He eventually left Kennedys bakery in 1945 to work full-time in The Theatre Royal where he had been appointed house manager and press officer.
In the Royal Theatre's 1951/52 offering, Robinson Crusoe which opened on 23 December, the production featured Eddie Byrne as Captain Hook (a bad bad pirate), Jack Cruise and Harry Bailey as Wette and Windee (two old salts) and Noel Purcell as Ma Crusoe (a merry widow).