Jack Neary AM OBE 1916-2000

In 1984, in association with Rolf Harris and his brother Bruce, Neary instituted the annual Schools Variety Spectacular at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, in which as many as 2,500 students perform to packed houses. In 1992, inspired by this success, Neary, Bruce Harris and Mary Lopez AM founded the NSW Talent Development Project, to help promising youngsters make the leap from school to the professional stage. Supported by government and private enterprise, the Project utilises the expertise of more than 80 professionals from the entertainment and music industries. Its many successes include four boys from Hurlstone Agricultural High School who went on to become Human Nature. Others are musical director John Foreman, jazz singer Emma Pask, Hi Five star Nathan Foley, Paulini, country music performers Darren Coggan, Felicity Urquhart, Travis Collins and Jed Hughes, and songwriter Vanessa Corish.

In 1992 Arena Management – whose shareholders then included Neary, Kevin Jacobsen, Michael Edgley, Reg Grundy, Ampol and the NSW State Government – entered into a joint venture with Ipoh Garden (Australia) Ltd for the restoration of Sydney’s historic Capitol Theatre. The Capitol opened in January 1995 and continues to operate under Arena’s management.

Jack Neary never lost his entrepreneurial flair: he was heavily involved in the organisation of the Australian visit of Pope John Paul II in 1986. He was awarded an OBE in 1969 and Membership of the Order of Australia in 1996, recognising his services to the entertainment industry and the Talent Development Project. He was presented with a special Mo Award at a gala function at the Regent Hotel in June 1995.

‘Gentleman Jack’ Neary died on 6 April 2000; his wife, former Tivoli dancer June Macpherson survived him. The congregation at his funeral included Kamahl, Alan Jones, Col Joye, Gough Whitlam, Douglas McClelland and Human Nature, who sang Neary’s beloved ‘Danny Boy’. At the wake at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, the Tivoli Room was renamed The Jack Neary Room, in tribute to the spirit of the man that inspired the thousands of young performers who have rehearsed there.

Frank Van Straten, 2007