Gold Coast icon Rex Noble, of the Rex Noble Show, dies aged 87

A Gold Coast performer best known for creating the hugely popular Rex Noble Show has died in his Labrador home at the weekend.

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THE earliest memory Peter Noble has of his father is sitting on the living room floor of their Budds Beach house and watching a group of musicians jam.

It was during the Golden Era of the 1960s when his father Rex Noble would sing and perform gags in the Rex Noble Show.

Surfers Paradise Beer Garden - The Rex Noble show Picture: Pics File

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Peter reflected upon his father’s life after he passed away peacefully at his Labrador home at the weekend.

He said some of his father’s happiest times were when he was performing alongside his wife, Margaret Noble, and “lifelong friends”.

The Rex Noble Show crew celebrating the show’s fifth anniversary. Picture: Supplied

The Rex Noble Show first performed at the Surfers Paradise Beer Garden in 1964 and continued into the early 70s before Rex became a regular at the Tweed Heads Bowls Club in the 80s.

Peter said Rex was lured by the golden era of the Gold Coast and fell “hook, line and sinker” in love with showbiz while he was working as a regional manager for Wrigley’s.

“He’d always sung and told gags, he was a natural,” Peter said.

Rex Noble. Picture: Supplied

“That whole variety show format was popular in the mid to late 60s, mum and dad loved it.

“That’s how they met. Mum was a singer in the Maori High Fives, even though she was indigenous, but it was a small nightclub circuit in Surfers Paradise and they all knew each other.

“Dad poached her from the High Fives to join what would become the Rex Noble Show.”

He said the original line up, which included Alan Madam, Bob Forrest, Johnny Quinn, Rod Ball and Barry Thoms, had 22 different versions of the show rehearsed.

“The matinee might be Hawaiian themed and they would sing songs from the South Pacific which was different to the supper show where dad would have a red velvet jacket on.

“Dad would tell jokes while the band was changing and interacted with the crowd and walked the floor.

Newspaper article clipping of Rex Noble. Picture: Supplied.

“They had 12 shows a week and would squeeze in two rehearsals as well.

“Growing up one of the earliest memories I have would be of mum and dad singing. I remember sitting on the carpet and we’d have super cool musos turn up, plugging in their amps and playing music on a Sunday afternoon.”

He said his father spent his twilight years living opposite the Broadwater at Labrador, as he wished.

Peter and his sister Lisa Mulqueeny, who both live in Sydney, stayed with Rex for six weeks last summer when the borders were open. Their sister Narelle McAlpin was in lockdown in New York.

He said they “had a ball” living with their dad and listening to his stories about the Rex Noble Show and how the Gold Coast used to be.

“It was kind of strange, we almost regressed back to our teenage selves living with dad. It was nice to have six weeks with him, having dinner with him every night.

1966 Rex Noble performance at the Surfers Paradise Beer Garden. Picture: Pauline Holley

“We taught him how to use email and YouTube, he would just go down wormholes, he would virtually walk three streets away and talk about where the Chevron Skyline was, or where they used to do shows.

“He was obviously really fond of that time and made lifelong friends.”

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