Jack Cruise (15 August 1915 – 4 May 1979) was an Irish comedian, entertainer and actor, who performed in and wrote many shows in the Royal and Olympia theatres in Dublin.
Matthew Players he created what was to become one of his favourite characters – John Joe Mahockey from Ballyslapdashamuckery – an astute countryman or Culchie to use the Dublin expression, who wore a flat cap with an enormous peak, navy blue suit, white shirt, red tie and a large pair of brown hobnailed boots.
That Christmas he played in the Pantomime ‘Mother Goose’ with Noel Purcell, Eddie Byrne, Frankie Blowers, Sean Mooney and Pauline Forbes whose father Dick wrote the show.
With eighteen named players plus the Royalettes and assorted specialty acts, the eleven scene presentation took the Irish Clipper to Neptune’s Domain and the Island of Golden Palms, thereby allowing Ma Crusoe to discover the Lollipop Tree.
The Corporation refused and Jack Cruise, Lorcan Bourke, Richard Hallinan and founder of The Dublin Theatre Festival, Brendan Smith took over the Theater on a six months lease.
Managing the successful Holiday Hayride productions throughout the 60's &70's.His final production was the Panto Aladdin at the Olympia Theatre Christmas 1978.In 1979 he had agreed to produce and appear in Summer revue in Butlins Mosney he passed away on May 1979 .As with the old theatre adage 'The show must go on ' Dublin Comedian Danny Cummins stood on for Jack and the shows in Butlins went ahead .