Jack Davey

John "Jack" Andrew Davey (8 February 1907 – 14 October 1959), known as Jack Davey, was a New Zealand-born singer and pioneering star of Australian radio in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.

Jack Davey was born John Andrew Davey on 8 February 1907 and educated at King's College, Auckland. Davey was the second son of Union Steam Ship Company captain Arthur Henry Davey and his wife Ella May, née Hunter.

After leaving school, Davey worked in the haberdashery department of a large store, but left after a close friend and workmate died after falling down an open lift shaft.

He was also variously a signwriter, used car salesman and assistant stage theatre manager. His father, Arthur Henry Davey despairing of his son's future, took him to sea, in an attempt to establish a career for his son. After being given the hardest, most unpleasant jobs aboard ship, Davey decided the life of a sailor was not for him.

Davey arrived in Sydney in 1931 aboard his father's ship, and decided to stay in Australia, and started his radio production company "Jack Davey Productions Lmt."

Peter Luck writes:

Within two hours he had found himself a flat with a harbour view in fashionable McLeay Street, and borrowed £2 from his landlady.

Davey worked as a crooner on the ABC station 2BL, but his real career began when he was hired by Sydney commercial radio station 2GB.

An account by his lifetime friend, aide and biographer, Lew Wright records:

They said: 'Oh, yes, you can sing for us, Mr Davey, at three guineas.' So he said 'OK.' He had to sing three times a week. But even at three guineas, it's an actual factual story, which I have from a person who knew him all his life, that he went into Park Street in the city and he bought three suits, ties, shoes and a motor car, within an hour of getting a job at three guineas. But when the end of the week came, he received a cheque for nine guineas. He said. 'Lew, if they're that careless with their money, they could have had me for three. I knew this is where I belonged.

Davey married Dulcie May Mary Webb on 17 July 1936 in Sydney, but divorced in 1942. His second marriage was to Dorothy Daisy Lush on 24 May 1947.

Davey soon had his own breakfast show, a daytime quiz, an evening variety programme and voiceover work for Fox Movietone newsreels.

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