Book review - "Bud" by Charles Tingwell

Immensely readable autobiography from one of Australia's most beloved actors - "beloved" is a word used to describe many old actors but in Tingwell's case the affection is genuine. Not only has he been around for a long time he seems like a really nice person, and over the last decade or so, since his wife died, he is known as one of those actors who will do almost ANY part. He does a bundle of short films for nothing, just to keep his hand in and to keep up with the young folks, and always is interested in what is new and happening. This is what presumably keeps him young. Tingwell's career falls into four rough stages: (1) An early Australian career from around 1945 to the 1950s, where he soon established himself as one of the leading male actors in the country; a very handsome man with an excellent voice he played the lead in only his second film and was probably the top leading man in Australian films at the time (even though they didn't make that many). A TV job got him a rare Australian role in a Hollywood film in The Desert Rats, after which he turned down a seven year contract. How would Tingwell have gone? Very well, I think - but the contract system was dying out at the time. He may have had a Michael Rennie-like career. (2) England from the 1950s to early 1970s. Tingwell was a TV hearthrob - but kind of lost his looks a little in the mid 1960s. I wondered what happened and this tells us - he put on weight to play an inspector in a Miss Marple film and could never get it off again! In the late 1960s and early 70s he became something of a stage name. (3) Back in Australia from the early 1970s where he worked on Homicide, then became a director of Tv and stage. I knew he did this but had no idea of how extensive his credits were. (4) After his wife's death, when he directed less but acted more and experienced something of an Indian summer, particuarly with roles in The Castle and Innocence. The nature of much of Tingwell's work - TV, guest shots, small roles - means his acting never received the kudos it probably should have. His warm skilled performance in The Castle was as responsible for that film's success as anyone's. The book is very engaging, with useful tips for actors. Tingwell seemed to get along with everyone very well as a young actor, but had his clashes as a director and since as an older actor.