John Lazar was an actor and theatre manager in Australia.
16 Facts About John Lazar
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John Lazar was Mayor of Adelaide from 1855 to 1858.
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John Lazar had considerable stage experience in England, and there is no reason to doubt advertisements which reported him playing at Covent Garden and Drury Lane.
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John Lazar was well received by both the audience and critics.
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John Lazar served as manager of the Theatre Royal until it was closed perfunctorily by the new owner, Joseph Wyatt, on 24 March 1838, John Lazar was then engaged at the new Royal Victoria Theatre on Pitt Street as actor and stage-manager until the end of 1840, when he was engaged to appear in Adelaide at the newly completed Queen's Theatre.
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John Lazar had in Sydney been praised for his Shylock, but his Othello was criticised on account of his Cockney Jewish accent and his lisp, and Adelaide reviewers were parsimonious in their praise.
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John Lazar took over management of the Queen's Theatre, taking a lease from late July 1841 but after months of losing money dismissed his company and converted the seating to something more appropriate to public meetings.
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John Lazar returned to Sydney that same month aboard the brig Dorset to resume management of the old theatre, which took effect the following May He left in 1844 following a dispute with owner Joseph Knight, returned in 1845 when Knight sold his interest in the theatre, and left again in December 1846.
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In 1848 John Lazar returned to Adelaide, now prosperous thanks largely to the valuable copper discoveries at Burra and elsewhere, and became associated with George Selth Coppin, who had established the New Queen's Theatre in a building adjoining the old Queen's Theatre.
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John Lazar established a jeweller's and silversmith's business in Hindley Street, Adelaide, and became involved in civic affairs.
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John Lazar was mayor of Adelaide from 1855 to 1858, and stood for re-election as Alderman in December 1859 but was defeated by Councillor Cox.
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John Lazar was involved with the Adelaide Jewish community, and a founding member of the Adelaide Hebrew congregation, and sang Kol Nidrei at their first Yom Kippur service in 1848.
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John Lazar was promoted to Country Treasurer and then Provincial Treasurer.
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John Lazar was active in the local Jewish community and synagogue and the Freemasons.
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John Lazar died there on 8 June 1879 and is buried in the Hokitika Cemetery.
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John Lazar died in Hokitika, New Zealand on 8 June 1879.