Nigel Tasman Lovell (27 January 1916 – 13 December 2001) was an Australian stage, radio, film and television actor, and producer of opera and both stage and radio drama.

Early life Lovell was born in Sydney, the son of Tasman Lovell, Professor of Psychology and Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Sydney University, living at Honda Road, Neutral Bay. He was educated at 'Shore' (Sydney Church of England Grammar School) and studied law at Sydney University, graduating with a BA in 1938, and was an active member of the Sydney University Dramatic Society (SUDS), under director May Hollinworth. While with SUDS, he was spotted by the director of drama for the Australian Broadcasting Commission, Frank Clewlow, who gave him small roles in several radio plays.

Career In 1950, Lovell joined Sydney's Metropolitan Theatre under Hollinworth, and when she fell ill he took over production.

In 1951, Lovell won a Commonwealth Jubilee Arts Scholarship in Drama, a travelling scholarship awarded by the British Council to study production in England.

He continued acting for the ABC under producers Eric John and Frank Zeppel in the last decade of Australian radio drama, and in several ABC-TV historical plays.

In 1959, Lovell appeared as the main protagonist in the convict-themed Pardon Miss Westcott, which was the first Australian musical written specially for live television. That same year, he had a small role in feature film The Restless and the Damned.

Lovell was also a regular in Crawford Productions for commercial TV; notably as the avuncular spy chief on late 1960s series Hunter. During the 1970–1972 seasons of Crawfords' long-running Melbourne police series Homicide, he served as a line producer and television dialogue director, before it moved completely into being a fully-filmed program. In 1972 he returned to Sydney, joining the staff of ABC Radio as a producer of education programs.

Personal life Lovell was a brother of Dr. Bruce Tasman Lovell (1910 – 19 September 1986) and Guy Tasman Lovell (15 August 1919 – ). Former cricketer Geoff Lovell is a nephew.

Lovell married Sue Dalton in 1941 and had a daughter Catherine Lovell on 1 January 1947. His wife died of a heart condition later that year.

He married again, to Patricia Anna Parr in 1956, having met through work with Sydney's Metropolitan Theatre. They had two children – Simon Lovell, a helicopter pilot, and Jenny Lovell, an actor known for her role in the television series Prisoner. Patricia Lovell had a significant career in radio and film both before and after their divorce.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Type Ref.1948 The Valley is Ours Narrator Short film The Bushman Goes Home Commentator Short film 1949 Eureka Stockade Captain Wise Feature film 1951 Wherever She Goes Will Joyce (father of Eileen Joyce) Feature film 1957 The Shiralee O’Hara (uncredited) Feature film Papua and New Guinea Commentator Short film 1959 The Dispossessed (aka L'ambitieuse or The Restless and the Damned) André Rancourt Feature film 1964 Under Stress Narrator Short film Music in the Making Commentator Short film 1965 Army Apprentices Narrator Short film 1970 Ned Kelly Captain Standish Feature film 1976 Let the Balloon Go The Parson Feature film

Television Year Title Role Type Ref. 1957 A Fourth for Bridge Air Force Type TV movie 1959 One Bright Day Arthur Mitchell TV movie The Bodgie Robert Manning MP TV movie Pardon Miss Westcott Colonel Patterson Episode of Shell Presents 1960 Stormy Petrel Major General George Johnston 8 episodes The Grey Nurse Said Nothing Reverend Light Episode of The General Motors Hour 1961 The Sergeant from Burralee Defence Counsel TV movie Whiplash Josie / Edwin Regnor / Wilfred Swan 3 episodes 1962 Off Centre Joe Hunter TV movie Consider Your Verdict Harold Rees 2 episodes The Patriots Dr Robert Wardell Miniseries, 10 episodes Jonah 1 episode 1963 Smugglers Beware Miniseries The Hungry Ones Surgeon John White 9 episodes Time Out Louis de Rougemont 1 episode The Land That Waited Narrator TV movie 1964 The Stranger Group Captain Ponsonby Miniseries, 1 episode Tribunal Bartolomeo Vanzetti 1 episode A Sound of Trumpets Geoff TV movie 1965 The Big Killing Charles Barcher TV movie Adventure Unlimited 1 episode 1965–1973 Homicide John Simpson / Supt. Tilley / Refinery Security Officer / Stranger / Senator Russell Watson / Thomas Burke / Graham Boyce / Prosecuting Counsel 8 episodes 1966 Point of Departure Clark TV movie The Nice Widow at Quinto Episode of Australian Playhouse 1967 Nice 'n' Juicy Mackay 1 episode Divorce Court 210 episodes 1967–1969 Hunter Charles Blake 65 episodes 1968 The Battlers Magistrate 1 episode Skippy the Bush Kangaroo Dr Martin 1 episode 1969 Riptide Inspector 1 episode 1969; 1970 Delta Ronnie / Major Brunning 2 episodes 1969–1971 Division 4 Judge / Ken Frost / Carl Glass on / Henry Morgan / Will Smyth 5 episodes 1970 Woobinda, Animal Doctor 1 episode The Rovers The Bank Manager / Dr Henry Micklejohn 2 episodes Strange Holiday TV movie 1972 The Lady and the Law TV movie The Spoiler Richards 1972–1973 Over There Captain Balfour 5 episodes 1973 Matlock Police Ted Jackson 1 episode Seven Little Australians The Doctor Miniseries, 1 episode 1974 Behind the Legend John Flynn 1 episode 1975 Last Rites Beecham TV movie 1976 Alvin Purple Dad 1 episode 1977 Born to Run (aka Harness Fever) Cantrell TV movie 1978 Case for the Defence The Judge 1 episode 1982 A Country Practice Bluey Ashdown 2 episodes

As producer Year Title Role Type Ref. 1970–1972 Homicide Producer 18 episodes

Theatre

As actor Year Title Role Type Ref. 1935 As You Like It Adam Savoy Theatre, Sydney with SUDS 1936 Don Juan Lord Frantingham (and the statue) SUDS 1938 Hotel Universe Tuttifäntchen The Puppet Master Collegium Musicum Sydney Death Takes a Holiday Corrado University of Sydney with SUDS The Merchant of Venice Bassanio Lucrece Tarquin 1939 Laughter in Court Edward Cruickshank By Wire Detective Inspector Denwood Hotel Universe Lyceum Club, Sydney 1940 The School for Scandal University of Sydney with SUDS French Without Tears Minerva Theatre, Sydney 1941 Mr Smart Guy Rex Albion 1950 Raymond, Lord of Milan Raymond Della Torre Metropolitan Theatre, Sydney A Midsummer Night's Dream Oberon The Rivals Sir Anthony 1957 The Big Knife Clifford Odets Independent Theatre, Sydney 1965 Two Plays in Rehearsal My Life with an Interval for Asprin The Business of Good Government Assembly Hall, Sydney with Q Theatre 1966 A Walk Among the Wheeneys AMP Theatrette, Sydney with Q Theatre A Far Country Independent Theatre, Sydney

As director/producer Year Title Role Type Ref.1950 Raymond, Lord of Milan Director Metropolitan Theatre, Sydney A Midsummer Night’s Dream Director The Rivals Director 1951 A Masked Ball Director Princess Theatre, Melbourne with NSW Opera / National Opera Company 1953 The Flying Dutchman 1954 Il trovatore Director Victoria Theatre, Newcastle, Empire Theatre for the National Opera of Australia Faust Producer Empire Theatre, Sydney 1955 Winter Journey Producer Independent Theatre, Sydney 1956 Sāvitri & Prima Donna Producer University of Sydney 1957 The Big Knife Director Independent Theatre, Sydney 1958 Curly on the Rack Director Elizabethan Theatre, Sydney 1964 Hullabaloo Belay Director St James Playhouse, Sydney 1965 You Can't Take it with You Producer Independent Theatre, Sydney 1970 95 Men and a Nannygoat Director UNSW Old Tote Parade Theatre, Sydney

Radio

As actor Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1938 The Wild Ass's Skin Honoré de Balzac play 1939 Hands Across the Table Play on Lux Radio Theatre Those We Love Serial on 2CH Magnificent Obsession Play on Lux Radio Theatre 1940 Smilin' Thru Serial on 2KY Four Daughters Harry Dearth's Radio Theatre 1940s Judge Marshall's Family Pan Marshall Serial on 2UW, 2GB Strange Destiny Serial on 2UW 1940s–1950s Drama of Medicine 1944–1949 The Lawsons Serial on ABC Radio 1946 Big Sister Frank Hill Serial on 2UW 1946–1947 Crossroads of Life Larry Halstead Serial on 2KO, 2UW 1946–1948 Danger Unlimited Jeffery Blackburn Serial on 2UE, 3UZ, 4BC, including episode: "The Adventure of the Queen's Bracelet" 1948 Perfect Strangers Clemence Dane play 1949 A Bill of Divorcement Clemence Dane play 1952 The General Motors Hour Serial on 2GB 1953 The Cure for Love Walter Greenwood play The Quiet Stranger Red Williams Serial 1954– Tarzan Serial on 2GB 1955 Yellow Jack Major Reed Play on 2BL-NC-CN, 4QR 1957 The Explorers King Play on ABC Radio 1960 Passage of the Tangmar Dirk Kendall Serial 1961 Cattleman Ben Serial on 2GB, 2UE, 2AD, 4LM 1965 Concord of Sweet Sounds Gerhmann BBC Beyond the Rainbow Storm Hannaford Serial 1960s No Rainbow in the Sky Storm Hannaford Serial Big City Serial Blue Hills Serial on ABC Radio Count Down Kevin Miles Serial Nyal Radio Playhouse Serial

As director/producer Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1954– Tarzan Producer 2GB 1959– Woman in the Mirror Producer 2UW, 5AD 1963– North from Thursday Producer Night Must Fall Producer Macquarie Theatre on 2GB 1970s A Place in the Sun Director 4BU

References