Ethel Rebecca Lacey Francis Henry Thackeray (January 18, 1854[1] – 28 June 1931[2]) known professionally as Lieutenant Frank Travis[3] was an English ventriloquist and music hall artist.

With a career spanning over forty years, he dedicated his life to furthering the art of ventriloquism, becoming world renowned and touring globally.

[19] After a break from the Music Halls he was introduced to Dick Warner[5] a leading variety agent in England who persuaded him to resume work and he opened at the Royal Aquarium that afternoon.

[20] Travis taught his wife the art of ventriloquism, making her debut at the Folies Bergère in Paris as Madeline Rosa, billing herself as the ‘world's first lady ventriloquist’.

the Prince of Wales (later to be King Edward) and a distinguished company, I intermingled my show on that occasion with English, French, and German sayings and songs, and it was wonderfully successful and evidently much enjoyed by the aristocratic Royal present.

In 1910 Travis returned to Australia accompanied by Miss Marjorie Dean, a music hall dancer, and together they performed their act ‘The Tramp Ventriloquist’[24] at the Tivoli Theatre.