Leonard George Thiele[1]AO (26 September 1922 – 14 May 1994), professionally Leonard Teale, was a well-known Australian actor of radio, television and film and radio announcer, presenter and narrator known for his resonant baritone voice. He is best remembered for his role in the long-running Australian police procedural drama Homicide as David "Mac" MacKay.[2]
Leonard George Thiele was born in Brisbane, Queensland, to Maude Henrietta Thiele, née Rasmussen, and Herman Albert Thiele, a chemist. He attended Milton State Primary School and Brisbane Grammar School (1934–38) on a scholarship. However, the family's financial situation during the Great Depression forced Leonard to leave school and enter the workforce. He worked as a junior clerk for Brisbane City Council's Electricity Supply Department. In his spare time, he took up amateur drama, with local repertory groups. From the age of 17, he augmented these activities with a role as a part-time radio announcer, after successfully auditioning at the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) in Brisbane.
Thiele's career as a professional actor commenced in the late 1940s and early 1950s, in radio serials; his roles included that of Superman/Clark Kent and Tarzan. He also made regular appearances in radio variety programs such as the Bonnington's Bunkhouse Show, and voiceovers in countless commercials.
He appeared in several feature films, including Smiley, Smiley Gets A Gun, and Bungala Boys.
In the early 1950s, with Raymond Hanson, Roland Robinson and others, Thiele helped form the short-lived Australian Cultural Defence Movement, aimed at protecting local arts and crafts production from the perceived inroads being made by imported content, particularly from the US. However, the movement faltered after becoming a target of anti-communist activists,[4] (His brother, Neville Thiele, was also targeted, for participating in left-wing theatre.[5])
TV presenter and actor
Thiele was a co-compère of the radio ABC Children's Session, as "Chris" from 1951 to 1954 (also playing the title role in its Muddle-Headed Wombat serial), his involvement possibly cut short by management for political reasons.[6] At this time he was still using the surname "Thiele" professionally.[7]
Major television roles included a regular comedic role in the Mobil-Limb Show, host roles in variety programs Singalong and Folkmoot, and acting roles in locally produced drama series including Whiplash, The Hungry Ones, Adventure Unlimited, and Consider Your Verdict. He is best remembered, however, for his long-running role[8] as Senior Detective (later Detective Sergeant) David "Mac" Mackay in Homicide from 1965 to 1973. Homicide was Australia's first-ever locally produced TV police drama. Teale won a Logie for best Australian actor in 1974. He also hosted a documentary about the series, The Homicide Story, in 1970. Other leading television roles included Captain Woolcott in Seven Little Australians (1973), and headmaster Charles Ogilvy in school-based soap opera Class of '74 (1974–75).
He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the 1992 Queen's New Years Honours List for his services to the performing arts and community.[9]
Personal life
Married three times, Leonard Teale had four children, Amanda, Juli, Jennifer and Melinda. He married his third wife, entertainer Liz Harris in 1968; Harris had appeared in three episodes of Homicide.
Leonard Teale died of a heart attack in 1994. A documentary, Homicide: 30 Years On, aired later that year which included reminiscences from former Homicide castmates and footage of an appearance made by himself and Homicide actors George Mallaby and Alwyn Kurts in 1992 presenting a Logie Award for Most Outstanding Series partially in character (with hilarious results).[10]
^Teale, Leonard George (1922-1994). Australian Dictionary of Biography.
^Lane, Richard (2000). The Golden Age of Australian Radio Drama Volume 2. National Film and Sound Archive. p. 124-127.
^"PACT Centre for Emerging Artists facing an uncertain future". Australian Arts Review. 25 August 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
^John, Peter. "Hanson, Raymond Charles (1913–1976)". Raymond Charles Hanson profile: Australian Dictionary of Biography. Adb.online.anu.edu.au. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
^"Connie Healy: Women in Radical Theatre in Brisbane" (PDF). Roughreds.com. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
^"Beyond Right and Left". Beyond Right and Left. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
^"8 September 1954 - Cabinet Sees Royal Visit Film". Mercury. Trove.nla.gov.au. 8 September 1954. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
^Originally Teale had been signed for 13 episodes, but went on to become the longest-serving series regular (357 episodes).
^"It's an Honour". Itsanhonour.gov.au. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
^"Homicide 30 years on". Youtube. 1994. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
^Harrison, Tony The Australian Film and Television Companion Simon & Schuster 1994; ISBN0-7318-0455-4
^"Leonard Teale: Famous Australian Poems". Finepoets.com. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
Interview with Leonard Teale at Classic Australian Television
May 07, 2023
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Leonard Teale news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Leonard George Thiele 1 AO 26 September 1922 14 May 1994 professionally Leonard Teale was a well known Australian actor of radio television and film and radio announcer presenter and narrator known for his resonant baritone voice He is best remembered for his role in the long running Australian police procedural drama Homicide as David Mac MacKay 2 Leonard TealeBornLeonard George Thiele 1922 09 26 26 September 1922Brisbane Queensland AustraliaDied14 May 1994 1994 05 14 aged 71 Sydney New South Wales AustraliaEducationBrisbane Grammar SchoolOccupationsActorradio announcerTV presentenarratorYears active1939 1986SpouseLiz Harris m 1968 wbr Children4As a professional actor he adopted Teale a homophone of his birth surname Thiele as a stage name Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life 1 2 Military service 1 3 Radio serials 2 PACT 2 1 Films 2 2 TV presenter and actor 2 3 Narrator 3 Honours 4 Personal life 5 Filmography 6 Discography 7 References 8 External linksBiography EditEarly life Edit Leonard George Thiele was born in Brisbane Queensland to Maude Henrietta Thiele nee Rasmussen and Herman Albert Thiele a chemist He attended Milton State Primary School and Brisbane Grammar School 1934 38 on a scholarship However the family s financial situation during the Great Depression forced Leonard to leave school and enter the workforce He worked as a junior clerk for Brisbane City Council s Electricity Supply Department In his spare time he took up amateur drama with local repertory groups From the age of 17 he augmented these activities with a role as a part time radio announcer after successfully auditioning at the Australian Broadcasting Commission ABC in Brisbane Military service Edit Following the outbreak of World War II Thiele joined the Militia and served as a signaller Interested in becoming a pilot he transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force RAAF on 10 October 1942 He graduated from flying school the following year and was commissioned as officer In 1944 Thiele was posted to the Mediterranean theatre where he served with No 458 Squadron RAAF a maritime patrol strike unit flying Vickers Wellingtons from bases at Foggia Italy and Gibraltar He was promoted to Flight Lieutenant in September 1945 and was discharged on 16 January 1946 after returning to Australia Radio serials Edit Thiele s career as a professional actor commenced in the late 1940s and early 1950s in radio serials his roles included that of Superman Clark Kent and Tarzan He also made regular appearances in radio variety programs such as the Bonnington s Bunkhouse Show and voiceovers in countless commercials PACT EditHis talent was nurtured and developed at the Producers Authors Composers and Talent PACT Centre which was founded in 1964 3 Films Edit He appeared in several feature films including Smiley Smiley Gets A Gun and Bungala Boys In the early 1950s with Raymond Hanson Roland Robinson and others Thiele helped form the short lived Australian Cultural Defence Movement aimed at protecting local arts and crafts production from the perceived inroads being made by imported content particularly from the US However the movement faltered after becoming a target of anti communist activists 4 His brother Neville Thiele was also targeted for participating in left wing theatre 5 TV presenter and actor Edit Thiele was a co compere of the radio ABC Children s Session as Chris from 1951 to 1954 also playing the title role in its Muddle Headed Wombat serial his involvement possibly cut short by management for political reasons 6 At this time he was still using the surname Thiele professionally 7 Major television roles included a regular comedic role in the Mobil Limb Show host roles in variety programs Singalong and Folkmoot and acting roles in locally produced drama series including Whiplash The Hungry Ones Adventure Unlimited and Consider Your Verdict He is best remembered however for his long running role 8 as Senior Detective later Detective Sergeant David Mac Mackay in Homicide from 1965 to 1973 Homicide was Australia s first ever locally produced TV police drama Teale won a Logie for best Australian actor in 1974 He also hosted a documentary about the series The Homicide Story in 1970 Other leading television roles included Captain Woolcott in Seven Little Australians 1973 and headmaster Charles Ogilvy in school based soap opera Class of 74 1974 75 Narrator Edit Teale narrated for ABC audio recordings including the Banjo Paterson poem The Man from Snowy River and a spoken word version of the Led Zeppelin song Stairway to Heaven on ABC TV s The Money or the Gun His reading of Dorothea Mackellar s poem My Country which included the lines I love a sunburnt country a land of sweeping plains was so widely played in Australia during the 1970s that it was also frequently parodied citation needed Honours EditHe was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia AO in the 1992 Queen s New Years Honours List for his services to the performing arts and community 9 Personal life EditMarried three times Leonard Teale had four children Amanda Juli Jennifer and Melinda He married his third wife entertainer Liz Harris in 1968 Harris had appeared in three episodes of Homicide Leonard Teale died of a heart attack in 1994 A documentary Homicide 30 Years On aired later that year which included reminiscences from former Homicide castmates and footage of an appearance made by himself and Homicide actors George Mallaby and Alwyn Kurts in 1992 presenting a Logie Award for Most Outstanding Series partially in character with hilarious results 10 Filmography EditYear Title Role Notes1949 Eureka Stockade1955 Call for Order1956 Smiley Ernie segment The Load of Wood 1958 Smiley Gets a Gun Mr Stevens1960 The Sundowners Shearer 21961 Telestory Himself narrator of the novel Sundowners1961 Bungala Boys Sam Taylor1961 In Writing TV movie1962 Lend Me Your Stable1981 Maybe This Time The Minister1983 The Body Corporate Sir Arthur Tustrain TV movie1984 Stanley 1st Detective 11 1985 Professor Poopsnagle s Steam Zeppelin Used to Was 4 episodes final appearance Discography EditLeonard Teale amp Andy Sundstrom Songs of the Sundowners LP CBS 1964 Leonard Teale amp Andy Sundstrom Travelling down the Castlereagh LP CBS 1965 Leonard Teale Leonard Teale s Australia CD Sony Australia 1994 Leonard Teale Famous Australian Poems 2011 12 References Edit Teale Leonard George 1922 1994 Australian Dictionary of Biography Lane Richard 2000 The Golden Age of Australian Radio Drama Volume 2 National Film and Sound Archive p 124 127 PACT Centre for Emerging Artists facing an uncertain future Australian Arts Review 25 August 2020 Retrieved 10 May 2022 John Peter Hanson Raymond Charles 1913 1976 Raymond Charles Hanson profile Australian Dictionary of Biography Adb online anu edu au Retrieved 13 March 2013 Connie Healy Women in Radical Theatre in Brisbane PDF Roughreds com Retrieved 13 March 2013 Beyond Right and Left Beyond Right and Left Retrieved 13 March 2013 8 September 1954 Cabinet Sees Royal Visit Film Mercury Trove nla gov au 8 September 1954 Retrieved 13 March 2013 Originally Teale had been signed for 13 episodes but went on to become the longest serving series regular 357 episodes It s an Honour Itsanhonour gov au Retrieved 13 March 2013 Homicide 30 years on Youtube 1994 Retrieved 24 April 2022 Harrison Tony The Australian Film and Television Companion Simon amp Schuster 1994 ISBN 0 7318 0455 4 Leonard Teale Famous Australian Poems Finepoets com Retrieved 13 March 2013 External links EditLeonard Teale at IMDb Photo of Leonard Teale in an article about Homicide at The Sydney Morning Herald Interview with Leonard Teale at Classic Australian Television Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leonard Teale amp oldid 1145985089, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
