Danny Malone

In an interview in 1951, Malone revealed he had battled alcoholism and again struggled while living rough in Brisbane with no job and no money. Malone said he had sought assistance from The Salvation Army after he followed their brass band back to their temple after watching them play. Malone said he immediately converted to The Salvation Army which he claimed was the best thing he had ever done proclaiming "With the help of my Army friends, I won out. I have a good job."

In the late 1940s, Malone became involved with the Theatre Royal in Brisbane appearing in numerous stage productions including a musical comedy called "Stars and Stripes" and a burlesque ballet called "Swan Song". His work with the Theatre Royal led to Malone performing in regional Queensland cities which were particularly receptive of his powerful voice. Following a performance at the Rockhampton School of Arts on 21 June 1951, the city's local newspaper The Morning Bulletin reported: "It is seldom that a singer of Irish-American tenor, Danny Malone, is heard in Rockhampton. His singing of Irish songs, his intonation and beautiful delivery and technique resulted in him being recalled again and again."

In July 1951, Malone embarked on a vaudeville tour of regional Queensland where he performed as the headline act in places such as Townsville, Charters Towers, Cloncurry, Bowen and Mackay. Malone's appearance in Mackay on 15 August 1951 at the end of a three-show run at the Olympic Theatre would be his last performance.

Travelling on a train to Gladstone where he was scheduled to perform, Malone suddenly collapsed and died between Marmor and Raglan on 21 August 1951. Malone's body was removed at Raglan and transported back to Rockhampton for a post-mortem examination which was conducted by Norman Talbot. The cause of death was determined to be "cardiac arrest due to hypertension with hypertrophy of heart due to arteriosclerosis of kidneys with pyelitis".

The Salvation Army conducted a late afternoon funeral service on 23 August 1951 at the North Rockhampton Cemetery where Malone was buried.

A testimonial show was held at the Tivoli Theatre in Rockhampton on 26 August 1951 to not only honour Malone but to also uphold the theatrical principle of "the show must go on."

Despite appearing in the 1948 movie Bonnie Prince Charlie which starred David Niven, Malone's career appeared to slow during the 1940s, not helped by being conscripted in 1942 to work as a bevin boy in the underground coal mines of Doncaster for two years during World War II.

After having a son together, Knight divorced Malone in 1943 on the grounds he committed adultery when they toured Australia together in 1937.

After a successful season at the London Palladium, Malone returned to Australia in 1939 where he appeared at the Prince Edward Theatre in Sydney in association with the ABC's New Note Octette under the leadership of Albert Fisher.

Malone then married Blanche Huxley (known as Jean) from the Queensland gold mining town of Charters Towers in Southend-on-Sea in 1938.

Malone embarked on extensive tours of England, Ireland, Scotland, New Zealand, Australia and the United States. He performed on the NBC Radio Network for four and a half months in 1937 prior to his American tour.

In 1934, Malone married Hazel Emily Knight from Chiswick in London.

After briefly reuniting with his parents, Malone left for London in November 1932, confident that his luck would turn in his favour. But again, Malone struggled to find work or accommodation. Starving, he slept rough and took to singing outside London pubs in an attempt to earn money.

Malone had considerable success in the 1930s after a successful audition with the BBC, selling thousands of gramophone records while also touring extensively throughout the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia.

John York Millar Johnston (15 July 1909 – 21 August 1951), known professionally as Danny Malone, was an Irish tenor.

Malone was born to William Henry and Isabella Johnston in Ballyclare, near Belfast, County Antrim on 15 July 1909. He was one of eight children and his family struggled in poverty. Growing up, he was forced to forgo some of his education to work selling newspapers for three years to support his family.