[2] Born in Balmain, Sydney, to Edward and Sophia, Deane was a promising junior Rugby Union player and represented New South Wales against Queensland.

[2] Along with his cousins, Australian Test captain Billy Murdoch and Norman Deane, who played first-class cricket for New South Wales,[3] 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.

[2] Following the Test selection drama, Deane moved to Melbourne after accepting an offer to appear with J.C. Williamson's theatrical troupe.

[2] Deane "possessed a magnificent tenor voice"[2] and quickly became a leading performer around Australia and New Zealand, appearing in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas such as The Gondoliers.

Deane left Australia for the United States of America in the late 1890s, where he soon became a leading Vaudeville entertainer,[10] appearing on Broadway musicals,[11] including the original cast of Florodora, which ran for 553 performances, The Woggle-Bug (based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz),[2] The Knickerbocker Girl and My Lady Molly.