Henry Van Der (Sluys) Rene (1891 - 1954)

Born 15 Feb 1891 in Hindley Street, Adelaide, South Australia.

Husband of Dorothy C (Davis) Rushby-Smith — married 29 Mar 1917 (to 1929) in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Husband of Sadie Iona (Gale) van der Sluice — married 3 Jul 1929 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Died 22 Nov 1954 at age 63 in Kensington, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

Roy (Sluys) Rene is Notable.

Roy (Sluys) Rene has Jewish Roots.

Roy (Mo) Rene, comedian, was born on 15 February 1891, at Hindley Street, Adelaide, South Australia, in what would later become Australia. He was the fourth of seven children of a Dutch Jew, Hyam (Henry) Sluice or Sluys, cigarmaker, and his Anglo-Jewish wife Amelia, née Barnett.

"Harry" won a singing competition at an Adelaide market and in 1905 appeared professionally in the pantomime, Sinbad the Sailor, at the Theatre Royal and later at the Tivoli, in a black face, singing and dancing act. In about 1905 the Sluice family moved to Melbourne where young Harry worked as an apprentice jockey. His two brothers were also successful Bookmakers and the horse racing scene was very much a part of Harry and his families life.

Harry's chosen life was vaudeville and music hall however, but he could not break through in Melbourne so he tried his hand on the stage in Sydney's vibrant live theatre scene. By this time he had already adopted the new stage name of Roy Rene. While playing at Bain's Princess Theatre, Railway Square, Sydney, in 1914 he was noticed by Benjamin Fuller, who engaged him to tour New Zealand. He developed his unique style and perfected the black and white make-up which became his trademark at this time.

In July 1916 Rene ('Mo') teamed up with fellow comedian Nat Phillips ('Stiffy'), and the duo became the famous Stiffy and Mo, renowned for their larrikin comedy. They opened at the Sydney Princess, and were an instant success. In December they moved to the Grand Opera House, playing in the spectacularly successful pantomime The Bunyip. Followed by a season in Melbourne.

On the 29 March 1917 at St Stephen's Presbyterian Church, Sydney, Henry van der Sluice married actress Dorothy Davis; ^[1] childless, they were divorced in May 1929. In Sydney on 3 July 1929 Rene married with Presbyterian forms Sadie Gale, a member of his troupe with whom he had two children.

By this time "Mo and Stiffy" and broken up and Mo was running his own troupe known as "Mo and his Merrymakers". His successful stage career continued punctured by bouts of ill health through the Depression and well into the War years of 1939-1945 before shifting to radio in 1946. One highlight of the 1930's was making his only movie, "Strike Me Lucky", for Ken Hall at Cinesound in 1934. However film was not his medium, as rapport with a live audience was essential to his comedy.

His successful radio stint began when he signed a contract with Colgate-Palmolive Pty Ltd to appear in 'Calling the Stars' with a live audience at the 2GB theatrette in Sydney; his much-acclaimed 'McCackie Mansion' was a highlight.

Rene died of atherosclerotic heart disease at his home at Kensington, New South Wales, on 22 November 1954 and was buried in the Jewish section of Rookwood Cemetery. Funny man and consumate professional Roy "Mo" Rene was survived by his second wife Sadie, son Samuel and daughter Mylo.

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #3183/1917

• Celestine McDermott, Rene, Roy (Mo) (1891–1954), Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/rene-roy-mo-8181/text14305, published first in hardcopy 1988, accessed online 18 August 2019.

• Roy Rene from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Rene accessed online 18 August 2019.

• Alexander Parsons, History Trust of South Australia, '‘Roy 'Mo' Rene'’, from the SA History Hub, History Trust of South Australia, http://sahistoryhub.com.au/people/roy-mo-rene, accessed 18 August 2019.

• Rene, Roy 1892-1954 from the State Library of South Australia's SA MEMORY: at: http://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=438&c=2005 accessed online 18 August 2019.

• New South Wales Births, Deaths & Marriages: Marriage Registration no. 3183/1917 Sluice, Harry V. and Davis, Dorothy C. at Sydney.

• On the Find a Grave website at: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14255614/harry-van_der_sluice accessed online 25 February 2024.

• Roy ' Mo`Rene from the Monument Australia website at: http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/people/arts/display/50124-roy-%60mo%60-rene- accessed online 18 August 2019.

• Young Mo (Roy Rene), 1977 by Martin Sharp oil on galvanised iron (support: 115.7 cm x 58.0 cm) on the National Portrait Gallery website at: https://www.portrait.gov.au/portraits/1998.6/young-mo-roy-rene

Some of the Retirement Notices on TROVE

• Finished With Stage, Says "Mo" from The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) of Monday 5 April 1954, Page 3. at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/48124292?

• On stage. Mo was "King of the Mob" from The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954) of Saturday 29 May 1954, Page 21. at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/245561138?

• The old master looks back--and sighs from The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 - 1954) of Saturday 3 July 1954, Page 21. At: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/248932189?

Some of the Death Notices and Obituries on TROVE

• DEATH OF ROY RENE from The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954) of Monday 22 November 1954, Page 3. at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243433186?

• ROY RENE ("MO") DIES IN SYDNEY from the News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954) of Monday 22 November 1954, Page 1. at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/130976074?

• Roy Rene: had been ill 2 years Mo dies at 63 from The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954) of Tuesday 23 November 1954, Page 1. at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/50621530

Video clips of Roy "Mo" Rene career.

• Strike Me Lucky (1934) from AUSTRALIAN SCREEN on the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia at: https://aso.gov.au/titles/features/strike-me-lucky/clip3/ accessed online 18 August 2019.

• Mr Macachie with Roy 'Mo' Rene on YOUTUBE at: Published on July 17, 2018 by the State Library South Australia. at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZcVva7QJ0o accessed online 18 August 2019.