Obituary: Ron Haddrick

Actor Ron Haddrick, star of Australian stage, film and television, has died at the age of 90.

Born in Adelaide in 1929, his career began at the Tivoli Theatre in Adelaide in the 1940s. He was then successful in joining the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre (now the Royal Shakespeare Company) and worked overseas with names like Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh, John Gielgud, Peggy Ashcroft and Michael Redgrave.

He returned to Australia in 1959 and went on to work for nearly every major theatre company. He also starred in radio dramas, movies and television. One of his first TV roles was as Adam Suisse in the children’s science-fiction series The Stranger — which only recently has been released on ABC iView, more than 50 years since it was last broadcast.

Other television credits included Divorce Court, Contrabandits, The Godfathers, Matlock Police, Homicide, The Lost Islands, A Country Practice, Mother And Son, Home And Away, Water Rats, All Saints, Cloudstreet and Rake.

In 2012 he received the Equity Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2013 he was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia medal.

Source: Medium, IMDB, It’s An Honour, Sydney Theatre Company

Permanent link to this article: https://televisionau.com/2020/02/obituary-ron-haddrick.html

2 comments

    • Caroline B. on 14 February 2020 at 11:27 AM
    • Reply

    sad to hear of Ron Haddrick but he lived to a good age. I remember back in the sixties going down to 2GB Sydney studios one lunch hour to watch a radio serial being made – as was my intention to pursue a radio career. In the lift I met Ron Haddrick, Eric Baume and another person I forget her name. Baume ignored me but Ron and the actress were friendly but advised against career as radio programs being replaced by the newly introduced television and these folk soon out of work. Ron did a lot of radio serial parts as well as other achievements. Caroline B.

  1. I am saddened to learn of Mr. Haddrick’s passing, as late as I am in coming to it. I met him last June/July. He was at hospital, in the bed next to my father. He was very frail. He seemed to be the gentlest of souls, ready to engage in light conversation with me. I shared a box of chocolates with him and for that alone he said I was a “gentleman and a scholar.” I remember one day, a nurse asked him what he had done for a living. He simply answered without any elaboration: “I worked in theatre and film.” Humility was at his heart. I am grateful to have met him, even though it was not under the best of circumstances given his health at the time. May he rest in peace. I will always remember all the more with the greatest of affection.

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