Roy Rene at home in Hindley Street. Ron learns some of the history of Mo in the Adelaide City region of South Australia
On a corner in the West End of Adelaide there’s a tribute to a man, who, in his own small way helped shape our national identity. A statue of Roy Rene or Mo McCackie, as he was better known stands on the corner of Leigh and Hindley Streets not too far from where he was born. He was the archetypal larrikin whose bawdy repartee would become part of the Australian vernacular.
Sculptor Robert Hannaford, or "Alfie" as he known to many, is rightly proud to be commissioned by the Adelaide City Council to immortalise in bronze a bloke who learnt part of his trade in Adelaide’s West End and later became a vaudeville star and national celebrity on radio.
Born Harry van der Sluice in Hindley Street in 1891 - Roy or Mo - grew up in a house above a cigar shop and while not a regular at his inner city school there exists at least one school photo which proves he turned up sometimes.
Roy's education was more the school of hard knocks but once he got a taste for theatre there was no turning back.
Jo Peoples, SA Performing Arts Collection: “He could see the Theatre Royal from an upstairs window in his Hindley Street house. The Theatre Royal is where he had his first professional job as "Boy Roy - the boy soprano". He had an angelic face and a beautiful boy soprano voice so he'd stand in front of a huge stained glass window and perform. He was an instant hit as Boy Roy.”
From small beginnings Roy Rene became a megastar.
Jo Peoples, SA Performing Arts Collection: “It's hard for people to realise just what a huge star he was. There's a story about how someone posted an envelope with just a photo of Mo on it. Even though there was no address it still found him.”
He left Adelaide with his family when he was 13 and it was when he teamed up with Nat Phillips in Sydney in 1916 that his vaudeville career took off. "Stiffy and Mo" became household names and they broke box office records all over Australia and New Zealand. Mo needed a live audience and that's what he got with his hugely successful radio show - "McCackie Mansion".
In a former car dealership and workshop at Riverton, 100 kilometres north of Adelaide, sculptor Alfie Hannaford has lived and breathed the Mo McCackie legend. Throughout much of last year a slightly larger-than-life size sculpture of this champion of the working class slowly took shape in what is now Alfie's Riverton Light Gallery.
Robert Hannaford, Riverton Light Gallery: “Many believe he was our greatest comedian. I remember him just as a kid. And his face is familiar even to many today with that iconic beard painted on.”
Alfie's a stickler for detail and while working in his studio, he was determined to capture that cocky swagger - so typical of Mo.
Look around his studio and you see a host of other marquettes and sketches used as demo models to refine and craft his finished pieces. Scattered about are his sketches of one of cricket's most majestic shots. Then there is a smaller marquette of Don Bradman in action – all essential stages in the progression towards the Don's slashing cover drive near the Victor Richardson Gates at Adelaide Oval.
According to Alf the trick with sculpture is getting to the essence of your subject and that’s something he's done with Mo McCackie - the larrikin and man of the people. If you want you want to pose with Mo make your way to the corner of Leigh and Hindley Streets in the city.
And if you want to see more of Robert Hannaford's work head to the Riverton Light Gallery in the main street of Riverton. It's open from 11am until 5pm on Sundays or by appointment. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au
Roy Rene Sculpture
Cnr Leigh & Hindley Streets
AdelaideRiverton Light Gallery
Main Street
Riverton
Sunday 11am - 5pm Or by appointment 8847 2639Published 18th April 2010
