▁ ▁and ▁mel od rama ▁Jack ▁Sh annon ▁( in ▁both ▁of ▁which ▁he ▁also ▁had ▁supporting ▁roles ) ▁for ▁Andrew ▁Mack , ▁under ▁contract ▁to ▁J . ▁C . ▁William son , ▁followed ▁by ▁a ▁season ▁with ▁Mack ▁in ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁Wal sh ▁tou red ▁his ▁own ▁company ▁through ▁New ▁Zealand ' s ▁South ▁Island . ▁ ▁Wal sh ▁had ▁various ▁interests ▁in ▁America ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁stage . ▁He ▁had ▁a ▁ran ch ▁and ▁a ▁newspaper , ▁which ▁he ▁edited , ▁in ▁Pet al uma , ▁California . ▁When ▁the ▁US ▁joined ▁the ▁Al lies ▁in ▁the ▁Great ▁War ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁Army . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁he ▁made ▁a ▁brief ▁return ▁to ▁Australia ▁with ▁his ▁wife ▁and ▁son , ▁and ▁decided ▁to ▁return ▁to ▁Australia ▁for ▁good , ▁after ▁he ▁had ▁settled ▁his ▁affairs ▁back ▁in ▁the ▁USA . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁he ▁acted ▁as ▁assistant ▁producer ▁for ▁Be aum ont ▁Smith ' s ▁films ▁While ▁the ▁Billy ▁Bo ils ''' ▁and ▁The ▁Gent le man ▁Bus hr anger . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁he ▁was ▁in ▁W ag ga , ▁as ▁road ▁manager ▁for ▁J . ▁C . ▁William son ' s ▁White - head ed ▁Boys ▁tour ing ▁company . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁Australia ▁as ▁manager ▁of ▁the ▁Ab bey ▁Theatre ▁company ▁and ▁an ▁Irish ▁variety ▁tr oupe , ▁this ▁time ▁perman ently . ▁He