Jack Cruise facts for kids

Jack Cruise (born August 15, 1915 – died May 4, 1979) was a very popular Irish comedian and actor. He starred in and wrote many shows. These shows were often at the famous Royal and Olympia theatres in Dublin.

Early Life and Acting Start

Jack Cruise was born in Phibsboro, Dublin. He went to St. Vincent's C.B.S. Glasnevin. After school in 1933, he started working as a clerk. He joined a well-known Dublin bakery.

From a young age, Jack loved acting and drama. In 1934, he joined the A.O.H. Players. He performed with many amateur drama groups in Dublin.

In 1936, he was in the pantomime ‘Jack & the Beanstalk’. Here, he created one of his most loved characters. This character was John Joe Mahockey. John Joe was a clever countryman from Ballyslapdashamuckery. He wore a flat cap, a navy suit, and big hobnailed boots.

Jack Cruise was also a cousin of the Irish portrait painter Leo Whelan.

Rising to Theatre Stardom

Jack first performed at the Queens Theatre. There, he was noticed by Noel Purcell. Noel Purcell was a big star at the Theatre Royal. Soon after, Jack began performing and writing scripts. He worked for the weekly variety shows that the Royal Theatre was famous for.

In 1945, Jack left his job at the bakery. He started working full-time at the Theatre Royal. He became the house manager and press officer. That Christmas, he performed in the pantomime ‘Mother Goose’. He starred alongside Noel Purcell and other famous actors.

The show was a huge success. In just five weeks, 231,000 people saw it. A Dublin theatre critic called it ‘Dublin’s greatest panto’. Jack performed regularly at the Theatre Royal. He continued until its closure in 1962.

In the 1951/52 season, he starred in ‘Robinson Crusoe’. Jack Cruise and Harry Bailey played two old sailors. Noel Purcell played Ma Crusoe, a merry widow. This big show took the audience on an adventure.

Butlin's Holiday Camp

After the Theatre Royal, Jack started his own business. Then, a new chance came up. In 1948, Sir William Butlin opened a holiday camp. This camp was in Mosney, County Meath.

Three years later, Jack was asked to produce summer shows there. For the next eight years, he created 80 different shows. These shows entertained all the holidaymakers.

The Olympia Theatre Years

The Olympia Theatre closed for a few months in 1964. Some London-Irish business people bought it. They wanted to turn it into a cabaret restaurant. But the city council said no.

Jack Cruise, Lorcan Bourke, Richard Hallinan, and Brendan Smith then took over the theatre. Their first show was a revue called "Holiday Hayride." Jack Cruise starred in it. This show was a massive hit. It made more money than any other show in the Olympia’s history up to that time.

Jack also directed many pantomimes at the Olympia. Some of these included:

• Aladdin (1964)
• Jack in the Box (1970)
• Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp (1972)
• Cinderella
• Ring Out the Bells

You can watch Jack Cruise on The Late Late Show in 1976 here: Jack Cruise on the Late Late Show 1976.

Later Years

Jack Cruise was one of the last performers to stay popular. He managed to do this even after TV became big. His "Holiday Hayride" productions were very successful throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

His final show was the pantomime Aladdin. It was at the Olympia Theatre in Christmas 1978. In 1979, he planned to produce and appear in a summer show. This was at Butlin's Mosney again. Sadly, he passed away in May 1979.

As the old theatre saying goes, 'The show must go on.' Dublin comedian Danny Cummins stepped in for Jack. The shows at Butlin's went ahead as planned.