Walter Pym (actor)

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Walter Pym
Born7 April 1905
Petersham, New South Wales, Australia
Died22 January 1980 (aged 74)
Prahran, Victoria, Australia
OccupationsActor, radio producer, studio manager
Years active1929–1980
Known forEnd Play (1976)
Mouth to Mouth (1978)
Patrick (1978)
Thirst (1979)
The Box (1974)
The Unisexers (1975)
SpouseIvy Ray (1928–1963)
Children1

Walter Pym (7 April 1905 – 22 January 1980) was an Australian actor and producer best known for his extensive experience in radio, during the 1940s and 1950s.

Early life

Pym was born on 7 April 1905, in the Sydney suburb of Petersham.

Career

In 1938, Pym became the studio and production manager at Melbourne radio station 3UZ. He acted in, as well as produced and directed numerous radio serials and plays during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s for Australasian Radio Productions, Artransa, Crawford Productions and Grace Gibson Productions.[1]

He also featured in film and television, making his screen debut in 1943 propaganda short film South West Pacific as Bill, the Sailor.[2] His other film credits include war film The Rats of Tobruk (1944), sport comedy The Great Macarthy (1975) with John Jarratt, thriller End Play (1976) alongside John Waters and George Mallaby, John Duigan award-winning film Mouth to Mouth (1978), Ozploitation horror films Patrick (1978) and Thirst (1979), and adventure film The Earthling (1980) opposite child actor Ricky Schroder.

He also appeared in the TV plays Miss Mabel (1958), The Seagull (1959) and The Tempest (1963).

Pym had a recurring role in television soap opera The Box (1974) as Sid Merrymore for 27 episodes, and a main role in soap opera The Unisexers (1975) as Angus Melody for all 16 episodes. He also featured in numerous miniseries, including period drama Stormy Petrel (1960) about William Bligh, country period drama Serpent in the Rainbow (1973), colonial series Luke's Kingdom (1976), historical drama Against the Wind (1978) and Ride on Stranger (1979).

Additionally, he made numerous guest appearances in series such as Whiplash, Jonah, Consider Your Verdict, Pukemanu, Ryan, Homicide, Matlock Police, Prisoner, Cop Shop and Young Ramsay.

His final screen appearance was in television short The Cliffhanger in 1981.

Personal life and death

Pym was married to Ivy Ray from 1928 until 1963, and had one son. He died in Prahran, Melbourne, on 22 January 1980, aged 74.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1943South West PacificBill, the SailorShort film
1944The Rats of Tobruk
1975The Great Macarthy
1976End PlayStanley Lipton
1978Mouth to MouthFred
1978PatrickCaptain Fraser
1979ThirstDitcher
1980The EarthlingUncle

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1958Miss MabelThe LawyerTV play
1959The SeagullIlyaTV play
1960Stormy PetrelLt. General KeppelMiniseries, 1 episode
1961WhiplashOscar Wenders / Mr Poole3 episodes
1962JonahWilkins1 episode
1963The TempestSebastianTV play
1964Consider Your VerdictJulius Armstrong1 episode
1971Pukemanu1 episode
1973Serpent in the RainbowMiniseries
1974RyanProfessor Melton1 episode
1974HomicideCharlie McCoy / Bill Byrne1 episode
1974The BoxSid Merrymore27 episodes
1974–1976Matlock PoliceStumpy Farrell / Scrounger / Elliot Barker3 episodes
1975The UnisexersAngus Melody16 episodes
1976Luke's KingdomDinner GuestMiniseries, 1 episode
1978Against the WindJudge AdvocateMiniseries, 1 episode
1979PrisonerAngus1 episode
1979Ride on StrangerBishop SteeleMiniseries, 1 episode
1977–1980Cop ShopLaurie Whitford / Charles White / Grandpa Mervyn5 episodes
1980Young RamsayBloke in Pub1 episode
1981The CliffhangerOld ManShort TV movie

Theatre

As actor

Year Title Role Notes
1929It Pays to AdvertiseEllcry ClarkeTheatre Royal Sydney with Nellie Bramley Company[3]
1946The Corn is GreenMinerva Theatre, Sydney with Whitehall Productions
1947Youth at the HelmMinerva Theatre, Sydney with Whitehall Productions
1952–1953The White Sheep of the FamilyPrincess Theatre, Melbourne, Theatre Royal, Adelaide, Tivoli Theatre, Sydney
1952Dick Whittington and His CatPrincess Theatre, Melbourne
1960Charley's AuntElizabethan Theatre, Sydney with AETT
1962The Ham FuneralPalace Theatre, Sydney with AETT
1962–1963The Sound of MusicBaron EberfeldTivoli Theatre, Sydney, Elizabethan Theatre, Sydney with AETT
1964King Henry VCharles VITent Theatre, Adelaide, Tent Theatre, Sydney with AETT
1964CarouselStar Keeper / Dr. SeldonPrincess Theatre, Melbourne, Tivoli Theatre, Sydney, Her Majesty’s Theatre, Brisbane with AETT
1966The FantasticksThe ActorDownstage Theatre, Wellington
1967The Spots of the LeopardProfessor CarmodyDownstage Theatre, Wellington
1967The School for WivesHenriquesDownstage Theatre, Wellington
1971As You Like ItCorinMercury Theatre, Auckland
1971The Country WifeSir Jasper FidgetMercury Theatre, Auckland
1971Serjeant Musgrave's DanceMayorMercury Theatre, Auckland
1971Canterbury TalesMillerMercury Theatre, Auckland
1972Charley’s AuntStephen SpettigueMercury Theatre, Auckland
1972Macrune's GuevaraThe QuestionerMercury Theatre, Auckland
1972A Man for All SeasonsCardinal WolseyMercury Theatre, Auckland
1972Conduct UnbecomingThe DoctorMercury Theatre, Auckland
1972KeanSolomonHis Majesty's Theatre, Auckland with Auckland Theatre Trust & Mercury Theatre
1972The Skin of Our TeethJudge / 3rd Convener / Mr TremayneMercury Theatre, Auckland
1972Love's Labour's LostConstable DullMercury Theatre, Auckland
1972Guys and DollsArvide AbernathyMercury Theatre, Auckland
1978JumpersCrouchNimrod Theatre, Sydney

As director

Year Title Role Notes
1949Ah, Wilderness!DirectorUniversity of Melbourne with Tin Alley Players[4]
1951Desert HighwayDirectorUniversity of Melbourne, National Theatre, Melbourne, Hobart with Tin Alley Players
1952MontserratDirectorUniversity of Melbourne with Tin Alley Players
1962–1963The Sound of MusicProducerTivoli Theatre, Sydney, Elizabethan Theatre, Sydney with AETT
1968The Corn is GreenDirectorRepertory Theatre, Christchurch with Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society
1969Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'BeDirectorChristchurch, New Zealand with Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society
1969Barefoot in the ParkDirectorChristchurch with Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society
1970Arms and the ManDirectorChristchurch with Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society
1970The Facts of LifeDirectorChristchurch with Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society

[5]

Radio

As actor

Year Title Role Notes
1940sDrama TimeActorAWA radio series on 2CH[1]
1941Imperial LeaderLord SalisburyLegionnaire radio series on 2UE & 3UZ[6][7]
1942The Heroic PastActorRadio series on 2UE[8]
1943The Better RoadABC Radio Sydney radio play[9]
1944–1947Nyal Radio PlayhouseActorGrace Gibson Productions radio series on 2CH[1]
1947Opera for the PeopleActorCrawford Productions radio series[10]
1948Burtons of Banner StreetActorRadio series on 3AW[1]
1950s–1960sPinnochioActorAustralasian Radio Productions radio series[1]
1950s–1960sThe RenegadeActorAustralasian Radio Productions radio series[1]
1951Ned KellyLivingRadio Repertory radio play[11]
1954–1956Assignment in AthensActorAustralasian Radio Productions radio series, episodes 2 & 4[12]
1956Unknown QuantityActorGrace Gibson Productions radio series, episode 1
1967Who Treads AloneMr DennisRadio Broadcast, New Zealand radio play with YC Radio Network[13]
1967Measure for MeasureEscalusNZBC Studios, Wellington radio play[14]
1979London AssuranceMax HarkawayABC Radio Melbourne radio play[15]
1979CymbelineBelariusABC Radio Melbourne radio play[16]
Lady from LisbonActor[17]

As director / producer

Year Title Role Notes
1940sMusical Comedy TheatreContributorArtransa radio series[1]
1940s–1950sCaltex TheatreProducerRadio series[1]
1944The Army HourProducerRadio series[18]
1950sEnchanted IslandDirectorAustralasian Radio Productions radio series on 3KZ[1]
1950sYou Are ThereProducerArtransa radio series on Macquarie Network[1]
1950sStrange Stories of the SeasProducerArtransa radio series on 3DB[1]
1950s–1960sEight Hour AlibiDirectorAustralasian Radio Productions radio series[1]
1950s–1960sLegendDirectorAustralasian Radio Productions radio series[1]
1950s–1960sQuestion MarkProducerAustralasian Radio Productions radio series[1]
1950s–1960sThe RenegadeProducerAustralasian Radio Productions radio series[1]
1950s–1960sRoom 25DirectorAustralasian Radio Productions radio series[1]
1950s–1960sWhere Did it Come FromProducerAustralasian Radio Productions radio series[1]
1951–Truth is StrangerDirectorArtransa radio series[1]
1954Tarzan, King of the ApesProducerRadio series on 2GB[19][1]
1954–1958The Air Adventures of Hop HarriganProducerArtransa radio series on Macquarie Network[1]
Late 1950sThe Passionate YearsProducerFidelity Radio radio series on 2UW[1]
1963The Letter from SpainDirectorEMI radio series[1]

References