Reg Quartly facts for kids

Reg Quartly was a famous Australian comedian and actor. He was born in England in 1912 and became well-known in Australia. He entertained people for over 50 years on stage, in movies, on radio, and on TV.

Early Life and First Shows

Reginald Francis Quartly was born in England on March 19, 1912. His parents were Percival Francis and Lydia Elizabeth Quartly. When Reg was 10 years old, his family moved to New Zealand.

He started his career as an entertainer very young. At just 11 years old, he performed for the first time in a talent show in Auckland. He sang a song called "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More" and won the prize of 10 shillings! After that, he performed as a child actor at the theatre for ten weeks. He then went on a successful tour around New Zealand for two years.

Theatre and Film in Australia

When Reg was about 16, he moved to Sydney, Australia. He joined the big musical shows run by Sir Benjamin Fuller. He performed at the Tivoli Theatre, which was a very popular variety theatre in Sydney. He also appeared at the Empire Theatre in Haymarket. In 1928, he was in a play called Top Hole with another famous performer, Fred Bluett.

In the same year, Reg appeared in a silent film called Trooper O'Brien. This movie was a drama set during the time of the famous Australian outlaw, Ned Kelly. Reg played the role of Moori, an Aboriginal child. He then appeared in The Cheaters, a 1930 silent film that was later turned into a movie with some sound.

In 1933, Reg performed as a comedian in several plays at the Tivoli Theatre in Broken Hill. These plays included Walter George's Sunshine Players, Keep Smilin, Leave It At That, and Step Lively.

During World War II, Reg helped entertain soldiers. He, along with Tom Newbury and Bob Dyer, performed for Australian, New Zealand, and American troops. They traveled to the war zones in the South Pacific to bring laughter and joy to the soldiers.

In the 1950s, Reg acted in musical theatre shows in Sydney. He was in Love's a Luxury (1951) and Dick Whittington and His Cat (1951) at the Palace Theatre. In 1957, he played the Baroness de Bluffe in Cinderella at the Elizabethan Theatre in Newtown.

Television and Radio Career

When television started in Australia in the 1950s, Reg Quartly was one of the first actors to appear on children's TV. He was a regular on the Captain Fortune Show, which was also known as Captain Fortune's Saturday Party. This popular show first aired in Sydney on ATN-7 in 1957. Reg played a funny clown character named "Uncle Reg" or "Uncle Reggie."

From 1962, he worked on another children's program on ATN-7 called The Town of Make Believe. This show grew out of the Captain Fortune Show. It was hosted by Arch McKirdy ("Uncle Mac"), and "Uncle" Reg Quartly helped him entertain the kids.

In 1966, Reg took the lead role when The Town of Make Believe was renamed Fun Fair. It also got a new time slot on Saturday mornings.

He also played a character called Auntie Flo on the ABN-2 program Partyland.

Reg Quartly worked for many years as a comedian on Sydney radio stations. He was on 2KY for 30 years and 2UE for 15 years. On Radio 2UW in 1941, he had a program called Mr. Pickwick Presents. In this show, he brought characters and scenes from Charles Dickens's famous novels to life. Around the same time, he helped write a song called "Chins up high" for voice and piano.

In 1957, he appeared in a comedy series called Archie in Australia on ABC radio.

Reg Quartly's Legacy

Reg Quartly played a very important part in the early days of children's television in Australia. Geoff Allen from Sydney Morning Herald even called him a "Pied Piper" because he was so good at attracting and entertaining children.

In the middle of the 20th century, Reg's fans included people of all ages. Grandparents remembered him from his performances in stage shows and on radio. Their grandchildren loved watching him on his television shows. He truly entertained different generations of Australians.

Personal Life

Reg Quartly was married to Betty. They had five children and seven grandchildren. For many years, they lived in the Sydney suburb of Punchbowl. He also lived in Ashfield for a long time.

Reg was a very kind person who often performed for charity. He helped raise money for places like the North Rocks Centre for Deaf and Blind Children. He also regularly hosted and opened local events like fetes and pet shows.

Reg Quartly passed away at the age of 71 on April 26, 1983.

Honours and Awards

• He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1976. This award was given to him "for services in the field of performing arts," which means for all his great work in entertaining people.