David Cosman Nettheim (10 July 1925 – 11 March 2008), also billed as David Netheim, was an Australian character actor and theatre writer, he acted in radio, theatre and film, but was best known for his roles in numerous television series, both locally and in the United Kingdom
Early life Born in Sydney, and brought up in Cremorne Point, one of five children and the eldest son of actor (Leslie) Roy Nettheim who was also involved in radio and theatre and who hosted a classical music programme on radio 2GB and its Macquarie Radio Network) and actress, singer and elocution teacher Mary Hosking, he was introduced to the theatre when his parents joined Doris Fitton's Independent Theatre.
Career He was educated at Sydney Grammar School and joined 2GB as an office boy in 1941. He took on occasional writing and announcing roles and was involved in production of John Dease's Quiz Kids.
He helped Sir Charles Mackerras (an old schoolfriend) prepare classical music programmes for radio. He adapted Xavier Herbert's Capricornia as a radio serial.
He was involved with the Metropolitan Theatre, Mercury Theatre and Phillip Street Theatre, where he both wrote for and acted in their famous revues.
He worked with Michael Bentine and John Bluthal in the Goon Show-like radio programme Three's a Crowd for radio 2UE, which ran for 34 weekly half-hour episodes.http://www.nfsa.gov.au/site_media/uploads/file/2011/12/05/NFSA_Radio_series_collection_amended.pdf "Australian Radio Series 1930s to 1970s. A guide to ScreenSound Australia’s holdings" accessed 5 September 2011 He next worked in Britain with Peter Sellers and Michael Bentine in the 1957 television comedy skit show Yes, It's the Cathode-Ray Tube Show. The following year he moved to Britain, and for 20 years he was seldom out of work but maintained ties with Australia in regular hookups with John West for his radio programme The Showman.In Showbiz from the Age of Two Sydney Morning Herald 17 March 2008 accessed 3 September 2011 In 1971 he appeared in the acclaimed BBC drama Elizabeth R as forger Thomas Phelippes.
In 1977 he settled in the Sydney suburb of Glebe. He appeared in stage and television productions, and took on the positions of federal treasurer for Actors Equity. He was involved in the doomed campaign to save the Regent Theatre in Sydney from demolition and helped manage the Actors' Benevolent Fund.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Nettheim appeared in guest roles in numerous Australian TV mini series and serials, including Prisoner, Sons and Daughters, and A Country Practice.
Death He died 11 March 2008 in Sydney aged 82. He never married and was survived by two brothers and two sisters.
Filmography
Film Title Year Role Notes Make Mine a Million 1959 Professor Feature film Never Die 1959 Ted TV movie BBC Sunday-Night Play 1963 Fomin TV movie Masquerade 1965 Photographer (uncredited) Feature film Nobody Runs Forever (aka The High Commissioner) 1968 Blaney (uncredited) Feature film The Promise 1969 Stepfather Feature film The Pied Piper 1972 Kulik Feature film Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width 1973 Rabbi Feature film Arena 1975 TV movie Ripkin 1978 Andrew Clifford TV movie Who Killed Baby Azaria? (aka The Disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain) 1983 Bookwriter TV movie Bliss 1985 Cornelius Feature film Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde 1986 Mr. Hyde (voice) Film Kidnapped 1986 Voice Animated feature film Frank Enstein ? Voice Animated feat film Paws 1997 Rabbi Feature film
Television Title Year Role Notes The Adventures of Long John Silver 1957 Lieutenant Leon TV series Before Your Very Eyes 1957 TV series Yes, It's the Cathode-Ray Tube Show! 1957 Various Characters TV series BBC Sunday Night Theatre 1959 Bill TV series The Buds of Paragon Row 1959 Mr. Fellowes TV series ITV Play of the Week 1959 Stenographer TV series No Tiding Place 1959 Korski TV series The Flying Doctor 1959 Chemist TV series The Army Game 1959–60 Professor Fanshawe – Professor Spratt TV series Emergency Ward 10 1960 Dr. John MacDermot TV series Boyd Q.C. 1960 Gordon Nicholls TV series Theatre 70 1961 Union official TV series Probation Officer 1961 Probation Officer TV series Friday Night 1963 Rabbi TV series Maigret 1963 Gaston Buziers TV series The Avengers 1963 Umberto TV series Compact 1964 Arthur Plum TV series Thorndiye 1964 Stalker TV series Crane 1963–65 Aziz – Chavez TV series Public Eye 1965 Teddy Booram TV series Out of the Unknown 1965 Analyst TV series The Baron 1967 Cravos TV series The Saint 1967 Inspector Umberto Crepi TV series The Prisoner 1967 Doctor TV series Man in a Suitcase 1967 Leader TV series A Hundred Years of Humphrey Hastings TV series The Troubleshooters 1967 Dr. Mayer TV series Doctor Who Fedorin TV series ITV Playhouse 1968 John Ruggles TV series Virgin of the Secret Service 1968 Kontell TV series Resurrection 1968 2nd Judge TV miniseries Thirty-Minute Theatre 1968 Ben TV series Z Cars 1969 Mr. Cooper TV series Canterbury Tales 1969 Placebo TV series Biography 1970 Barwitz TV series Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width 1970 Rabbi Stone TV series Elizabeth R 1971 Thomas Phelippes TV miniseries BBC Play of the Month 1971 Moliere – Officer TV series Spyder's Web 1972 Grolik TV series Dial M for Murder 1974 Leonides TV series Microbes and Men 1974 Deville TV series Behind the Legend 1975 TV series Glenview High 1978 TV series A Place in the World 1979 Laurie Carter TV miniseries Cop Shop 1980–82 Mr Rogers – Bruce Sinclair – Alan Sinclair TV series Prisoner (aka Prisoner: Cell Block H) 1980–82 George Logan – Magistrate – Mr. Carter TV series Sons and Daughters 1982–84 Scott Thompson TV series The Lancaster Miller Affair 1985 Dr. Tallman TV miniseries Rafferty's Rules 1988 Dr. Turpin TV series Emma: Queen of the South Seas 1988 Kaiser Wilhelm II TV miniseries A Country Practice 1992 Peter West TV series G.P. 1991-94 Murray Phipps TV series Wildside 1998 Brian Leech TV series Love is a Four Letter Word 2001 Judge TV series
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