{{Short description|Scottish-Australian actor (1885–1967)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Use Australian English|date=April 2026}} {{more sources|date=April 2026}} '''Joseph George McParlane''' (also spelled '''McFarlane''' and '''McPharlane'''; 13 August 1885 – 29 May 1967),<ref>{{cite web|title=Birth Record of Joseph McParlane|url=https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/tree/25195666/person/1621228704/media/fd722e1f-383a-4352-9ffe-f3be2abf2494|publisher=Ancestry.com|access-date=6 August 2017|date=2 June 1967|url-access=subscription }}</ref> known as '''Joe Valli''', was a Scottish-Australian actor who worked in vaudeville and films.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article41817632|title=Joe Valli Is Back On ''Typhoon Treasure'' Lot.|newspaper=Cairns Post (Qld.: 1909-1954)|location=Qld.|date=26 June 1937|access-date=9 August 2012|page=6|publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He had a long-running vaudeville partnership with Pat Hanna as "Chic and Joe".<ref>[http://ozvta.com/stage-characters "Chic and Joe"], Australian Variety Theatre Archive website; accessed 15 June 2015.</ref> He has been described as one of the busiest character actors in Australian films.<ref name="typhoon">{{cite magazine|access-date=25 June 2025|date=25 June 2025|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-typhoon-treasure/|title=Forgotten Australian Films: Typhoon Treasure}}</ref>
==Biography== Valli was born in Glasgow, the son of engineer Joseph McParlane and Agnes Gill. He worked as a builder and engineer before working in entertainment.
In 1914 he enlisted in the Australian Army.
Valli toured Australia in 1916 in a comedy ''Tickets Please'' with Harry Clay and the Royal Follies. He returned home in 1917 but emigrated to Australia after World War One.
Valli made his film debut in ''Diggers'' and appeared in sixteen more features after that.<ref name="dig">{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-movies-diggers-1931/|date=14 February 2026|access-date=14 February 2026|title=Forgotten Australian Movies: Diggers (1931)}}</ref>
In 1941 he was in the AIF Entertainment Unit.<ref>{{cite magazine | title=Broadcasters get busy on troopship | magazine=Wireless Weekly | volume = 36 | issue =29 | date = July 19, 1941 | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-721549765 | id=nla.obj-721549765 | access-date=14 November 2023 | via=Trove }}</ref>
An operation on his throat in 1948 rendered him unable to speak, effectively ending his career. Reports from this time said he was destitute.<ref>{{cite news|title=Popular comedian's tragedy|newspaper=The Sun|date=18 May 1948|page= 7}}</ref> A fundraiser was held for him in August 1948.<ref>{{Citation | title=Stars work for luckless comrade | journal=Pix | volume = 21 | issue =11 | date = 25 September 1948 | location=Sydney, N.S.W | publisher=Associated Newspapers Limited | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-475492103 | access-date=13 November 2023 | via=Trove }}</ref> Valli went to live at Actors' Equity Benevolent Fund's settlement at Sussex Inlet, where he worked as a caretaker.<ref>{{Citation | title=Radio Roundabout | journal=ABC Weekly | volume = 11 | issue =1 | date = 1 January 1949 | location=Sydney | publisher=ABC | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1342103344 | access-date=14 November 2023 | via=Trove }}</ref> (A scene in the film ''Tall Timbers'' had Letty Craydon demand Valli give up smoking.<ref name="tall">{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-tall-timbers/|date=12 July 2025|access-date=12 July 2025|title=Forgotten Australian Films: Tall Timbers}}</ref>)
In 1952 Valli was reported living on Dangar Island in the Hawkesbury. He wrote in to a quiz show ''Strike it Rich'' asking for a chance to win a stove and was successful with Vic Seixas representing Joe.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun|date=20 November 1952|page= 2|title=Joe can now face the cold blasts}}</ref>
He died in Waterloo, New South Wales, of myocardial degeneration .<ref>{{cite web|title=Death Certificate of Joseph McParlane aka Joe Valli |url=https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/tree/25195666/person/1621228704/media/eba88d72-d620-4268-80bd-46b941b70f11|publisher=Ancestry.com|access-date=6 August 2017|date=2 June 1967|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Joe Valli dies at 81|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=31 May 1967|page=18}}</ref>
Valli's son, Jim McFarlane, also did some acting.<ref>{{Citation | title=Finch Still actors | journal=The Wireless Weekly: The Hundred per Cent Australian Radio Journal | volume = 37 | issue =34 | date = August 29, 1942 | location=Sydney | publisher=Wireless Press | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-722533683 | access-date=14 November 2023 | via=Trove }}</ref>
==Theatre credits== *''Tickets Please'' (1916) *the New Zealand Famous Diggers (1921–22) — touring Australia and New Zealand<ref>{{Citation | title=Vaudeville, Drama, etc. | journal=Everyones | volume=2 | issue=83 | date=5 October 1921 | location=Sydney | publisher=Everyones Ltd | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-557021483 | id=nla.obj-557021483 | access-date=15 November 2023 | via=Trove }}</ref><ref>{{Citation | title=Vaudeville Jottings. | journal=Everyones | department=v.: ill. ; 32 cm. | volume=3 | issue=176 | date=18 July 1923 | location=Sydney | publisher=Everyones Ltd | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-562068057 | id=nla.obj-562068057 | access-date=15 November 2023 | via=Trove }}</ref> *toured US late 1923 (August–October)<ref>{{Citation | title=Didn't Like American | journal=Everyones | volume=4| issue=192 (7 November 1923) | location=Sydney | publisher=Everyones Ltd | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-560359323 | id=nla.obj-560359323 | access-date=15 November 2023 | via=Trove }}</ref> *Hanna's Famous Diggers (1923–31) *''The Cedar Tree'' (1934) *''Jolly Roger'' (1935) *''Home Brew'' (1935)
==Selected filmography== * ''Diggers'' (1931) * ''Waltzing Matilda'' (1933) * ''Diggers in Blighty'' (1933)<ref name="blighty">{{cite magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Variety|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-diggers-in-blighty-1933/|title=Forgotten Australian Films: Diggers in Blighty (1933)|date=27 February 2026|access-date=27 February 2026}}</ref> * ''Heritage'' (1935) * ''The Flying Doctor'' (1936)<ref name="fly">{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|date=26 September 2025|access-date=26 September 2025|title=Forgotten Australian Films: The Flying Doctor|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-the-flying-doctor/}}</ref> * ''Orphan of the Wilderness'' (1936) * ''Tall Timbers'' (1937) * ''Let George Do It'' (1938)<ref name="let">{{cite magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-let-george-do-it/|date=2 August 2025|access-date=2 August 2025|title=Forgotten Australian Films: Let George Do It}}</ref> * ''Typhoon Treasure'' (1938) * ''Dad Rudd, MP'' (1940)<ref name="dad">{{cite magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-dad-rudd-mp/|title=Forgotten Australian Films: Dad Rudd MP|date=25 August 2025|access-date=25 August 2025}}</ref> * ''Forty Thousand Horsemen'' (1940)<ref name="forty">{{cite magazine|date=9 October 2025|access-date=9 October 2025|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-forty-thousand-horsemen/|title=Forgotten Australian Films: Forty Thousand Horsemen}}</ref> * ''Racing Luck'' (1941) * ''The Power and the Glory'' (1941)<ref name="power">{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|date=6 October 2025|access-date=6 October 2025|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-the-power-and-the-glory/|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|title=Forgotten Australian Films: The Power and the Glory}}</ref> *''100,000 Cobbers'' (1942)<ref name="cob">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-100000-cobbers/|magazine=Filmink|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|date=12 September 2025|access-date=12 September 2025|title=Forgotten Australian Films: 100,000 Cobbers}}</ref> * ''The Rats of Tobruk'' (1944) * ''Harvest Gold'' (1945) * ''Smithy'' (1946)<ref name="smithy">{{cite magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|date=12 October 2025|access-date=12 October 2025|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-australian-films-smithy/|title=Forgotten Australian Films: Smithy}}</ref> *''Eureka Stockade'' (1949)
==Select radio== *''The Digger Show'' (1940)<ref>{{Citation | title=Radio stars act in Big War Show | journal=The Wireless Weekly: The Hundred per Cent Australian Radio Journal | volume = 35 | issue =28 | date = July 13, 1940 | location=Sydney | publisher=Wireless Press | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-720012616 | access-date=14 November 2023 | via=Trove }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|0885113}} *[https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/249035 Joe Valli] at Ausstage {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valli, Joe}} Category:1885 births Category:1967 deaths Category:Male actors from Glasgow Category:Scottish emigrants to Australia Category:Australian male film actors Category:Scottish vaudeville performers Category:Australian vaudeville performers