The Story Of
pp. 85-87 · Read in the full issue
Mr. Radio
Although he had few of the virtues that a well brought-up citizen is sup posed to have—except open-handed generosity and love of his fellow-man —the late Jack Davey, Australia's Mr. Radio, the Master of Quiz, brought pleasure and amusement to millions and became a legend in his own lifetime.
WHEN he died two years ago he was still under fifty, yet had packed more into that time than half a dozen other men, in twice the span.
Only his body had taken toll from this pace —he died of cancer but two coronaries and other health defects in the last half dozen years of his life made him a poor insurance risk.
There never has been anyone like Davey in the Australian entertain ment business and there probably will never be again. It is inevitable that sooner or later, someone should write his story. This has now been done by Lew Wright who was his personal assistant from 1953 until his death.
It was Wright’s business to smooth out the Davey troubles —to get him out of scrapes, to pay the Davey bills, to keep an eye on the Davey finances, which were always in par lous condition no matter how much the star earned; and to put his fool down on the more flamboyant of the off-beat Davey schemes.
In the world of radio shows,
»y’s judgment was faultless, In other more serious business of r living, he had the approach of
rresponsible adolescent,
e once gave a waiter £4O tip telling him the time and bought ties in dozen lots although he idy had over 300 ties in his ward . He lived in a high priced flat le highest priced part of Sydney when he was away his girl ids moved in and lived like liesses. (Housekeeper troubles one of the smaller crosses >ht had to bear; there were six vo years.) ck owned “70 feet of pure ex
agance”—the ocean-going motor
t Sea Mist, which cost him £lOO eek to maintain, even when he I’t using it. He could win or lose ne night at poker, a sum that the age Australian would consider luate as a year’s salary, e was, in fact, an extravagant acter, more suited perhaps to the of California’s Barbary Coast the usual middle-class outlook
iverage Australia,
avey was, of course, from New and where social ethics are of i more strait-laced variety than e across the Tasman. His tastes his abilities were not inherited, father was Captain Arthur ey, for years Master of the trans nan liner Awatea, whose recon tion to his elder son’s chosen way ife did not come about until very in the piece. he rest of the Davey family were more attuned to what were re led as his eccentricities than was father, who when Jack finally handed him a bulky envelope ;h turned out to contain 11 pages advice and a £1 note pinned to last sheet. ew Wright writes with sympathy understanding of a man who le life a little brighter for millions,
ned no one—except, perhaps,
self.