Clement Leslie Foxcroft (19 November 1918 – 24 June 2004) professionally known as Les Foxcroft and credited also as Lester Foxcroft was an Australian character actor with a career spanning nearly 60 years, starting in 1941., working in all major facets of the industry from stage, radio, television and film.
Early life Foxcroft was born in Fitzroy, Victoria on 19 November 1918, and spent his childhood in Geelong during the Depression. His mother died when he was young, and his father (a South African war veteran who was wounded at Gallipoli), remarried. His stepmother showed him little affection.
Foxcroft worked in a factory after leaving home at age 15. He also learnt to box as a youth. He developed a passion for performing after frequenting the cinema to watch films. He joined Melbourne New Theatre as a teenager, developing his craft in shows such as Showdown in 1941. He was later stationed with the air force in New Guinea, during the Second World War.
Career After the war, Foxcroft moved to Sydney, joined Actors Equity in 1947 and spent ten years working in radio and performing theatre in the clubs. He made his television debut with the Captain Fortune Show in 1959 and continued in television in Brisbane before returning to Sydney in 1967. With Sydney's New Theatre, Foxcroft was in a 1970 workshop Cassandra Singing, followed by the lead in Brecht’s Mr Puntila and His Man Matti. He then made a video appearance in The Freedom of the City in 1975.
Foxcroft appeared in a large number of television productions. He had a recurring role in series Number 96, as Sir William Mainwaring for three months from 1972 to 1977. He had numerous guest roles in series such as You Can’t See ‘Round Corners, Contrabandits, Riptide, Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, The Rovers, The Link Men, Matlock Police, Spyforce, Boney, Homicide, Rush, Glenview High, Young Ramsay, The Young Doctors, Kingswood Country, Sons and Daughters, Carson's Law, Return to Eden, Mother and Son, G.P., E Street, Water Rats and A Country Practice. He also appeared in several miniseries, including The Battlers, The Timeless Land, The Dismissal and Captain James Cook. He had a recurring role in Luke's Kingdom in 1976.
Foxcroft expanded into film in 1972 with black comedy Private Collection, opposite Michael Caton and Pamela Stephenson. His subsequent film credits included biopic Caddie and family film The Fourth Wish (both in 1976), as well as Weekend of Shadows, Newsfront and Little Boy Lost (all 1978). In the 1980s he starred in the thrillers Lady Stay Dead and Hoodwink (both 1981), biopic about the famed racehorse Phar Lap (1983), comedy-drama Bliss opposite Barry Otto, and an adventure film based on the explorer duo Burke & Wills with Jack Thompson (both in 1985). He also appeared in romantic drama The Crossing (1990) alongside Russell Crowe, and romcom The Girl Who Came Late (1992) with Miranda Otto. He played a main role as Mickey in 1994 film The Roly Poly Man, alongside Paul Chubb. He also appeared in many television films and several short films.
Foxcroft kept working until his retirement in his early 80s. His final film role was in 1999 dance film Kick, alongside Paul Mercurio, Martin Henderson and Radha Mitchell. The same year, he appeared in an episode of medical drama All Saints.
Personal life and death Foxcroft was married, but after his marriage ended, he returned to Sydney in 1967. Foxcroft had two daughters, Susan Foxcroft and Brenda Chow, and three grandchildren. He died in July 2004, at the age of 85.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1972 Private Collection The Citizen 1973 I Need More Staff Short film 1976 Caddie Mr Norris 1976 The Fourth Wish Pat 1976 Rate of Exchange Short film 1977 Listen to the Lion Night Shelter Man 1977 Can We Have an Assurance Short film 1978 Weekend of Shadows Badger 1978 Newsfront Redex Trial Driver 1978 Little Boy Lost Grumps 1979 Who'd Be A Shop Steward? Short film 1980 Touch and Go Husband 1980 Maybe This Time MP 2 1981 Lady Stay Dead Billy Shepherd 1981 Hoodwink Baldy 1982 The Best of Friends Mr Malone 1982 Brothers Jim Williams 1983 The Winds of Jarrah Woody Gunner 1983 Phar Lap Brazier Man 1985 Bliss Paul Bees 1985 Burke & Wills Harry 1986 Beautiful Lies: A Film About Peter Carey Herbert Badgery (narrator) Docudrama film 1987 That Very Troublesome Woman: The Dramatic Search for Mary MacKillop Ship's Purser Video 1988 Vernon Rod Short film 1990 The Crossing Pop 1992 The Girl Who Came Late (aka Daydream Believer) Perce 1993 Bedevil Old Mickey 1994 The Roly Poly Man Mickey 1994 Eternity Documentary film 1994 Kid in a Bin Tramp Short film 1995 Love Amongst the Muffins Ernie Short film 1998 Jimmy Coach Short film 1999 Kick Old Groundsman
Television Year Title Role Notes 1959 Captain Fortune Show Roy Kinghorn, a clown 1967 My Name's McGooley, What's Yours? 1 episode 1967 You Can't See 'Round Corners Customer 1 episode 1968 The Battlers Man in second hotel bar 1968 Contrabandits Sect Member / Foreman 2 episodes 1969 Riptide Tom Willett 1 episode 1969; 1970 Skippy the Bush Kangaroo Cliff / Strapper 2 episodes 1969; 1970 The Rovers Neighbour / Smayell 2 episodes 1970 The Link Men Wilson 1 episode 1971 The Comedy Game Bus Driver 2 1 episode 1971–1976 Matlock Police Noel Buchanan / Harry Yates / Bob Palmer 6 episodes 1972 Spyforce Bartender 1 episode 1972 Catwalk 1st Reporter 1 episode 1972 Birds in the Bush Jim 1 episode 1972 Boney Yorky 1 episode 1972 Snake Gully with Dad and Dave Father Colquhoun 1 episode 1973 And Millions Will Die Henshaw TV movie 1974 Homicide George Clayton 1 episode 1975 Ben Hall Saucepan Billy Miniseries, 2 episodes 1975 Armchair Cinema Mr Fenner 1 episode 1976 Rush Arnie Bird 1 episode 1976 Luke's Kingdom Morgan Miniseries, 13 episodes 1976 The Outsiders Brian 1 episode 1976–1977 Number 96 Sir William Mainwaring 26 episodes 1977 Born to Run (aka Harness Fever) Loafer TV movie 1977 Straight Enough TV movie 1977 Say You Want Me Scientist TV movie 1978; 1979 Glenview High Mr Moore / Dan Moore 2 episodes 1978; 1980 Young Ramsay Stan Hawkins / Ted Brent 2 episodes 1979 Golden Soak Jacko Miniseries, 3 episodes 1979 The Young Doctors Les Mitchell 1 episode 1979 Doctor Down Under Mr Gilhooley 1 episode 1980 The Timeless Land Sailor Miniseries, 1 episode 1981 Kingswood Country Clarrie 1 episode 1981 A Step in the Right Direction TV movie 1982 Spring & Fall Jack Anthology series, 1 episode 1983 The Dismissal James Cope – The First Speaker Miniseries, 1 episode 1983 Sons and Daughters Warren Hansen 7 episodes 1984 Runaway Island 2 episodes 1984 Carson's Law Alf Buxton 1 episode 1986 Return to Eden Gus Bernard 2 episodes 1986 Winners Pop Anthology series, 1 episode 1986 The Last Frontier Ralph TV movie 1987 Great Expectations: The Untold Story Gaoler TV movie 1987 Flight into Hell TV movie 1987–1988 Captain James Cook Old Salt Miniseries, 2 episodes 1988 Australians The Doctor Anthology series, episode 8: "Jack Davey" 1988 The Last Resort 1990 Embassy Harry 1 episode 1991 The Last Crop Grandpa TV movie 1992 Mother and Son Old Man 1 episode 1991; 1992 G.P. Ted Knowles 3 episodes 1992 E Street Mr. Tracey 1 episode 1982–1993 A Country Practice Neville Brown / Reg Barnes / Alfred 8 episodes 1996 Water Rats Old Man 1 episode 1997 Twisted Tales Neighbour 1 episode 1998 13 Gantry Row Barber TV movie 1999 All Saints Bill Lucas 1 episode
Theatre Year Title Role Notes 1941 Showdown New Theatre, Melbourne 1946 Coming Our Way?: White Justice / Barbarous Seville / Other sketches New Theatre, Melbourne 1969 Reedy River New Theatre, Sydney 1970 Cassandra Singing (workshop) New Theatre, Sydney 1970 Mr Puntila and His Man Matti Lead role New Theatre, Sydney 1972 Listen Closely Independent Theatre, Sydney 1974 Harvey Marian Street Theatre, Sydney 1975 The Freedom of the City New Theatre, Sydney 1975 The Floating World Nimrod, Sydney 1976 Comedians Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 1983 The Sentimental Bloke Q Theatre, Penrith 1983 West Side Story DOC Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, Princess Theatre, Melbourne 1986 King of Country Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC 1991 On Top of the World Q Theatre, Penrith 1992 Much Ado About Nothing Sydney Opera House with STC 1994 The Crucible Francis Nurse Monash University, Melbourne, Riverside Theatres Parramatta, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth with STC
Radio Year Title Role Notes 1979 The Love System of Madame Amilah Narrator ABC Radio Sydney
References
External links
Biographical cuttings on Les Foxcroft, actor, containing one or more cuttings from newspapers or journals at the National Library of Australia