Barry Creyton
Encyclopedia
Barry Creyton is an Australian actor and playwright.
Creyton began his professional career in radio and revue in Melbourne, in Australia and became well-known in Sydney starring in and writing popular comedy-melodramas at the Music Hall theatre-restaurant in Neutral Bay. He gained national prominence in 1964–65 as one of the original stars and writers of the topical comedy revue TV series The Mavis Bramston Show
. Creyton also spent time in the United Kingdom, where he appeared in British comedy television series including Doctor in the House
.
Following his return to Australia, he appeared in television series such as The Sullivans
and Carson's Law
. Stage work has included theatrical versions of Don's Party
, The Naked Vicar Show
. Creyton now works in the United States.
to co-star in the topical satire TV series The Mavis Bramston Show; he appeared weekly between 1964 and 1966, and also wrote sketch material and composed music, including the show's theme Togetherness. He also authored two successful plays for Sydney's Music Hall
theatre-restaurant—Lady Audley's Secret, in which he also starred, played for a year in Sydney and was produced on two subsequent occasions in Melbourne; How The West Was Lost, a satire on the TV western genre, also ran for a year in Sydney. During this period, he wrote a weekly newspaper column, composed music for the popular Phillip Street Revue
and The Downstairs Revue, and recorded two best-selling comedy LPs with Noeline Brown
, which are among the first comedy albums ever produced in Australia. He went on to star in his own TV series The Barry Creyton Show, and several dramatic plays for ABC Television.
at the Royal Court, Roger's Lost Stand at the Duke of York's, Ten Years Hard at the Mayfair, the musical Liz, several revues and a national tour of Abelard and Eloise. He also appeared in episodes of popular TV series, including Take Three Girls, Doctor In Charge
, The Expert and Kindly Leave The Curb. He played a leading role in the BBC's popular radio serial Waggoner's Walk, and was a frequent broadcaster for the BBC World Service
. He also wrote a farce for the stage, Follow That Husband, which was produced by Ray Cooney
.
. During the next ten years he worked in TV, the movies and the theatre. He starred Alan Ayckbourn's
Bedroom Farce, Season's Greetings and Absurd Person Singular, Michael Frayn's
Noises Off (directed by Michael Blakemore) and in Pack Of Lies, Side By Side By Sondheim
, The Owl And The Pussycat, Suddenly At Home, and in 1986 played twins in the comedy-thriller Corpse. He was a lead writer on the award winning Australian TV series Carson's Law
and contributed regular episodes to its long run, at the same time writing comedy material for the daytime variety showThe Mike Walsh Show
as well as appearing in some ninety guest spots on this popular TV show.
In 1987, he directed the musical Nunsense which broke box office records all over Australia, and employed two companies playing simultaneously. With the author's permission he revised the dialogue for Australian audiences, an exercise he repeated for Irish audiences in the Dublin production which he directed in June 1988.
During the Perth run of Corpse, a motor-cycle accident resulted in a badly broken leg. The ensuing period of hospitalisation allowed him to write a comedy for the stage, Double Act. He and Noeline Brown starred in the original production which opened in September 1987 to universal critical acclaim and broke all box office records for the Ensemble Theatre
. Since then, Double Act has been produced in more than twenty languages. The Paris production starred popular Spanish movie star Carmen Maura
and celebrated French star Jean-Pierre Cassel
. In Madrid, with Lola Herrera
, it ran for over a year. In Canada, starring George Segal
, it broke two box office records. The Berlin production, originating at the famous Komodie Theater has been playing somewhere in Germany with major stars for the last sixteen years. A highly successful national tour of England followed London’s West End production. In 1996, Garry McDonald
and his wife Diane Craig
starred in the Perth Theatre Company
production which toured regional Australia. The 1998 U.S production featured movie star Keir Dullea
and Tony Award winner Bonnie Franklin
. Most recently, Double Act was a success in the 2001 season in Rome and toured Italy in 2002. In 2002, a prestigious production won acclaim in Vienna. Double Act will be filmed in 2009.
In 1988, Creyton was honoured with the Norman Kessel Memorial Award for his contributions to Australian theatre as actor, playwright and director.
In January 1996, after a seven year absence, Barry returned to Australia to star in the Queensland State Theatre Company's production of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit
. Its success encouraged him to return to Sydney to direct and star in his own play Valentine's Day at Marian Street Theatre where it played to capacity. Valentine’s Day is currently playing in Germany (Valentinstag) and in Holland (Valentijnsdag). Australian revivals were produced in 2005 and 2007 and a revival of Double Act (the fifth in Australia) began a national tour in 2006. Two years later, he wrote, directed and starred in the bitter-sweet comedy Later Than Spring, also for Marian Street and to critical acclaim. In 2007 he again co-starred with Noeline Brown in the British play Glorious at the Ensemble, Sydney.
His novels, The Dogs of Pompeii and Nero Goes to Rome, co-authored with American writer Vaughan Edwards, are published by Random House
.
As actor-manager, Hoskins played in Sydney, Melbourne, New Zealand and America and his performances became legend in their time. He died in New Zealand in 1886 and his obituary stated "as a student and critical reader of Shakespeare, he had certainly no superiors in any part of the world". Of Welsh descent, Creyton's grandfather was born Thomas George Parry in New Zealand and was adopted at birth by Hoskins who later trained him as an actor. Wanting to succeed on his own merits, he changed his name for the stage to Paul Creyton. Creyton left New Zealand for Australia in 1897 and performed in Sydney and Melbourne before establishing his own repertory company in Queensland.
Creyton began his professional career in radio and revue in Melbourne, in Australia and became well-known in Sydney starring in and writing popular comedy-melodramas at the Music Hall theatre-restaurant in Neutral Bay. He gained national prominence in 1964–65 as one of the original stars and writers of the topical comedy revue TV series The Mavis Bramston Show
The Mavis Bramston Show
The Mavis Bramston Show was a popular and award-winning Australian TV satirical sketch comedy series of the mid-1960s.-Introduction:The tremendous impact that The Mavis Bramston Show had in Australia in the mid-1960s was heightened because of its unique place in the history of the Australian TV...
. Creyton also spent time in the United Kingdom, where he appeared in British comedy television series including Doctor in the House
Doctor in the House (TV series)
Doctor in the House is the syndicated title given, by the United States, to a British television comedy series , based on a set of books and a movie of the same name by Richard Gordon about the misadventures of a group of medical students — and their later misadventures as doctors.The first...
.
Following his return to Australia, he appeared in television series such as The Sullivans
The Sullivans
The Sullivans is an Australian drama television series produced by Crawford Productions which ran from 1976 until 1983. The series told the story of an average middle-classMelbourne family and the effect World War II had on their lives...
and Carson's Law
Carson's Law
Carson's Law is an Australian television series made by Crawford Productions for the Ten Network between 1983 and 1984. The series was a period piece set in the 1920s and starred Lorraine Bayly as progressive solicitor Jennifer Carson...
. Stage work has included theatrical versions of Don's Party
Don's Party
Don's Party is a 1971 play by David Williamson set during the 1969 Australian federal election. The film based on the play was entered into the 27th Berlin International Film Festival.-Plot:...
, The Naked Vicar Show
The Naked Vicar Show
The Naked Vicar Show was a satirical Australian radio, television series. The classic Australian sitcom Kingswood Country was spawned from sketches in the series....
. Creyton now works in the United States.
TV career
In 1964 Creyton was recruited by Carol RayeCarol Raye
Carol Raye is an Australian-based theatre and television actress and comedienne.Trained as a ballet dancer, Raye was discovered by choreographer Freddie Carpenter at age 16. She played lead roles in many musicals and television programs in the UK...
to co-star in the topical satire TV series The Mavis Bramston Show; he appeared weekly between 1964 and 1966, and also wrote sketch material and composed music, including the show's theme Togetherness. He also authored two successful plays for Sydney's Music Hall
The Music Hall (Sydney theatre)
The Music Hall was a popular theatre-restaurant located in Neutral Bay, Sydney, New South wales, which operated from 1961 to 1980.Melbourne impresario George Miller and his wife Lorna opened the venue in a converted cinema at 154 Military Rd, Neutral Bay, in 1961...
theatre-restaurant—Lady Audley's Secret, in which he also starred, played for a year in Sydney and was produced on two subsequent occasions in Melbourne; How The West Was Lost, a satire on the TV western genre, also ran for a year in Sydney. During this period, he wrote a weekly newspaper column, composed music for the popular Phillip Street Revue
Phillip Street Theatre
The Phillip Street Theatre was a popular and influential Sydney theatre and theatrical company of the 1950s and 1960s that became well known for its intimate satirical revue productions.-History:...
and The Downstairs Revue, and recorded two best-selling comedy LPs with Noeline Brown
Noeline Brown
Noeline Brown is an Australian actor and comedian. She has appeared in many films, television shows, plays and radio programs....
, which are among the first comedy albums ever produced in Australia. He went on to star in his own TV series The Barry Creyton Show, and several dramatic plays for ABC Television.
United Kingdom
Creyton moved to England for nine years, playing in comedy, dramatic roles and revue in the West End. He appeared in Don's Party directed by Michael BlakemoreMichael Blakemore
Michael Howell Blakemore OBE is an Australian actor, writer and theatre director. In 2000 he became the only individual to win Tony Awards for best Director of a Play and Musical in the same year for Copenhagen and Kiss Me, Kate....
at the Royal Court, Roger's Lost Stand at the Duke of York's, Ten Years Hard at the Mayfair, the musical Liz, several revues and a national tour of Abelard and Eloise. He also appeared in episodes of popular TV series, including Take Three Girls, Doctor In Charge
Doctor in the House (TV series)
Doctor in the House is the syndicated title given, by the United States, to a British television comedy series , based on a set of books and a movie of the same name by Richard Gordon about the misadventures of a group of medical students — and their later misadventures as doctors.The first...
, The Expert and Kindly Leave The Curb. He played a leading role in the BBC's popular radio serial Waggoner's Walk, and was a frequent broadcaster for the BBC World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
. He also wrote a farce for the stage, Follow That Husband, which was produced by Ray Cooney
Ray Cooney
Raymond George Alfred Cooney, OBE is an English playwright and actor. His biggest success, Run for Your Wife, lasted nine years in London's West End and is its longest-running comedy. He has had 17 of his plays performed there....
.
Return to Australia
In 1977, Creyton returned to Australia, where he starred in the stage production of the revue The Naked Vicar ShowThe Naked Vicar Show
The Naked Vicar Show was a satirical Australian radio, television series. The classic Australian sitcom Kingswood Country was spawned from sketches in the series....
. During the next ten years he worked in TV, the movies and the theatre. He starred Alan Ayckbourn's
Alan Ayckbourn
Sir Alan Ayckbourn CBE is a prolific English playwright. He has written and produced seventy-three full-length plays in Scarborough and London and was, between 1972 and 2009, the artistic director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, where all but four of his plays have received their...
Bedroom Farce, Season's Greetings and Absurd Person Singular, Michael Frayn's
Michael Frayn
Michael J. Frayn is an English playwright and novelist. He is best known as the author of the farce Noises Off and the dramas Copenhagen and Democracy...
Noises Off (directed by Michael Blakemore) and in Pack Of Lies, Side By Side By Sondheim
Side By Side By Sondheim
Side by Side by Sondheim is a musical revue featuring the songs of Broadway and film composer Stephen Sondheim. Its title is derived from the song "Side by Side by Side" from Company.-History:...
, The Owl And The Pussycat, Suddenly At Home, and in 1986 played twins in the comedy-thriller Corpse. He was a lead writer on the award winning Australian TV series Carson's Law
Carson's Law
Carson's Law is an Australian television series made by Crawford Productions for the Ten Network between 1983 and 1984. The series was a period piece set in the 1920s and starred Lorraine Bayly as progressive solicitor Jennifer Carson...
and contributed regular episodes to its long run, at the same time writing comedy material for the daytime variety showThe Mike Walsh Show
The Mike Walsh Show
The Mike Walsh Show is an Australian daytime television series. Hosted by Mike Walsh, the show ran from 1973 to 1984 for 90 minutes each weekday afternoon. The program was launched on the 0-10 Network and moved to the Nine Network in 1977...
as well as appearing in some ninety guest spots on this popular TV show.
In 1987, he directed the musical Nunsense which broke box office records all over Australia, and employed two companies playing simultaneously. With the author's permission he revised the dialogue for Australian audiences, an exercise he repeated for Irish audiences in the Dublin production which he directed in June 1988.
During the Perth run of Corpse, a motor-cycle accident resulted in a badly broken leg. The ensuing period of hospitalisation allowed him to write a comedy for the stage, Double Act. He and Noeline Brown starred in the original production which opened in September 1987 to universal critical acclaim and broke all box office records for the Ensemble Theatre
Ensemble Theatre
The Ensemble Theatre is an Australian theatre company, situated in Kirribilli, New South Wales. It is promoted as Australia's longest continuously running professional theatre group, established in 1958.- References :...
. Since then, Double Act has been produced in more than twenty languages. The Paris production starred popular Spanish movie star Carmen Maura
Carmen Maura
Carmen García Maura is a Spanish actress. In a career that has spanned six decades, Maura is best known for her collaborations with noted Spanish film director Pedro Almodóvar.-Early life:...
and celebrated French star Jean-Pierre Cassel
Jean-Pierre Cassel
Jean-Pierre Cassel was a French actor.-Life and career:Cassel was born Jean-Pierre Crochon in Paris, the son of Louise-Marguerite , an opera singer, and Georges Crochon, a doctor. Cassel was discovered by Gene Kelly as he tap danced on stage, and later cast in the 1957 film The Happy Road...
. In Madrid, with Lola Herrera
Lola Herrera
Dolores "Lola" Herrera Arranz is an awarded Spanish actress.- Biography :She was born in the Barrio de Las Delicias, Valladolid from Valladolid as Dolores Herrera Arranz...
, it ran for over a year. In Canada, starring George Segal
George Segal
George Segal is an American film, stage and television actor.-Early life:George Segal, Jr. was born in 1934 Great Neck, Long Island, New York, the son of Fannie Blanche and George Segal, Sr. He was educated at George School, a private Quaker preparatory boarding school near Newtown, Bucks County,...
, it broke two box office records. The Berlin production, originating at the famous Komodie Theater has been playing somewhere in Germany with major stars for the last sixteen years. A highly successful national tour of England followed London’s West End production. In 1996, Garry McDonald
Garry McDonald
Garry George McDonald, AO is an Australian stage and screen actor.-Early life and career:McDonald was born in Sydney and was educated at Cranbrook School and National Institute of Dramatic Art....
and his wife Diane Craig
Diane Craig
Diane Mary Craig is an actress born in County Down, Northern Ireland but who is best known for her performances on Australian television....
starred in the Perth Theatre Company
Perth Theatre Company
Perth Theatre Company is a live theatre company in Perth, Western Australia. Its vision is "To lead Western Australian theatre in the creation of new, energetic and adventurous theatre that challenges and excites audiences and creates new opportunities for WA artists."-History:Perth Theatre...
production which toured regional Australia. The 1998 U.S production featured movie star Keir Dullea
Keir Dullea
Keir Dullea is an American actor best known for the character of astronaut David Bowman, whom he portrayed in the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey and in 1984's 2010: The Year We Make Contact...
and Tony Award winner Bonnie Franklin
Bonnie Franklin
Bonnie Gail Franklin is an American actress, best known for her starring role in the television series One Day at a Time.-Personal life:...
. Most recently, Double Act was a success in the 2001 season in Rome and toured Italy in 2002. In 2002, a prestigious production won acclaim in Vienna. Double Act will be filmed in 2009.
In 1988, Creyton was honoured with the Norman Kessel Memorial Award for his contributions to Australian theatre as actor, playwright and director.
America
Since 1989, he has worked almost exclusively in the United States where he has written movies-of-the-week for TV. He wrote all the sketch material for the off Broadway revue Secrets Every Smart Traveler Should Know which ran for two and a half years in New York.In January 1996, after a seven year absence, Barry returned to Australia to star in the Queensland State Theatre Company's production of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit
Blithe Spirit
Blithe Spirit is a comic play written by Noël Coward which takes its title from Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem "To a Skylark" . The play concerns socialite and novelist Charles Condomine, who invites the eccentric medium and clairvoyant, Madame Arcati, to his house to conduct a séance, hoping to...
. Its success encouraged him to return to Sydney to direct and star in his own play Valentine's Day at Marian Street Theatre where it played to capacity. Valentine’s Day is currently playing in Germany (Valentinstag) and in Holland (Valentijnsdag). Australian revivals were produced in 2005 and 2007 and a revival of Double Act (the fifth in Australia) began a national tour in 2006. Two years later, he wrote, directed and starred in the bitter-sweet comedy Later Than Spring, also for Marian Street and to critical acclaim. In 2007 he again co-starred with Noeline Brown in the British play Glorious at the Ensemble, Sydney.
His novels, The Dogs of Pompeii and Nero Goes to Rome, co-authored with American writer Vaughan Edwards, are published by Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
.
Family history
Creyton is the great grandson of celebrated Shakespearean actor William Hoskins. Hoskins was a leading member of the Samuel Phelps company at Sadler's Wells and tutor to a young Sir Henry Irving, securing Irving's first acting job for him. Hoskins emigrated to Australia in 1856 to take up management of a theatre. The teenage Irving intended to accompany him, but family duties detained him in England where he went on to become the greatest exponent of Shakespeare of 19th Century British theatre. Irving never forgot Hoskins and paid warm tribute in his autobiography.As actor-manager, Hoskins played in Sydney, Melbourne, New Zealand and America and his performances became legend in their time. He died in New Zealand in 1886 and his obituary stated "as a student and critical reader of Shakespeare, he had certainly no superiors in any part of the world". Of Welsh descent, Creyton's grandfather was born Thomas George Parry in New Zealand and was adopted at birth by Hoskins who later trained him as an actor. Wanting to succeed on his own merits, he changed his name for the stage to Paul Creyton. Creyton left New Zealand for Australia in 1897 and performed in Sydney and Melbourne before establishing his own repertory company in Queensland.