George Wallace Donald Crosby, OAM (29 October 1924 – 3 December 1985) was an Australian actor of radio, stage, television and film, radio producer, stage manager, airman and trade unionist.

Early life The fifth child of actor Joseph Alexander (Marshall) Crosby and Theresa Crosby (formerly King), George Wallace Donald Crosby was named after his father's friend, the actor and comedian George Stevenson Wallace. At the age of one, he was taken on stage by his father in a production of the operetta His Royal Highness. At age 12, he started producing radio sketches at the ABC.

Career At age 12, Crosby started producing radio sketches at the ABC. After leaving school, he continued acting, while working in insurance. After World War II broke out, Crosby served as an air gunner in the Royal Australian Air Force. In 1945, aged 21, he travelled to London and worked as an assistant stage manager in the West End, when he was offered a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, after which he worked throughout England in repertory. In 1949 he returned to Sydney. He appeared in Doris Fitton's production of Dark of the Moon, and numerous other productions in Sydney and Melbourne. Entering radio in 1949, he had a successful career not only as an actor but also as a producer.

When television arrived in Australia in 1956, he easily made the transition to the new medium, featuring in plays, again at the ABC. According to Richard Lane: For all his success on stage, it was on television and later in film that his greatness in developing characterisation was fully revealed. His was a craggy face that could sometimes be humorous, often grim or judicial, but always sensitive.Lane p90 His craggy features, often saw him compared to Sir John Mills.

Crosby moved to commercial television, appearing in serials made by Crawford Productions, such as Ryan, Division 4, Matlock Police and Homicide. In 1968, he played the role of Mervyn in Tony Hancock's doomed Australian series, which was shelved upon Hancock's suicide and later released as a TV movie in 1972. His later television work included roles in The Young Doctors and A Country Practice.

In radio, another popular role was in the long-running Gwen Meredith drama serial Blue Hills. More stage roles followed and Crosby was celebrated for his appearances in works by Steele Rudd. In film, his credits include Newsfront, Little Boy Lost, The Picture Show Man and the indigenous rights film The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith.

Crosby was one of Australia's most distinguished actors and radio producers, with a career spanning all genres including stage, film, radio and television. He urged the use of Australian actors where possible and spoke out against cuts in ABC funding. In 1980, he was awarded an OAM, and in 1985 he received the Australian Film Institute's Longford Lyell Award for services to the industry.

Crosby served for a time as the President of The Actors' Benevolent Fund of NSW, a charity assisting performers and entertainers in times of dire circumstance. In 1975, Crosby facilitated a donation of $500 from the Benevolent Fund of NSW, to seed a new charity of a similar kind in Queensland. This group became The Actors & Entertainers Benevolent Fund of Queensland, and was founded by Alan Edwards. He was a trade unionist and was president of Actors Equity of Australia from 1976 until his death.

Personal life Crosby met fellow actress, Elizabeth Teresa Glover in London in 1947, while he was studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. They were married at Holy Cross Catholic Church, in Woollahra, Sydney. They appeared together in Crawford Productions police dramas of the 1960s and 1970s.

He had three sons (who are also in the industry as actors and film directors) and a daughter. Don's son Matthew Crosby appeared in 1972 series A Drop in the Ocean.

Death Crosby died at age 61 from a myocardial infarction in 1985 in the Sydney suburb of Potts Point. He was survived by his wife and three children.

Awards Year Work Award Category Result 1978 Newsfront Australian Film Institute Awards Best Supporting Actor 1978 The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith Australian Film Institute Awards Best Supporting Actor 1980 Don Crosby Order of Australia Medal Services to the media and to theatre 1985 Don Crosby Australian Film Institute Awards Raymond Longford Award

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Type 1974 Moving On 1976 The Fourth Wish Priest 1977 The Picture Show Man Major Lockhart 1978 The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith Jack Newby Newsfront A.G. Marwood Little Boy Lost Cyril Grills 1982 Heatwave Jim Taylor 1985 A Street to Die Deputy President of Commission

Television Year Title Role Type 1957 Shadow of Doubt Dr Arthur Ross TV play 1958 Murder Story Warden Graves TV play1959 The Strong Are Lonely TV play Bodgie Police inspector TV play Crime Passionel Georges TV play 1959–1960 Shell Presents Barman / Corporal 2 episodes1960 Seagulls Over Sorrento AB Hudson TV play Uncle Martino Martino TV play1961 The Big Deal Herbie Schiff TV play The Ides of March Cassius TV play The End Begins Hugh Pakenham TV play Shadow of Heroes János Kádár TV play1962 The Devil Makes Sunday Dr. McCombie TV play The Music Upstairs TV play Freddo the Frog Kanga (voice) Animated series 1962–1964 Consider Your Verdict Michael Nelson 2 episodes 1964 Othello Duke of Vince TV play 1965–1975 Homicide Film Truck Driver / Paul Campbell / Tait / George Harris / Joe Kosenko / James Nelson 6 episodes1966 Australian Playhouse Carter / Mr Bigelow / Mr. Fletcher 3 episodes The Man Who Saw It Smithy TV play1967 Nice 'n Juicy Mr. Mollis 1 episode Something Else Love and War Plonko Miniseries, 2 episodes 1967–1968 Contrabandits Eddie Miller / Glover 2 episodes 1968 Skippy the Bush Kangaroo Snapes 1 episode 1968–1969 Hunter Lang / Mick Jackson 2 episodes 1969–1970 Australian Plays Jack 2 episodes1970 The Link Men 1 episode The Rovers Mr. Newton 1 episode The Long Arm Harry Moss 1 episode 1970–1973 Division 4 Mr. Perkins / Stan Wilson 2 episodes1971 Dead Men Running Miniseries, 1 episode Barrier Reef Dave McPhie 1 episode Spyforce Professor Maurice Trilby 1 episode 1971–1975 Matlock Police Frank White / George Bailey / Jim Grimes / Hamish McKenzie / Tom Baxter / Harry Burke 6 episodes1972 The Tony Hancock Special Mervyn TV movie Lane End Sergeant Woods Miniseries The Spoiler White 2 episodes 1973 Ryan TV series 1974 Escape from Singapore General Gordon Bennett TV documentary film Behind the Legend Protector of Aboriginies 1 episode Billy and Percy TV docudrama film 1974–1975 Certain Women 5 episodes 1975 They Don't Clap Losers Magistrate TV docudrama film1976 Shannon's Mob 1 episode Stories Round the World Bert Hammond 1 episode Luke's Kingdom Dr. Harty Miniseries, 1 episode Bellbird 1 episode 1978 Chopper Squad Police Radio Operator 1 episode 1978–1980 Cop Shop Speed / Tom 'Banjo' Patterson 3 episodes 1979 Ride on Stranger George Benson Miniseries, 2 episodes 1979–1981 Skyways Vincenzo Fanelli 1 episode 1980–1981 The Young Doctors Harry Norman 2 episodes 1981 Bellamy Landlord Miniseries, 1 episode 1981–1982 The Restless Years Rex Williams 2 episodes1982 Spring & Fall Harry 1 episode Holiday Island Yin Ma 2 episodes 1982–1985 A Country Practice Arnie Griffiths / George Prentice / Jock TV series, 6 episodes 1983 The Dismissal Miniseries, 1 episode1984 Five Mile Creek Doctor 1 episode The Last Bastion Arthur Coles Miniseries, 3 episodes

Stage Year Title Role Type 1925 His Royal Highness Perth 1950 Dark of the Moon Sydney / Melbourne 1951 The Playboy of the Western World Christy Little Theatre, Melbourne 1953 Seagulls over Sorrento AB Hudson Australian tour with J. C. Williamson's 1965 Camelot Merlin Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide, Her Majesty's Theatre, Brisbane with J. C. Williamson's 1971 The Removalists Sergeant Simmonds La Mama Theatre, Melbourne 1979–1980 On Our Selection Joseph Murtagh Rudd (Dad) Nimrod Theatre, Sydney

Radio Year Title Role Type Blue Hills Josh Roberts (also producer) Gwen Meredith drama serial Crime Five The Inspector Serial Oliver Twist Serial The Passionate Years Serial Adopted Son Mr Wainright Serial

References