920. Minnie Everett was dance arranger.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15870829 |title=Music and Drama |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=25,613 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=7 February 1920 |access-date=9 June 2022 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}

  • Bing Boys on Broadway followed, then
  • The Passing Show of 1920 on 6 March.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article128688589 |title=Revue in Excelsis |newspaper=The World's News |issue=950 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=28 February 1920 |access-date=9 June 2022 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}

He left for America and the Continent June—October{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article117702781 |title=Plays and Dresses |newspaper=The Evening News (Sydney) |issue=16,638 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=12 October 1920 |access-date=9 June 2022 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}} On his return he produced

  • Baby Bunting musical at the Criterion Theatre, Sydney on 24 December 1920. Dances by Minnie Hooper.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116743797 |title=The Theatres |newspaper=Freeman's Journal |volume=LXXII |issue=3750 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=3 February 1921 |access-date=9 June 2022 |page=22 |via=National Library of Australia}}

=London again=

In April 1921 he left Australia for America and Great Britain, and again was involved in stage productions in London — Sally for George Grossmith and his sometime partner Captain "Pat" Malone.

=Hollywood=

In 1930 he was in Hollywood at Warner Bros., where he was employed as a dance producer under Darryl F. Zanuck and five years later was dance director for Poor Little Rich Girl.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article176991570 |title=Sidelights of Picture Making |newspaper=Shepparton Advertiser |volume=I |issue=626 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=19 May 1936 |access-date=8 June 2022 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

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Category:Australian theatre managers and producers

Category:1886 births

Category:1963 deaths

Category:British emigrants to Australia

Category:Australian emigrants to the United States