William Andrews (Australian actor) explained

William Alexander Andrews (21 July 1836 – 28 September 1878), sometimes referred to as "Billy Andrews", was an Australian comic actor, who had a short career but was immensely popular, and like G. V. Brooke, became the yardstick by which later comedians were judged.

History

Andrews was born at 64 George Street, Sydney, "opposite the Central Police Station",^[1] a son of Alexander Andrews and Hebe Andrews, née Chippendale (1815–1874), who married 17 May 1834.

Notable roles include:

• Felix O'Callaghan in His Last Legs (1865) also played by his brother Alex.^[2]
• Baillie Nichol Jarvie in Rob Roy (1869)
• the mock Duke in Honeymoon (1868)
• "Perkyn Middlewick" in Our Boys (1878)
• "Deacon Skinner" in Struck Oil (1875)
• "Scrubs" in Rory O'More, his last appearance, which he played for two nights at the Sydney Queen's Theatre, but was practically inaudible, and died three weeks later of Bright's disease at his home in Liverpool Street, Woolloomooloo. His wife, brother and sister were with him at the end.

Criticism of his work is hard to find — apart from being cast as the Artful Dodger in Oliver Twist, which part should have gone to a much smaller man.^[3] In other productions he played Mr Bumble.^[4]

Family

Andrews was married and had three children by a previous marriage:

• eldest daughter (born 22 April 1866), no details yet found
• William Inglewood Andrews (c. 1863 – 13 August 1885)
• Elizabeth Andrews (c. 3 June 1869 – 3 February 1887)

His brother Alec Andrews (1845 – 3 January 1895) was also a comedian;^[5] he had a sister at 70 Albion Street, Surry Hills, and another brother, James, about whom little has been found.^[6] His widow remarried and lived in Melbourne.

Notes and References

1. News: Death of Mr William Andrews . . V . 23 . New South Wales, Australia . 2 October 1878 . 18 June 2021 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
2. News: Victoria Theatre. . . VII . 1709 . New South Wales, Australia . 13 December 1879 . 18 June 2021 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
3. News: Queensland Theatre. . . XII . 117 . Queensland, Australia . 10 November 1877 . 19 June 2021 . 15 . National Library of Australia.
4. News: Advertising . . 8,194 . Victoria, Australia . 14 September 1872 . 19 June 2021 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
5. News: Family Notices . . LIX . 1801 . New South Wales, Australia . 12 January 1895 . 19 June 2021 . 101 . National Library of Australia.
6. News: Family Notices . . 12,594 . New South Wales, Australia . 30 September 1878 . 19 June 2021 . 12 . National Library of Australia.