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Bud Tingwell

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Bud Tingwell
AM
Tingwell in Murder Ahoy! (1964)
Born
Charles William Tingwell

(1923-01-03)3 January 1923
Coogee, New South Wales, Australia
Died15 May 2009(2009-05-15) (aged 86)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
EducationSydney Grammar School
Occupation(s)Actor, radio announcer, pilot
Years active1941–2008
Spouse
Audrey May Wilson
​
​
(m. 1951; died 1996)​
[1]
Children2
AwardsLogie Hall of Fame Inductee (1994)
Raymond Longford Award (1998)
Australian Film Walk of Fame Inductee (2008)

Charles William Tingwell AM (3 January 1923 – 15 May 2009),[2][3] known professionally as Bud Tingwell or Charles 'Bud' Tingwell, was an Australian film, television, theatre and radio actor. One of the veterans of Australian film, he acted in his first motion picture in 1946 and went on to appear in more than 100 films and numerous TV programs in both the United Kingdom and Australia.[4]

Early life and military service

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Tingwell was born in the Sydney suburb of Coogee, the son of William Harvey Tingwell and Enid (née Green). William volunteered as a surf lifesaver at Coogee Surf Life Saving Club where, in 1922, a colleague noticed Enid's pregnancy and asked, 'What's budding there?', and 'Bud' became the nickname for their infant son. As an adolescent, Bud was encouraged by his father to train as an accountant, but Tingwell failed the entrance exam.

While still at school, he became a cadet at Sydney radio station 2CH, soon becoming the youngest radio announcer in Australia.[2]

Second World War

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In 1941, aged 18, Tingwell volunteered for war service overseas with the Royal Australian Air Force. Under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, personnel from Commonwealth air forces formed part of a joint training and assignment system. Consequently, Tingwell trained as a pilot in Canada during 1942. Despite damaging a Harvard training aircraft in August, he later qualified as a pilot and was commissioned as a pilot officer that December. He was posted to the Mediterranean Theatre and underwent operational training with No. 74 Operational Training Unit RAF, in British Palestine, and qualified to fly the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire.

It was just that you didn't not try to go, you know [...] You were so, I suppose, orientated towards the fact that the war's on and this is the right thing to do. We also did know quite a lot, a lot more than people realise I think, that difficult things were happening in Europe [...] We had Jewish friends who had rellies who had an awful time and we knew that was happening and refugees were arriving in Australia in the pre-war time. [...] We had German family next door and they had a son-in-law who wouldn't not say – he was a suspect, possible Nazi sympathiser, so he had to go inside somewhere. And Hitler, we knew a lot about Hitler and about Mussolini.

— Tingwell discussing his reasons for going to war (2002)[5]

In January 1944, he was posted to No. 680 Squadron RAF, a photo reconnaissance unit, and flew 75 sorties in Mosquitos and Spitfires during the Italian campaign. Other aircraft that Tingwell was qualified to fly included the Bristol Blenheim, Martin Baltimore, Bristol Beaufighter and Airspeed Oxford. He was promoted to flying officer in June 1943 and flight lieutenant in December 1944.

Towards the end of the war, Tingwell was transferred back to Australia. He was posted to No. 5 Operational Training Unit RAAF as a flying instructor in June 1945, and then in December 1945, after the war had ended, he was posted to No. 87 Squadron RAAF, flying photo-reconnaissance Mosquitoes, until his demobilisation in March 1946.

Tingwell's war service earned him the 1939–45 Star, Italy Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939–1945, and Australia Service Medal 1939–1945.[6] He remained a reservist into the 1950s.

Post-war life and acting career

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Australia

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After returning to Australia, Tingwell married his childhood sweetheart, Audrey May Wilson.[7] They were to have two children, Christopher and Virginia.[8]

He joined Doris Fitton's Independent Theatre company and appeared on stage from the mid-1940s in such classics as The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman[9] and Jean Giraudoux's The Madwoman of Chaillot[10]

In 1946, Tingwell was given his first film role, in Smithy, cast as an RAAF control tower officer – winning the role since he could supply his own RAAF uniform.

Tingwell had an excellent supporting role in Bitter Springs (1950), made by Ealing Studios with Chips Rafferty; Tingwell played Rafferty's bigoted son. He had a similar role in Kangaroo (1952), a Hollywood-financed film shot in Australia for 20th Century Fox. He then appeared in I Found Joe Barton (1952), the first TV show filmed in Australia.

Fox liked Tingwell's work in Kangaroo and invited him to Los Angeles to play the role of Lt. Harry Carstairs in The Desert Rats, in which he appeared opposite Chips Rafferty, James Mason and Richard Burton. They offered him a long-term contract but Tingwell turned it down because he wanted to return to Australia.[5]

Tingwell played the lead in King of the Coral Sea (1954) alongside Rafferty. In 1954, he co-starred with Gordon Chater in Top of the Bill, the first of the famous satirical revues staged at Sydney's Phillip Street Theatre.

England

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The Australian film and radio industry slumped with the advent of television and Tingwell decided to move to the UK. He used the opportunity of a role in Ealing's The Shiralee (1957), which was filmed in Australia and London. Tingwell travelled to England to complete his scenes and decided to stay.

The following year, he took on his first recurring television role, as Australian surgeon Alan Dawson in the live TV serial Emergency Ward 10 and its film spin-off Life in Emergency Ward 10 (1959).

He had small roles in Ealing's Dunkirk (1958), then Bobbikins (1959), Cone of Silence (1960), and Tarzan the Magnificent (1960).

Tingwell played the role of Inspector Craddock in all four films of the Miss Marple series, starring Margaret Rutherford, from 1961 to 1964: Murder, She Said (1961), Murder at the Gallop (1963), Murder Most Foul (1964) and Murder Ahoy! (1964). For Hammer Films he appeared in The Secret of Blood Island (1964) and Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966).

He had the lead in a TV series An Enemy of the State (1965).

In the late 1960s, he performed various minor voice roles for the Gerry Anderson "Supermarionation" TV series Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, besides appearing in the first series of Catweazle.

In 1969 until the end of the play's run, he appeared as Robert Danvers in the long running farce There's a Girl in My Soup at the Comedy Theatre, London.

He was the recurring character of motel manager Kevin McArthur in Crossroads in the late 1960s and early 1970s.[citation needed] (Vincent Ball played McArthur in 1970–1973). He had a small role in Nobody Runs Forever (1968) with Rod Taylor.

Return to Australia

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Tingwell appeared in many other films during his time in Britain, spending a total of 16 years as a "London Aussie".[11] In 1973, he returned to Australia with his wife and children, and shortly after won the role of Inspector Reg Lawson in the long-running TV series Homicide. This was followed by small roles in a number of major Australian films, such as Breaker Morant (1980), Puberty Blues (1981) and All the Rivers Run (1983). He also played the recurring role of farmer Ted Campbell in the soap A Country Practice in the late 1980s and early 1990s and as the Narrator from The Flying Scotsman in Australia

Revival in popularity

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Tingwell's career went through a quiet period during the late 1980s and early 1990s, until he took on the role of "Gramps" in "Charlie the Wonderdog", a recurring segment on The Late Show, in 1993. His role in The Late Show was later to win him a major role as lawyer Lawrence Hammill in the film The Castle (1997). He later stated that this role helped him to recover from the death of his wife the previous year.

After the success of The Castle, Tingwell's career underwent a revival during the late 1990s and early 2000s. This saw him take on small roles in the commercial films The Craic (1999) and The Dish (2000), and in the TV mini-series Changi, as well as the lead role in the romantic drama film Innocence (2000). He would also appear on sketch show Totally Full Frontal, playing himself, as well as a recurring guest role in the soap opera Neighbours from 2000 to 2003, playing Henry O'Rourke. He had previously appeared in the soap in 1993 as Bert Willis.[12] He appeared as John Conroy in the musical theatre production The Man from Snowy River: Arena Spectacular, which toured Australian capital cities twice during 2002.

In 2004, Tingwell published a memoir, Bud: A Life. In 2006, he launched his own website, which attracted 500 registered users in just over a week. On 5 October that year, he created his first blog. He continued to act regularly until his death, in a number of films and TV programmes including eight episodes of Bed of Roses that aired in 2010. Among his last appearances, he hosted both Celebrity Circus and 20 to 1 and appeared on a celebrity special of Temptation with his daughter, Virginia.

Honours and awards

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Tingwell's plaque at the Australian Film Walk of Fame, the Ritz Cinema, Randwick, Sydney

Tingwell was inducted into the Logie Hall of Fame in 1994. In 2008, he was inducted into Australian Film Walk of Fame in honour of his career and achievements in film and television.[13]

Tingwell was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday Honours of June 1999.[14]

Death

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Audrey Tingwell died in 1996.[15] Bud Tingwell died in Melbourne, thirteen years later, from prostate cancer, on 15 May 2009. He was 86.[16][17] He was given a state funeral, which was held at St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne, on 20 May.[3][18][19][20][21][22][23]

Selected filmography

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Film

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Television

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Year Title Role Type
1956 Studio 57 Alan Caldwell TV series, season 3, episode 10: "Mr. Cinderella"
1957–1962 Emergency Ward 10 Dr. Alan Dawson TV series, 331 episodes
1961 Theatre 70 Le Strange TV series, season 1, episode 20: "The Watchmen of Saul"
1963 Crane Albert Ringwood TV series, season 1, episode 2: "Bad Company"
1963 ITV Play of the Week TV series, season 9, episode 8: "Stella"
1963; 1967 The Avengers Mike Venner / Dr. Neville TV series, 2 episodes
1964 Beware of the Dog John Woodley TV series, 6 episodes
1965 Danger Man Kemp TV series, season 1, episode 17: "The Affair at Castelevara"
1965 ITV Sunday Night Drama Donald Wedderburn TV series, episode: "Suspense Hour: Nightmare on Instalments"
1965 Love Story Professor Bellamy TV series, season 3, episode 13: "Girl on the Cliff"
1965 An Enemy of the State Harry Sutton TV series, 6 episodes
1965–1969 Out of the Unknown Mark Blaine / Captain Dantor / Captain Jaffe TV series, 3 episodes
1966 The Man in Room 17 Major David Winton TV series, season 2, episode 11: "The Standard"
1966 Knock on Any Door Bill Anderson TV series, season 2, episode 10: "White Rhino"
1966 Adam Adamant Lives! Benjamin Kinthley TV series, season 1, episode 4: "The Sweet Smell of Disaster"
1966 BBC Play of the Month Johnson TV series, season 2, episode 1: "Defection! The Case of Colonel Petrov"
1966 Thunderbirds Various characters (voices) TV series, season 2, 3 episodes
1966–1969 The Troubleshooters Matthew Baber / Blue Hughes TV series, 2 episodes
1967 Uncle Charles TV series, episode 4: "Bars of the Cage"
1967 Mickey Dunne Max TV series, season 1, episode 2: "If Anyone Calls - I'm in the Doghouse"
1967 The Revenue Men Pringle TV series, season 2, episode 4: "Who Needs Friends?"
1967 The Gamblers Walters TV series, season 1, episode 4: "When the Chips Are Down"
1968 A Man of our Times David Soames TV series, 5 episodes
1967–1968 Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons Various characters (voices) TV series, 29 episodes
1968 Z-Cars Arthur Cranley TV series, season 6, 2 episodes
1968 Detective Pederson TV series, season 2, episode 4: "Lesson in Anatomy"
1968 Sherlock Holmes Carruthers TV series, season 2, episode 14: "The Solitary Cyclist"
1969 ITV Playhouse Major George Fitzallan TV series, season 2, episode 36: "The Marrying Kind"
1970 Catweazle Mr. Bennet TV series, season 1, 13 episodes
1970 The Wednesday Play John Mitchell TV series, season 9, episode 25: "Chariot of Fire"
1970 UFO Beaver James TV series, season 1, episode 14: "Mindbender"
1972 Father, Dear Father Mr Welsh TV series, season 6, episode 1: "The Cardboard Casanova"
1972 The Man from Haven Bank Manager TV series, episode 1
1972 Behind the Legend Arthur Phillip Anthology series, episode 13: "Arthur Phillip"
1973 Division 4 Detective Sergeant John Smith TV series, season 5, episode 2: "Big Bad John"
1973 Boney TV series, season 2, episode 4: "Boney and the Powder Trail"
1973 Certain Women Duncan TV series, season 1, episode 1: "Freda"
1973 The Bellcrest Story Sam Urwin TV series, 5 episodes
1973–1976 Homicide Inspector Reg Lawson TV series, seasons 10–13, 126 episodes
1976 Power Without Glory Kenneth Murkett Miniseries, season 1, episode 18: "Rough and Tumble"
1976 Bellbird Paul Hadfield TV series, episode 1525
1977–1982 The Sullivans Dr. Hammond / Doctor / Quiz Host / Voice of Priest TV series, 9 episodes
1978 Case for the Defence George McGee TV series, episode 2: "The Killing of Toby McGee"
1978 Run From the Morning Vic Hennessy TV series, 6 episodes
1978 Father, Dear Father in Australia Dr Baker TV series, episode 10: "Father Dear Father's Day"
1978–1980 Cop Shop Supt. Keith York / George Connolly / Graham Horner TV series, 5 episodes
1979 Skyways Harold Forbes TV series, 4 episodes
1980 Lawson's Mates TV series, episode 5: "Tommy"
1983 The Coral Island Sir Charles Rover Miniseries, episode 1
1983 All the Rivers Run Uncle Charles Miniseries, 6 episodes
1983 Carson's Law Judge Warren / Brigadier Rattigan TV series, 5 episodes
1985 The Flying Doctors Oscar (voice) Miniseries, episode 3
1985; 1986 Prisoner (a.k.a. Prisoner: Cell Block H) Dr. Massey / Mr. Hudson TV series, 5 episodes
1986 The Lancaster Miller Affair Sam Hayes Miniseries, 3 episodes
1986 My Brother Tom Justice Masters Miniseries, episode 2
1986 The Fast Lane Bertie TV series, season 2, episode 5: "Murder Most Fouled"
1987 The Far Country Dr Morton Miniseries, 2 episodes
1987 The Harp in the South Father Cooley Miniseries, 3 episodes
1987 Poor Man's Orange Father Cooley Miniseries, 3 episodes
1988 House Rules Clarrie O'Donnell TV series, episode 1
1989 The Magistrate Prologue Narrator Miniseries, 2 episodes
1989 All the Rivers Run 2 Uncle Charles Miniseries, 2 episodes
1990 Flair Bert Clarke Miniseries, 2 episodes
1990 G.P. Doug TV series, season 2, episode 37: "Longing"
1990–1991 The Flying Doctors Hughie Geddes / Felix TV series, 2 episodes
1991 Boys from the Bush Graham TV series, season 1, episode 8: "Mateship"
1991 Pugwall Terrence Humble TV series, season 2, episode 20: "Mr Humble"
1991 Golden Fiddles Narrator TV series, 2 episodes
1992 Acropolis Now Customer TV series, season 5, episode 12: "Here Come the Brides: Part One"
1993 The Late Show Gramps in "Charlie the Wonder Dog" & "A Very Charlie Christmas" TV series, 2 episodes
1993 A Country Practice Santa Claus / Edward Seldon TV series, 2 episodes
1994 Mother and Son The Judge TV series, season 6, episode 5: "The Lamingtons"
1994 Ocean Girl Mr Carmody TV series, season 1, episode 7: "Toxic Waste"
1994 Snowy River: The McGregor Saga Governor TV series, season 1, episode 12: "Love Finds a Way"
1994 Wedlocked TV series, 1 episode
1995 Home and Away Dr Gordon TV series, 8 episodes a 1998 All Saints Dr Harry Mackay TV series, 1 episode
1998 The Violent Earth Bishop Guiart TV series, 3 episodes
1998 The Silver Brumby Benni / Narrator (voice) Animated TV series, 1 episode
1999 Totally Full Frontal Various characters TV series, 13 episodes
1999 Chuck Finn Old Snowy TV series, season 1, episode 10: "Finn P.I. & Associates"
2000 Round the Twist Derek TV series, season 3, episode 10: "The Tears of Innocence"
2000–2003 Neighbours Henry O'Rourke TV series
2001 Changi David Colins (in old age) TV series

Discography

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Charting singles

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List of singles, with selected chart positions
Year Title Peak chart positions Album
AUS
[27]
"The Breaker" (with John Williamson) 1981 100 True Blue – The Very Best of John Williamson

References

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  1. ^ "Bud Tingwell Biography – Official Website". Budtingwell.com.au. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Film and TV Legend Charles "Bud" Tingwell Dies". The Age. Melbourne, Australia. 15 May 2009.
  3. ^ a b "Bud Tingwell Biography – Official Website". Budtingwell.com.au. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  4. ^ Lane, Richard (2000). The Golden Age of Australian Radio Drama Volume 2. National Film and Sound Archive. pp. 127–130.
  5. ^ a b Robin Hughes (interviewer), "Charles 'Bud' Tingwell: Full Interview Transcript" (recorded 2002), Australian Biography, Access date: 20 February 2022.
  6. ^ Service record of 413915 Flight Lieutenant Charles Tingwell, National Archives of Australia, Series A9300, File TINGWELL C W, https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=5256549
  7. ^ Sydney Morning Herald, 16 May 2009 (obituary).
  8. ^ "Film and TV legend Charles 'Bud' Tingwell dies". 14 May 2009.
  9. ^ "Advertising". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 34, 263. New South Wales, Australia. 15 October 1947. p. 11. Retrieved 19 March 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "Stage Whispers". The Sunday Herald (Sydney). No. 94. New South Wales, Australia. 12 November 1950. p. 8 (Sunday Herald Features). Retrieved 19 March 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ Charles Tingwell, The Independent, London, October 1991.
  12. ^ "What's Doug secret?". Inside Soap (17). Attic Futura (UK) Ltd: 55. January 1994.
  13. ^ "Australian Film Festival Walk of Fame". Chic Traveller. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  14. ^ "It's An Honour". Itsanhonour.gov.au. 7 June 1999. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  15. ^ Sydney Morning Herald, 16 May 2009 (obituary).
  16. ^ "Film and TV Legend Bud Tingwell Dead". The Age. Australia. 15 May 2009. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  17. ^ Sky News Report on Tingwell's Death
  18. ^ Samantha Donovan for PM. "Tingwell to Receive State Funeral". Australia: ABC News. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  19. ^ "The Australian". 20 May 2009.
  20. ^ "Final Farewell for 'Bud' Tingwell". The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 May 2009.
  21. ^ Leo, Simon (20 May 2009). "State Funeral Farewells Charles 'Bud' Tingwell". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  22. ^ "Hundreds Gather for Charles 'Bud' Tingwell's Funeral". 20 May 2009. Archived from the original on 21 May 2009. Retrieved 20 May 2009.
  23. ^ "Stars Farewell Bud Tingwell". Sbs.com.au. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  24. ^ "A Cry in the Dark (1988) – Release Dates". IMDb. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  25. ^ Dooley, John; Tingwell, Charles; Daly, Michael; Naylor, Greg; Mobil Oil Australia; Bendigo Street Productions; Vision Entertainment Australia; 100th Oboe Pty. Ltd (1992), The Flying Scotsman in Australia, Vision Entertainment Australia [distributor], retrieved 9 May 2016{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  26. ^ "Screen Australia: Menzies and Churchill at War". Screen Australia. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  27. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 310. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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