Max Osbiston

Maxwell Hamilton Osbiston (7 August 1914 – 12 March 1981) was an Australian actor, active in radio, stage, film and television.

Max Osbiston
Born
Maxwell Hamilton Osbiston

7 August 1914
Sydney, Australia
Died12 March 1981 (aged 66)
EducationYanco Agricultural High School, North Sydney Boys High School
OccupationActor
FamilyAlan Brigstocke Osbiston (cousin)

Biography

Osbiston was born in Sydney, the son of Frank[1] and Iolanthe Osbiston (née Margoliouth) of Cremorne, New South Wales.

He spent three years at the Agricultural School at Yanco, followed by North Sydney High School. He left school during the Great Depression, and with difficulty found employment delivering bread, and spent some time panning for gold in the Central West. On his return to Sydney he found employment as a traveler for a firm selling dentists' supplies, and remained in this business for four years.[2]

He had been attracted to the stage from schooldays, and in 1935 joined Doris Fitton's Independent Theatre, appearing in The Late Christopher Bean (Emlyn Williams) in October 1935, The Three Sisters (Anton Chekhov) in September 1936, Hassan (James Elroy Flecker) in March 1937, and Boy Meets Girl (Samuel and Bella Spewack) in November 1937. During much of this time he was also acting in radio plays for the Australian Broadcasting Commission, and in January 1938 he was signed to a one-year contract.[2] His most enduring, though minor, role was in Blue Hills as Dr Peter Frobisher. He was one of three (with Patricia Crocker and Queenie Ashton) who took part in both the first and last episodes (28 February 1949 and 30 September 1976).[3]

His professional stage career started with a small part in Of Mice and Men at the Minerva, which did not go unnoticed, and followed with French Without Tears at the same theatre, for which he received the highest accolades. Both plays were produced by Harvey Adams.[4]

Osbiston served with the RAAF during WWII, but details are hard to find, though he may have attained the rank of flight lieutenant.[5]

Osbiston married Beulah "Babs" Mayhew of Ermington, New South Wales sometime around early 1939. They had appeared together as a couple in the radio series As Ye Sow,[6] and continued to work on the same shows wherever possible, Mrs Osbiston continuing to appear as "Babs Mayhew".

Max Osbiston was a cousin of film editor Alan Brigstocke Osbiston (7 May 1914 – 1971) — see chart below.

Selected appearances

Radio

Osbiston had roles in literally hundreds of radio dramas, including:

Film

Television

Family

Three children of Samuel Osbiston of Ryburgh, Norfolk, England found their way to Australia. Several descendants were prominent in banking, mining and the arts in Sydney:

  • Frank Frederic Osbiston (c. 1843 – 23 April 1902) mine manager; worked in America,[12] died at Coolgardie, Western Australia.[13]
  • Robert Osbiston of Campbelltown (c. 1846 – 16 November 1898) economist,[14] secretary of the Bankers Institute, married Sarah Elizabeth Ann "Annie" Finch on 23 December 1871 in Chelsea, London.
  • (Robert) Newton Osbiston (c. 1872 – 24 February 1902) married Susan Jane "Susie" Allison on 7 February 1900. She married again, to Arthur Smith of Cheviot Hills Station, Drake, New South Wales
  • Frances Allison Osbiston ( – ) married Alexander Wyatt Martin on 19 February 1927
  • Ann Osbiston (1874–1964)
  • Francis "Frank" Osbiston (16 September 1876 – 16 May 1953). He married Iolanthe Yolande Lindsay Margoliouth of New Zealand on 23 December 1911, lived at Cremorne.
  • Francis Robert "Bob" Osbiston (25 January 1913 – ) served as war correspondent for the Sydney Truth and Daily Mirror. He married Winifred Joan Collins, daughter of painter and broadcaster Albert Collins, on 30 April 1938 and had two children. They divorced in 1946.[15] She married again, to Neville Ballard Lewis on 16 February 1948.
  • Maxwell Hamilton Osbiston (7 August 1914 – 12 March 1981) married Beulah "Babs" Mayhew (died 2004) early in 1939.
  • daughter (18 July 1944 – )
  • Karen Osbiston (c. 1946 – )
  • Judith Lindsay Osbiston (5 September 1917 – ) married John Rorke, lived in Arcadia, New South Wales.
  • David John Osbiston (5 October 1918 – 18 September 1996)
  • Michael Osbiston ( – ) youngest son of Frank,[1] was another actor.[16] (Check SMH 26 May 1962 p.68)
  • Charles Alan Osbiston (c. 1881–c. 1957) married Emily Florence Brigstocke on 6 July 1912
  • William Osbiston (c. July 1883 – 16 November 1939) served with 1st AIF

References
  1. "Family Notices". The Sydney Morning Herald. New South Wales, Australia. 18 May 1953. p. 12. Retrieved 15 January 2020 – via Trove.
  2. "Dramatic Player on Contract". The Daily Examiner (Sydney). New South Wales, Australia. 21 January 1938. p. 9. Retrieved 14 January 2020 – via Trove.
  3. Crocker, Patti (1989). Radio Days. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0731800982.
  4. "Minerva Show Success". The Daily News (Sydney). New South Wales, Australia. 24 May 1940. p. 5. Retrieved 16 January 2020 – via Trove.
  5. "George Hart's Radio Round- up". The Sun (Sydney). New South Wales, Australia. 21 May 1954. p. 15. Retrieved 16 January 2020 – via Trove.
  6. "Radio Players' Romance". The Sydney Morning Herald. New South Wales, Australia. 10 November 1938. p. 31. Retrieved 16 January 2020 – via Trove.
  7. "Party after Film Pre-release". The Sun (Sydney). New South Wales, Australia. 2 April 1941. p. 9. Retrieved 14 January 2020 – via Trove.
  8. "Truth About Movies". Truth. New South Wales, Australia. 19 July 1953. p. 36. Retrieved 14 January 2020 – via Trove.
  9. "A team of Sundowners". The Australian Women's Weekly. Australia. 14 October 1959. p. 5. Retrieved 14 January 2020 – via Trove.
  10. "TV shows: Around the World in Eighty Days". Behind the Voice Actors. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  11. Albert Moran (1993). Moran's Guide to Australian TV Series. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 0642184623.
  12. "Burbank's Birthday Gift". Coolgardie Miner. Western Australia. 31 January 1902. p. 3. Retrieved 15 January 2020 – via Trove.
  13. "Death of Mr Frank Osbiston". Coolgardie Miner. Western Australia. 24 April 1902. p. 2. Retrieved 16 January 2020 – via Trove.
  14. "Bank of England Reserves and Australian Finance". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). New South Wales, Australia. 15 June 1894. p. 6. Retrieved 16 January 2020 – via Trove.
  15. "War Correspondent Sent Dismal Report to His Wife". Truth. New South Wales, Australia. 22 September 1946. p. 24. Retrieved 15 January 2020 – via Trove.
  16. "Comedy Beyond Reach of Mosman Actors". The Sydney Morning Herald. New South Wales, Australia. 12 November 1951. p. 2. Retrieved 15 January 2020 – via Trove.
  17. "Family Notices". The Sydney Morning Herald. New South Wales, Australia. 19 April 1923. p. 8. Retrieved 15 January 2020 – via Trove.
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