Jack Cannot
Jack Cannot (1883–1929)[1], was an English-Australian comic actor and vocalist.
Contents
Biography
Born John Valentine Cannot in England, he performed as Jack Cannot.
After two years in South Africa (1909-1910), he moved to Australia under contract to to J.C. Williamson Ltd., who used him in pantomimes such as Jack and the Beanstalk as well as various musical comedies. He went on to make a career for himself as stage and film comic actor, largely performing in pantomime, musical comedy and revue, inter alia as a member of Lee White's Company[2] and films,
He married Stella Holland on 2 June 1914, in Adelaide. Died 2 August 1929, Maroubra, Sydney, NSW, Australia (committed suicide).
The advent of talking films having made it more difficult for him to find work, he fell into financial distress and eventually committed suicide on 3 August 1929.
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
In 1909 Cannot left England to go to South Africa where he toured for two years in various stage productions under the auspices of the Wheeler Brothers, including The Merry Widow, Havana (Grossmith and Hill) and A Waltz Dream (Strauss).
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Cannot
https://theatreheritage.org.au/on-stage-magazine/itemlist/tag/Jack%20Cannot
[https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/253381[
D.C. Boonzaier, 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1923. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)
F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1916. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: p.431
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