Sydney Deane

Infobox cricketer biography
playername = Sydney Deane
country = Australia
fullname = Sydney Leslie Deane
dayofbirth = 1
monthofbirth = 3
yearofbirth = 1863
placeofbirth = Sydney, New South Wales
countryofbirth = Australia
dayofdeath = 20
monthofdeath = 3
yearofdeath = 1934
placeofdeath = New York
countryofdeath = USA
batting = Right-handed
role = Wicket-keeper
club1 = New South Wales
year1 = 1890
type1 = First-class
debutdate1 = 25 January
debutyear1 = 1890
debutfor1 = New South Wales
debutagainst1 = Victoria
lastdate1 = 14 February
lastyear1 = 1890
lastfor1 = New South Wales
lastagainst1 = South Australia
deliveries = balls
columns = 1
column1 = First-class
matches1 = 2
runs1 = 26
bat avg1 = 26.00
100s/50s1 = 0/0
top score1 = 23*
deliveries1 = 0
wickets1 = -
bowl avg1 = -
fivefor1 = -
tenfor1 = -
best bowling1 = -
catches/stumpings1 = 7/0
date = 21 September
year = 2008
source = http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/5/5818/5818.html CricketArchive

Sydney Leslie Deane (1 March 1863 - 20 March 1934 [Varying dates have been given for Deane's birth and death. Bonnell gives a birth year of 1866 and death as 1934, Cricket Archive provides 1 March 1863 and 20 March 1934, Cricinfo lists 1 March 1866 and 20 March 1934 and the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) gives 1869 and 1 March 1939 (IMDB also gives "Austria" as Deane's place of birth). The New South Wales Births, Deaths and Marriages states 1 March 1863 as his date of birth and the New York City Births, Deaths and Marriages lists Sidney (sic) Deane's date of death as 20 March 1934.] ) was a first-class cricketer and entertainer, and the first Australian to appear in a Hollywood movie. [Bonnell, M. (2004) "Men of Many Talents", The Journal of the Cricket Society, vol. 21, no. 4., The Cricket Society]

Born in Balmain, New South Wales, to Edward and Sophia, Deane was a promising junior Rugby Union player and represented New South Wales against Queensland.Bonnell, M. (2004) "Men of Many Talents", "The Journal of the Cricket Society", vol. 21, no. 4., The Cricket Society.] Along with his cousins, Australian Test captain Billy Murdoch and Norman Deane, who played first-class cricket for New South Wales, ["Norman Deane", "Cricket Archive", http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/5/5817/5817.html Accessed 13 September 2008.] Deane also excelled in cricket, and made his first-class debut for New South Wales, against Victoria, at the Association Ground, Sydney on 25 January 1890. A wicket-keeper, Deane held six catches, at that time an Australian first-class record and caught the attention of the selectors for the Australian squad for the upcoming Ashes tour of Britain. In the next match, against South Australia, Deane also performed well, and starred in a non first-class match against a Queensland XV.

On 19 February 1890, Deane was selected in the Australian cricket squad. ["Evening Post", "The Australian Team For England", 20 February 1890] However, the Victorian members of the squad protested against Deane's inclusion, arguing that it was favouritism towards New South Wales. Victorian wicket keeper Jack Blackham, a key member of the Australian side, went as far as to threaten to boycott the tour if Deane was selected ahead of fellow Victorian Jack Harry. Eventually a compromise wicket keeper, Tasmanian Kenneth Burn was selected, ["Grey River Argus", "The Australian Eleven", 12 March 1890.] although Burn had never kept wicket in his life.

Following the Test selection drama, Deane moved to Melbourne after accepting an offer to appear with J.C. Williamson's theatrical troupe. Deane "possessed a magnificant tenor voice" and quickly became a leading performer around Australia and New Zealand, appearing in Gilbert and Sullivan operattas such as The Gondoliers. ["New Zealand Herald", "Review of the New Zealand Premiere of 'The Gondoliers'", 16 September 1892. http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~melbear/downunder/gondoliersreview2.htm Accessed 20 September 2008.] Deane also moved into theatre production management, co-founding and managing the Elite Vaudeville Company, which ran a number of productions starring Deane, including a farce based on "Trilby" entitled "Trill-B!", in which Deane played the character of Sven-Garlic. [Djubal, C. (2008) "Trill-B! ; Or, Svengalee the Great Hypnotiser", "AustLit". Accessed 21 September 2008.]

He also continued to play cricket, and although unable to break into the Victorian side, due to the presence of Blackham, Deane represented East Melbourne against an English touring side in 1892.

Deane left Australia for the United States of America in the late 1890s, where he soon became a leading Vaudeville entertainer, ["New York Times", "Treasurer's Club Benefit", 26 February 1900.] appearing on Broadway musicals, ["New York Times", "Another Musical Show for Broadway's Summer Season", 14 June 1903.] including the original cast of "Florodora", which ran for 553 performances, and "The Woggle-Bug", (based on "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz").

Impressed by his acting ability, Deane was recruited by Jesse Lasky to join the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company, which relocated to Hollywood to produce films. [Birchard, R. & Thomas, K. (2004) "Cecil B. DeMille's Hollywood", University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813123240.] Deane made his film debut in 1914 in the original version of Brewster's Millions, which was Cecil B. DeMille's second film. Deane appeared in a number of DeMille's early films before signing a contract with Universal Pictures, where he appeared in movies alongside Lon Chaney Sr..

While acting, Deane continued to play cricket, firstly in New York for the "New York Veterans" ["New York Times", "Close Scores in Cricket Matches", 31 May 1912.] and later in California, where he played into his late fifties. ["New York Times", "Narrowly Escapes Defeat; Manor Field Lucky to Get Draw With Brooklyn", 6 August 1921]

Deane's final film appearance was in the 1924 film "America", directed by D.W. Griffith, after which he retired to New York, where he died, aged 71. ["New York City Death Index Results" http://www.italiangen.org/NYCDeathresults.asp?kind=exact&Esurname=Deane&Efirst=S&StartYear=&EndYear=&B1=Submit Accessed 21 September 2008.] Unusually for an actor and cricketer of his significance, neither "Variety" or "Wisden" ran his obituary.

Filmography

References