Walter Pym (7 April 1905 – 22 January 1980) was an Australian actor and producer best known for his extensive experience in radio, during the 1940s and 1950s.

Early life Pym was born on 7 April 1905, in the Sydney suburb of Petersham.

Career In 1938, Pym became the studio and production manager at Melbourne radio station 3UZ. He acted in, as well as produced and directed numerous radio serials and plays during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s for Australasian Radio Productions, Artransa, Crawford Productions and Grace Gibson Productions.

He also featured in film and television, making his screen debut in 1943 propaganda short film South West Pacific as Bill, the Sailor. His other film credits include war film The Rats of Tobruk (1944), sport comedy The Great Macarthy (1975) with John Jarratt, thriller End Play (1976) alongside John Waters and George Mallaby, John Duigan award-winning film Mouth to Mouth (1978), Ozploitation horror films Patrick (1978) and Thirst (1979), and adventure film The Earthling (1980) opposite child actor Ricky Schroder.

He also appeared in the TV plays Miss Mabel (1958), The Seagull (1959) and The Tempest (1963).

Pym had a recurring role in television soap opera The Box (1974) as Sid Merrymore for 27 episodes, and a main role in soap opera The Unisexers (1975) as Angus Melody for all 16 episodes. He also featured in numerous miniseries, including period drama Stormy Petrel (1960) about William Bligh, country period drama Serpent in the Rainbow (1973), colonial series Luke's Kingdom (1976), historical drama Against the Wind (1978) and Ride on Stranger (1979).

Additionally, he made numerous guest appearances in series such as Whiplash, Jonah, Consider Your Verdict, Pukemanu, Ryan, Homicide, Matlock Police, Prisoner, Cop Shop and Young Ramsay.

His final screen appearance was in television short The Cliffhanger in 1981.

Personal life and death Pym was married to Ivy Ray from 1928 until 1963, and had one son. He died in Prahran, Melbourne, on 22 January 1980, aged 74.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1943 South West Pacific Bill, the Sailor Short film 1944 The Rats of Tobruk 1975 The Great Macarthy 1976 End Play Stanley Lipton 1978 Mouth to Mouth Fred 1978 Patrick Captain Fraser 1979 Thirst Ditcher 1980 The Earthling Uncle

Television Year Title Role Notes 1958 Miss Mabel The Lawyer TV play 1959 The Seagull Ilya TV play 1960 Stormy Petrel Lt. General Keppel Miniseries, 1 episode 1961 Whiplash Oscar Wenders / Mr Poole 3 episodes 1962 Jonah Wilkins 1 episode 1963 The Tempest Sebastian TV play 1964 Consider Your Verdict Julius Armstrong 1 episode 1971 Pukemanu 1 episode 1973 Serpent in the Rainbow Miniseries 1974 Ryan Professor Melton 1 episode 1974 Homicide Charlie McCoy / Bill Byrne 1 episode 1974 The Box Sid Merrymore 27 episodes 1974–1976 Matlock Police Stumpy Farrell / Scrounger / Elliot Barker 3 episodes 1975 The Unisexers Angus Melody 16 episodes 1976 Luke's Kingdom Dinner Guest Miniseries, 1 episode 1978 Against the Wind Judge Advocate Miniseries, 1 episode 1979 Prisoner Angus 1 episode 1979 Ride on Stranger Bishop Steele Miniseries, 1 episode 1977–1980 Cop Shop Laurie Whitford / Charles White / Grandpa Mervyn 5 episodes 1980 Young Ramsay Bloke in Pub 1 episode 1981 The Cliffhanger Old Man Short TV movie

Theatre

As actor Year Title Role Notes 1929 It Pays to Advertise Ellcry Clarke Theatre Royal Sydney with Nellie Bramley Company 1946 The Corn is Green Minerva Theatre, Sydney with Whitehall Productions 1947 Youth at the Helm Minerva Theatre, Sydney with Whitehall Productions 1952–1953 The White Sheep of the Family Princess Theatre, Melbourne, Theatre Royal, Adelaide, Tivoli Theatre, Sydney 1952 Dick Whittington and His Cat Princess Theatre, Melbourne 1960 Charley's Aunt Elizabethan Theatre, Sydney with AETT 1962 The Ham Funeral Palace Theatre, Sydney with AETT 1962–1963 The Sound of Music Baron Eberfeld Tivoli Theatre, Sydney, Elizabethan Theatre, Sydney with AETT 1964 King Henry V Charles VI Tent Theatre, Adelaide, Tent Theatre, Sydney with AETT 1964 Carousel Star Keeper / Dr. Seldon Princess Theatre, Melbourne, Tivoli Theatre, Sydney, Her Majesty’s Theatre, Brisbane with AETT 1966 The Fantasticks The Actor Downstage Theatre, Wellington 1967 The Spots of the Leopard Professor Carmody Downstage Theatre, Wellington 1967 The School for Wives Henriques Downstage Theatre, Wellington 1971 As You Like It Corin Mercury Theatre, Auckland 1971 The Country Wife Sir Jasper Fidget Mercury Theatre, Auckland 1971 Serjeant Musgrave's Dance Mayor Mercury Theatre, Auckland 1971 Canterbury Tales Miller Mercury Theatre, Auckland 1972 Charley’s Aunt Stephen Spettigue Mercury Theatre, Auckland 1972 Macrune's Guevara The Questioner Mercury Theatre, Auckland 1972 A Man for All Seasons Cardinal Wolsey Mercury Theatre, Auckland 1972 Conduct Unbecoming The Doctor Mercury Theatre, Auckland 1972 Kean Solomon His Majesty's Theatre, Auckland with Auckland Theatre Trust & Mercury Theatre 1972 The Skin of Our Teeth Judge / 3rd Convener / Mr Tremayne Mercury Theatre, Auckland 1972 Love's Labour's Lost Constable Dull Mercury Theatre, Auckland 1972 Guys and Dolls Arvide Abernathy Mercury Theatre, Auckland 1978 Jumpers Crouch Nimrod Theatre, Sydney

As director Year Title Role Notes 1949 Ah, Wilderness! Director University of Melbourne with Tin Alley Players 1951 Desert Highway Director University of Melbourne, National Theatre, Melbourne, Hobart with Tin Alley Players 1952 Montserrat Director University of Melbourne with Tin Alley Players 1962–1963 The Sound of Music Producer Tivoli Theatre, Sydney, Elizabethan Theatre, Sydney with AETT 1968 The Corn is Green Director Repertory Theatre, Christchurch with Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society 1969 Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be Director Christchurch, New Zealand with Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society 1969 Barefoot in the Park Director Christchurch with Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society 1970 Arms and the Man Director Christchurch with Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society 1970 The Facts of Life Director Christchurch with Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society

Radio

As actor Year Title Role Notes 1940s Drama Time Actor AWA radio series on 2CH 1941 Imperial Leader Lord Salisbury Legionnaire radio series on 2UE & 3UZ 1942 The Heroic Past Actor Radio series on 2UE 1943 The Better Road ABC Radio Sydney radio play 1944–1947 Nyal Radio Playhouse Actor Grace Gibson Productions radio series on 2CH 1947 Opera for the People Actor Crawford Productions radio series 1948 Burtons of Banner Street Actor Radio series on 3AW 1950s–1960s Pinnochio Actor Australasian Radio Productions radio series 1950s–1960s The Renegade Actor Australasian Radio Productions radio series 1951 Ned Kelly Living Radio Repertory radio play 1954–1956 Assignment in Athens Actor Australasian Radio Productions radio series, episodes 2 & 4 1956 Unknown Quantity Actor Grace Gibson Productions radio series, episode 1 1967 Who Treads Alone Mr Dennis Radio Broadcast, New Zealand radio play with YC Radio Network 1967 Measure for Measure Escalus NZBC Studios, Wellington radio play 1979 London Assurance Max Harkaway ABC Radio Melbourne radio play 1979 Cymbeline Belarius ABC Radio Melbourne radio play Lady from Lisbon Actor

As director / producer Year Title Role Notes 1940s Musical Comedy Theatre Contributor Artransa radio series 1940s–1950s Caltex Theatre Producer Radio series 1944 The Army Hour Producer Radio series 1950s Enchanted Island Director Australasian Radio Productions radio series on 3KZ 1950s You Are There Producer Artransa radio series on Macquarie Network 1950s Strange Stories of the Seas Producer Artransa radio series on 3DB 1950s–1960s Eight Hour Alibi Director Australasian Radio Productions radio series 1950s–1960s Legend Director Australasian Radio Productions radio series 1950s–1960s Question Mark Producer Australasian Radio Productions radio series 1950s–1960s The Renegade Producer Australasian Radio Productions radio series 1950s–1960s Room 25 Director Australasian Radio Productions radio series 1950s–1960s Where Did it Come From Producer Australasian Radio Productions radio series 1951– Truth is Stranger Director Artransa radio series 1954 Tarzan, King of the Apes Producer Radio series on 2GB 1954–1958 The Air Adventures of Hop Harrigan Producer Artransa radio series on Macquarie Network Late 1950s The Passionate Years Producer Fidelity Radio radio series on 2UW 1963 The Letter from Spain Director EMI radio series

References

External links Walter Pym at National Film and Sound Archive