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Lloyd Berrell

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Lloyd Berrell (13 February 1926 – 30 December 1957) was a New Zealand actor who played Reuben "Roo" Webber in the original Sydney production of Summer of the Seventeenth Doll. He worked extensively in Australian radio and theatre, appearing in a large portion of the films being shot locally at that time. He also starred in the original stage production of Sumner Locke Elliott's Rusty Bugles as well as numerous productions for the Mercury Theatre.

Biography

Berrell was born in Wellington, New Zealand, and was an only child while his father was a doctor. His family moved to Australia when Berrell was a child, and he began acting on radio, appearing on The Youth Show.[1][2][3] In this role, he performed a variety of acts and often worked as a compère.[4]

Berrell received acclaim for playing the title role in the radio play Ned Kelly in 1942.[citation needed]

In 1944 Berrell was questioned by police for his role in disturbances in a strike by Actors Equity.[5]

During World War II, he served in the Australian Broadcast Control Unit from 1944 to 1946.[6] In 1945 he was in Sons of the Morning on stage at the New Theatre.[citation needed]

In 1948, Berrell had a key role in the long-running play Rusty Bugles. That year, he performed in A Pickwick Story for Mercury Mobile Players, a company originally established by Peter Finch.[7]

By 1948 he earned over £1,000 a year, mostly in radio.[8]

In 1950 he was in a production of Julius Caesar at the Independent Theatre alongside Rod Taylor. The following year he did Anna Christie for John Alden.[citation needed]

Berrell did voice over for the documentary Fighting Blood (1951). He was also in several plays at the Mercury Theatre in Sydney in 1952, including The Twins, Point of Departure, and The Happy Time.[9]

In 1953 he won a Macquarie Award for best actor in a radio drama.[10] He also took a lead role in the Australian radio version of "Tom Corbett Space Cadet" for Artransa in 1953, originally a U.S. TV and radio series between 1950 and 1955. Then, Berrell formed a short lived radio production company with James Workman, called Workman-Berrell Productions.[11]

His last appearance on Australia radio was in 'The Closing Door'.[12]

Films

Berrell featured in Byron Haskin's His Majesty O'Keefe (1954), shot in Fiji.

Berrell was cast as the villain in King of the Coral Sea (1954), a rare Australian financed feature of the time, then Haskin used him again in Long John Silver (1954), filmed in Australia.[citation needed]

He did the narration for Antarctic Voyage (1956).[citation needed]

Summer of the Seventeenth Doll

In 1956, Berrell achieved his greatest success when he was cast as 'Roo' in the Sydney production of Summer of the Seventeenth Doll. He toured with the production around the country for the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust.[citation needed]

Also for the Trust, Berrell was in The Relapse (1957) and Hamlet (1957, as Claudius), which both toured.[13]

Berrell's last appearance was as a truck driver in The Shiralee (1957).

Personal life

Berrell was married in 1946 but the marriage ended in 1948. Berrell tried to sue his ex-wife in an attempt to get her back, but lost the case when he admitted to have spanked his wife twice. Together, they had one child.[14][15][16][17] The divorce came through in 1951.[18]

His second marriage, to Betty, who was a fellow actor, was a happy one.[19] According to a historian, "it was a successful marriage; Betty was good for Lloyd. He had been a hard worker and player. He drank heavily and ran himself into the ground. Betty had helped him turn his life around."[20]

Death

Berrell died on December 30, 1957 while on board the French liner Caledonian which was off the north west coast of Africa and traveling to London. At the time of his death, he was only 31 years old.[21] News of his death did not reach Sydney until a fortnight later. The cause was initially thought to be flu.[22][23] Then when Berrell's widow returned to Australia she said the cause was a heart attack, which he had ten days out of Guadeloupe. "He had a very strenuous tour with The Relapse over its eight months run," said Betty Berrell. "He wore heavy cloaks and padding for his role and I believe the strain was too much for him."[24]

According to one writer, "December 30, 1957 is a day actors will always recall; the day a profession cried; everybody loved Berrell as he was one of the most respected people in the trade. He was known as someone who was fun to be with. Despite his youth, he challenged much older people in the craft of radio. Berrell was dynamic and his work was full of energy. “He had probably the best natural voice that this country had ever heard, a voice and personality that could create any character in radio."[25]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1952 I Found Joe Barton [26]
1954 His Majesty O'Keefe Inifel
1954 Return to Treasure Island Minor Role Uncredited
1954 King of the Coral Sea Yusep
1954 Long John Silver Capt. Mendoza, 'El Toro'
1957 The Shiralee Slipery, Truck Driver (final film role)

Theatre credits

References

  1. ^ "CHILD TALENT". The Sun. No. 9001. New South Wales, Australia. 10 November 1938. p. 27 (LATE FINAL EXTRA). Retrieved 13 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "YOUTH SALUTES THE BRAVE". The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers' Advocate. No. 4587. New South Wales, Australia. 6 August 1941. p. 12. Retrieved 13 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "A PIONEER'S WIFE". The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers' Advocate. No. 4605. New South Wales, Australia. 10 December 1941. p. 12. Retrieved 13 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "THE AUSTRALIA". Barrier Miner. Vol. LV, no. 16, 598. New South Wales, Australia. 11 December 1942. p. 2. Retrieved 13 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "CONSTABLES DISPERSE THEATRE PICKETS". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. V, no. 29. New South Wales, Australia. 28 May 1944. p. 8. Retrieved 13 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ Lloyd Berrell war record
  7. ^ "Australian Play Is Fine Theatre". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 34, 582. New South Wales, Australia. 22 October 1948. p. 5. Retrieved 13 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "Radio actor quizzed on income tax return". The Sun. No. 12, 119. New South Wales, Australia. 29 November 1948. p. 2 (LATE FINAL EXTRA). Retrieved 13 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ Finch, Fry and Factories: A Brief History of Mercury Theatre Vagg, Stephen. Australasian Drama Studies; St. Lucia Iss. 50, (Apr 2007): 18-0_3.
  10. ^ "Macquarie Awards For 1953". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 1 March 1954. p. 14. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  11. ^ Philp, Peter. Drama in Silent Rooms: A History of Radio Drama in Australia from 1920s to 1970s. Eureka Media Communications. pp. 477–478.
  12. ^ Philp p 490
  13. ^ "Leave it to Shakespeare Mr Hunt". Tribune. No. 997. New South Wales, Australia. 8 May 1957. p. 8. Retrieved 13 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "Husband Spanked Wife and Lost Case for Divorce". The Canberra Times. National Library of Australia. 19 May 1949. p. 2. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  15. ^ "Radio Man To Pay Alimony". Truth. No. 3073. New South Wales, Australia. 12 December 1948. p. 30. Retrieved 13 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "DRAMAS OF THE COURTS". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. X, no. 27. New South Wales, Australia. 22 May 1949. p. 37. Retrieved 13 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ^ "BATTLING BERRELLS IN DIVORCE DRAMA". Truth. No. 3096. New South Wales, Australia. 22 May 1949. p. 14. Retrieved 13 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "THE PASHA FROZE OUT HIS WIFE". Truth. No. 3189. New South Wales, Australia. 11 March 1951. p. 35. Retrieved 13 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "Husband, Wife Are Radio Team". The Newcastle Sun. No. 11, 329. New South Wales, Australia. 1 November 1954. p. 13. Retrieved 13 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ^ Philp p 490
  21. ^ Richard Lane, The Golden Age of Radio Drama, Melbourne University Press 1994 p 214
  22. ^ Obituary at Sydney Morning Herald 1958 accessed 16 July 2013
  23. ^ "Stage Star Lloyd Berrell Dies at Sea". The Age. 17 January 1958. p. 1.
  24. ^ "Widow of Actor". Sydney Morning Herald. 31 January 1958. p. 6.
  25. ^ Philp p 491
  26. ^ "Australian T.V.Film". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 9 October 1952. p. 7 Section: Women's section. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
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