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Joe McDoakes (played by George O'Hanlon) was a fixture of newsreel theatrettes, particularly for Australian audiences in the 1940s and 50s, where he was often called a “favourite” due to his relatable “average guy” persona.

The character was so synonymous with the newsreel experience that he was often the only comedic light relief in a program otherwise filled with “po-faced” news segments.

The Eight-Ball Intro: Every short began with Joe peering out from behind a giant eight-ball, signifying his constant bad luck. In Australian newsreel theatres, this visual was often met with an anticipatory, “It’s good old Joe” from the audience. The shorts were instructional parodies, with titles like So You Want to Give Up Smoking or So You Want to Be a Detective.

Known as the “little guy” in the racetrack tout’s hat, Joe represented the “Regular Joe” (Joe Doakes) facing the frustrations of modern life.

George O'Hanlon starred in all 63 black-and-white one-reelers between 1942 and 1956. His shorts were typically screened alongside newsreels like Cinesound or Movietone, cartoons (e.g., Tom and Jerry), and travelogues.

Contributed by Greg Lynch -