Charles Zwar (10 April 1911 – 2 December 1989) was an Australian songwriter, composer, lyricist, pianist and music director who was largely associated with the British revue and musical comedy industries between the late-1930s and 1960s.

Life and work

Early life

The youngest son of Mr and Mrs Charles Zwar of

Broadford, Victoria Broadford is a town in central Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Australian census, 2021 census, Broadford had a population of 4,076. The town is the headquarters of the Shire of Mitchell Local government in Australia, local ...

(Australia), Charles Zwar (Jnr) was born on 10 April 1911. He was later educated in the Melbourne suburb of Williamstown, attending North Williamstown State Primary and Williamstown High School. During his childhood Zwar developed a passion for music, and is reported to have been a student of Mr G. W. McKeown. After completing his education at North Williamstown State Primary and Williamstown High he undertook a degree in Law and Arts at the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...

, where he was in residence at

Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...

from 1928 to 1932. He was frequently found at the piano in the student common room, making up topical songs and mixing the latest

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

tunes with classical music. Zwar was involved in student productions at the College and University as both a performer and music director. The earliest theatrical production he has been linked with was the 1933 revue ''Stude Prunes''.

Career beginnings in Australia

1933 also saw Zwar make his first appearance on radio, being part of a 3AR programme of dance music that was interspersed with singing by Ella Riddell and comedy by Johnny Marks. Zwar's contributions saw him billed as a "novelty entertainer." His popularity with audiences saw him return to the airwaves several times over the next couple of months. His performances were not confined to the piano, however, with a Derby Week engagement at St Kilda seeing him billed as a singer. Zwar's growing reputation also saw him invited to contribute additional lyrics for

F. W. Thring Francis William Thring III (2 December 1882 – 1 July 1936) was an Australian film director, producer, and exhibitor. He has been credited with the invention of the clapperboard. Early life Francis William Thring (or William Francis Thring) ...

's 1933 production of the T. Stuart Gurr and

Varney Monk Varney Monk (born Isabel Varney Desmond Peterson; 18 January 1892 – 7 February 1967) was an Australian pianist and composer, best known for writing the musicals ''Collits' Inn (musical), Collits' Inn'' (1932) and ''The Cedar Tree (musical), Th ...

musical comedy ''

Collits' Inn Collits' Inn is a heritage-listed former inn and now functions, accommodation and restaurant at Hartley Vale Road, Hartley Vale in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by Pierce Collits and built in 1823. It ...

''. Others involved in the creative aspects of the musical included

George Wallace George Corley Wallace Jr. (August 25, 1919 – September 13, 1998) was an American politician who was the 45th and longest-serving governor of Alabama (1963–1967; 1971–1979; 1983–1987), and the List of longest-serving governors of U.S. s ...

and Jock McLeod. The following year Zwar contributed most of the music and lyrics for another university revue, ''Swots Next'' (18 April) while also collaborating with J. C. Bancks (creator of comic strip

Ginger Meggs ''Ginger Meggs'', created in 1921 by Jimmy Bancks, is one of Australia's most popular and the longest-running comic strip. The strip follows the escapades of a red-haired prepubescent mischief-maker who lives in an inner suburban working-class ...

) on the musical comedy, '' Blue Mountain Melody'' (1934). Produced by J. C. Williamsons, Zwar was given the opportunity to work closely with 'the Firm's' highly experienced music director, Andrew McGunn.

Move to the United Kingdom and later life

Zwar left Australia for Britain in 1936 on the same ship as children's author Isobel Ann Shead (1906–1985). They had met in Melbourne while Shead was working for the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

1933–1936, and later as presenter of a children's program on

3DB (Melbourne) 3DB was a Melbourne-based radio station that opened in 1927, changed its name to KIIS 101.1, 3TT in 1988, and now operates on the FM broadcasting, FM band as KIIS 101.1. 3DB was one of Melbourne's most popular radio stations, topping the ratin ...

. In 1938, they married in Surrey, England. Both succeeded in establishing careers there, with Shead appointed to a series high-profile positions with the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

, while Zwar carved out a career as a composer and musical director for musical comedies and revues that lasted more than three decades. Zwar and Shead are believed to have separated in the early 1950s. In 1955 he remarried, his second wife being Diana Plunkett (1918–1992), a theatrical technician and manager at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith.Diana Zwar obituary.
''Independent'' 15 September 1992. Retrieved 4 January 2013. At the time of the marriage he was musical director of

Sandy Wilson Alexander Galbraith "Sandy" Wilson (19 May 1924 – 27 August 2014) was an English composer and lyricist, best known for his musical '' The Boy Friend'' (1953). Biography Wilson was born in Sale, Cheshire, England, and was educated at Harrow ...

's musical ''The Buccaneer''. The couple had one child, a daughter. Zwar's longest and most successful collaboration was with writer/lyricist

Alan Melville Alan Melville (19 May 1910 – 18 April 1983) was a South African cricketer who played in 11 Test matches from 1938 to 1949. He was born in Carnarvon, Northern Cape, South Africa and died at Sabie, Transvaal. Early life and cricket career ...

. He also wrote songs with Kenneth Leslie-Smith, Diana Morgan, Robert MacDermot (1910–1964) and Australian Lance Mulcahy. Although his professional career was almost exclusively in the United Kingdom, Zwar's music did make it to the US. He is included, for example in the credits for the 1960 Broadway revue, ''

From A to Z ''From A to Z'' is a musical revue with a book by Woody Allen, Herbert Farjeon, and Nina Warner Hook and songs by Jerry Herman, Fred Ebb, Mary Rodgers, Everett Sloane, Jay Thompson, Dickson Hughes, Jack Holmes, Paul Klein, Norman Martin, Willia ...

'' (Plymouth Theatre). Premiering on 20 April, the show also included contributions from

Woody Allen Heywood Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American filmmaker, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades. Allen has received many List of awards and nominations received by Woody Allen, accolade ...

Jerry Herman Gerald Sheldon Herman (July 10, 1931December 26, 2019) was an American composer and lyricist, known for his work in Broadway theatre. One of the most commercially successful Broadway songwriters of his time, Herman was the composer and lyricist ...

and Jay Thompson. Zwar reconnected with the Australian theatre several times during the 1950s and 1960s, contributing material for such shows as ''Sweetest and Lowest: A Revue in Time'' (

Minerva Theatre, Sydney The Minerva Theatre was a theatre located in Orwell Street in Kings Cross, Sydney. Originally a live venue, it was converted to the Metro Cinema in 1950, before returning to live shows in 1969. It ceased operating as a theatre in 1979. From 201 ...

; 5 December 1947); ''Metropolitan Merry-Go-Round'' ( Metropolitan Theatre, Sydney; 12 February 1953); and the 1964

Phillip Theatre The Phillip Street Theatre (succeeded by the Phillip Theatre) was a popular and influential Australian theatre and theatrical company, located in Phillip Street in Sydney that was active from 1954 and 1971 that became well known for its intimate s ...

revue, ''Is Australia Really Necessary?'' (Syd; 3 Oct.). Charles Zwar died on 2 December 1989 at Oxford, England.

Music

;Musical revues and musical comedies * ''Stude Prunes'' (1933) * ''

'' (1933) * ''Swot Next'' (1934) * '' Blue Mountain Melody'' (1934, with J. C. Bancks) * ''Swinging the Gate'' (1940) * ''Sky High'' (1942) * ''Sweeter and Lower'' (1943, with Alan Melville) * ''Sweetest and Lowest'' (1946) * ''A La Carte'' (1947, with Alan Melville) * ''One, Two Three'' (1947, with Alan Melville) * ''The Lyric Revue'' (1951) * ''Bet Your Life'' (1952, with Kenneth Leslie-Smith) * ''Penny Plain'' (1952) * ''At the Lyric'' (1953) * ''

John Murray Anderson's Almanac ''John Murray Anderson's Almanac'' is a musical revue, featuring the music of the songwriting team of Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, as well as other composers. It was conceived by John Murray Anderson. An earlier version of the show had ...

'' (1953) * ''Metropolitan Merry-Go-round'' (1953, with Lance Mulcahy and Alan Melville) * ''Marigold'' (1959, with Alan Melville) * ''...And Another Thing'' (1960) * ''

'' (1960) * ''Queen's Revue'' (1961) * ''Out on a Limb'' (1961) * ''All Square'' (1963) * ''Is Australia Really Necessary?'' (1964) * ''Hello Watford Goodbye'' (1965) * ''The Station Master's Daughter'' (1968, with Frank Harvey) NB: This list, sourced from the ''Australian Variety Theatre Archive'', is incomplete. ;Film scores * ''Hullo, Fame!'' (1940, documentary) * ''The Australian Army at War'' (1945, documentary) * ''Eight Hundred Mile Voyage'' (1964, documentary) * ''

Before the Fringe ''Before the Fringe'' was a BBC television series which ran for two series on BBC2 in 1967. The first series ran for eight episodes between 30 January and 20 March 1967. The second series of six episodes ran between 18 September and 23 October 19 ...

'' (1967, television comedy series)

Notes

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Zwar, Charles 1911 births 1989 deaths People educated at Trinity College (University of Melbourne) Australian male composers Australian composers Australian musical theatre composers Male musical theatre composers Place of birth missing Musicians from London Melbourne Law School alumni Musicians from Melbourne People from Williamstown, Victoria 20th-century English composers 20th-century Australian musicians 20th-century British male musicians