The Australian Creightons found Australia too small and
travelled to the United States, only to have the love of a woman break up the
pair.
The Creightons, juggling acrobats were two young Victorian
men who met in a gymnasium in the Victorian suburbs around 1909. Fred Creighton,
was the shortest and the eldest of the two. His partner, Jim Howell, known
almost always as Jim Creighton, was a tall red-haired extrovert.
Fred was born in Richmond around 1890. Jim was born in
Prahan, between 1890 and 1893. The pair later said they met at a gymnasium and
their first appearances were suburban ones. They are first mentioned in 1910 at
the Prahan Town Hall at a charity concert and by the end of that year they
performed with The City Entertainers in Ballarat. Over the next two years they built a
reputation in that city as a unique pair of juggling acrobats. Their original
act involved acrobatics, hand balancing and juggling. Fred was short and Jim
tall, so the contrast in their build caused much comment.
In 1912 they got a big break and toured New Zealand.
Described as the ‘most expensive’ juggling act to visit that country, they
performed for almost 6 months with the Belle Crome company. Their act involved
acrobatics, juggling and comedy and their ability to juggle in ‘unison’ was
remarkable. Reviewers praised their novelty and one stated that their act was
‘mildly sensational.’
The good reviews in New Zealand led to a long booking on the
Fullers circuit. In Sydney at the National Amphitheatre in 1913 they received plaudits
and applause.
They juggled six clubs, three each, whilst switching hats and cigars between them.
Jim also juggled clubs whilst perched on Fred’s shoulders. Jim was the better
juggler, whilst the smaller Fred was more acrobatic. They used their height
difference to comedic advantage and were generally considered a unique and
exciting juggling turn.
Jim later said
When I started out in
vaudeville I did not expect to get a high salary, but I certainly expected to
be recognised when I started to do big business for the firm I was with. I knew
I was as good as some of the imported turns, but I found that I stayed on the
same old mark, whereas the turns coming here from England or the United States
were getting two to three times as much as I. I decided to try my luck in
America.’
Just after Jim’s 21st birthday in 1914, he and
Fred left for the United States. They both travelled under the name Creighton.
Jim later said that ‘Australia was too small’ He claimed that the limited
opportunities in his home country resulted in audiences becoming bored with the
same act. The many agents and theatres of the United States gave the pair more
chances to show their skills in front of various audiences.
At first they performed for the small Plantagenet circuit,
showing three times a day including Sundays. It was a brutal introduction to
American vaudeville. But soon the act
was picked up by the gigantic Orpheum circuit where they played only twice a
day and were, as Jim put it, ‘on easy street’ and ‘earning more money than I
ever thought possible.’
Their reviews were
good, they were regarded as ‘a breath of fresh air’ after one show, and at
another they ‘displayed exceptional skill in all their efforts’.
In 1917, both were living in New York and had to sign papers
about their wartime service eligibility. Fred said he was unfit for duty, with
bad teeth and poor eyesight, whilst Jim said he was perfectly healthy.
But love broke up the act. Sybil Warren, a young English dancer
caught Fred’s eye and the juggling duo split.
In 1919, Fred returned to Australia with Sybil to introduce
her to the family, and unbeknownst to him, Jim also returned.
When Harry Lauder offered them a place with his troupe
during his Australian tour that year, they reunited. Fred was probably
persuaded because Sybill was offered a role too. In 1920 they performed in the annual
pantomime Mother Hubbard. They toured New Zealand as part of the pantomime tour
and stayed for some time, but when it concluded they again parted.
Fred said he had plans to travel to the UK with Sybil and it
seems they may have done this. Jim however remained in Australia to have a long
and prosperous career.
to be continued