AustLit

English comedian, monologist, tenor, actor, writer director, producer, troupe manager.

Walter George and Georgie Martin founded one of Britain's first costume comedy companies in London in the early 1890s. Initially known as the Light Opera Singers it later became known as The Follies, and eventually the Smart Set Entertainers. After touring South Africa and the USA the 10-member troupe came to Australia in 1912, with the original Australian line-up including Emily Kroll, Edward Elliot, Sunshine James, Mona Thomas, Tristram Greene and Edgar Holland (piano). The Smart Set disbanded in 1915 when George and Martin joined Edward Branscombe's Scarlet Dandies. The pair reformed the Smart Set in 1917, however, and for four years toured throughout the Antipodes until George founded his Sunshine Players (1921-27). He later toured with Moon and Morris, Stanley McKay and another of his own companies, the Novelletes (1929) before moving into radio as producer for the ABC in 1930.

[Source: Australian Variety Theatre Archive]