Brian Moll

Brian Percy Moll (19 May 1925 – 9 August 2013) was a British-born Australian comedian character actor of stage, television and film and director and producer. He was best known for his soap opera television roles, but also appeared in film and numerous theatre productions, over a 50 year career. Moll started his career in his native England in theatre in 1945.

Although he primarily appeared in small parts, he did have more regular roles in TV series including The Young Doctors as Dr. Vincent Snape from 1976 and 1978 and a recurring role in A Country Practice from 1982 and 1992 as corrupt town Councillor Alfred Muldoon

Early life

Moll was born on Chaucer Road in Wanstead, North East London on 19 May 1925, to Hedges Percy Moll and Dorothy 'Dot' Alice Sarah Moll (née Mitchell). He had a brother Peter James Moll.

During World War II, Moll was conscripted to the Royal Navy in 1943 at the age of eighteen and spent the later years of the war serving on a minesweeper. His ship was involved in the D-Day operation and he watched the action from just off the Arromanches beach.

In October 1950, Moll immigrated from England and arrived in Melbourne, Australia under the £10 assisted passage emigration scheme. Quitting his job as a publicity officer, to continued his acting career. In December 1975, he took Australian citizenship.

Career Theatre Moll began his stage career taking on leading parts with the Melbourne Little Theatre from 1951. As well as acting, he was producing and directing difficult plays by playwrights including Chekov and Ibsen. In 1963, he moved to Brisbane and joined the Queensland Arts Theatre. He continued his acting career in his spare time. In the 1960s he was campaigning in Brisbane for a new permanent arts centre and was involved in plans which resulted in the Queensland Performing Arts Complex being built.

In 1970 he appeared in It's a Rum Do in the role of Samuel Marsden, the priest who was partly responsible for bringing merino sheep to Australia, which started the wool industry. The play was chosen to be given a Royal Command Performance in the Brisbane Arts Centre. He was presented to the Queen and he told her that over the past two years he had played eight priests. She asked him why, and smiled when he answered "It was my purity of spirit and a bald head". Following this, his acting career took off.

Television and film Moll made his television debut in 1958. He was known for his villainous roles, once remarking that this was due to his bald head (he had been completely bald since the age of 25). As a working actor, like many of the era, he had numerous character roles on the Crawford Productions TV serials including Matlock Police, Homicide and Division 4, as well as many guest roles on other television series, miniseries, telemovies and films. Some of these included Bellbird, The Sullivans, and Cop Shop. which was filmed in Brisbane. His ashes were scattered near his home on the Sunshine Coast.

He was honoured in the 'In Memoriam' segment of the 3rd AACTA Awards, for his "contribution to Australian screen culture".

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Type1971 Exit Geeles Short film Stork Priest Feature film 1973 Alvin Purple Clerk of the Court Feature film 1975 That Lady from Peking Father Leonard Feature film 1976 Water Management Water Man Short film 1981 Maybe This Time Older Salesman Feature film 1984 Fantasy Man Lofty Feature film 1990 Bloodmoon Mr. Gordian Feature film Dead Sleep Dr. Shamberg Feature film 1992 Something Wicked Lecturer Short film 1994 Street Fighter Bison's Scientist Feature film

Television Year Title Role Type 1958 Captain Carvallo TV movie 1958 Killer in Close-Up Episode: "The Rattenbury Case" 1959 Press Gang TV movie 1968; 1969 Hunter Hinksman / Fishta 2 episodes 1969 The Party Martin Luther TV movie 1971–1973 Matlock Police Forbes / Tojo / Brown / School Principal / Ray Smith / Gaye / Fred Jackson 7 episodes 1969 The Rovers Dr. Wright 1 episode 1973 Boney Bill Bulford 1 episode Ryan Warburton / Topley 2 episodes 1968–1974 Homicide Frank Adams / Ted Sands / John Lee / Richard Evans / Clerk / Stan Preston / Gustav / Arthur Reid / Phillips / Grant / Hotel Manager 11 episodes 1969–1974 Division 4 Jack Doyle / Eddie Bailey / Herbie Pike / Wilson Snr / Ralph Morris 10 episodes 1974 Silent Number Prison Doctor 1 episode 1975 The Unisexers Mr Lewis Number 96 TC Eddie Buchanan 10 episodes King's Men Drake 1 episode Luke's Kingdom Settler 1 episode 1976 McManus MPB Carl Day TV movie Rush Thomas 2 episodes 1977 The Outsiders Mertz 1 episode 1977–1979 The Young Doctors Dr. Vincent Snape Regular role 1978 Case for the Defence The Judge 1 episode 1980 Arcade Mr. Sponge Prisoner Mr. Spenser 3 episodes Cop Shop Sammy Smith 1 episode The Timeless Land Rev Johnson Miniseries, 3 episodes 1982–1992 A Country Practice Alfred Muldoon 120 episodes 1981 Bellamy Wilkes 1 episode 1984 The Cowra Breakout Doctor Miniseries Special Squad Charlie Everett Episode 14: "Slow Attack" Queen of the Road Al 'Herpie' Graves TV movie 1985 Hector's Bunyip Ernest Slater TV movie1987 Great Expectations: The Untold Story Uncle Pumblechook TV movie The Petrov Affair Billy Wentworth Miniseries, 2 episodes

Theatre

As performer Year Title Role Type Ref.1951 Doctor's Joy Professor Purge Melbourne Little Theatre Shipwreck Heynorick Larger Than Life Butler 1952 The Happiest Days of Your Life Headmaster Arrow Theatre, Melbourne 1953 The Critic Mr Sneer The Flashing Stream Rear-Admiral Sir George Helston Melbourne Little Theatre 1956 As Long As They're Happy The Father 1957 Little by Little 1959 An Italian Straw Hat 1960 The Long and the Short and the Tall 1961 Anastasia Boris Chernov Albert Hall, Brisbane with Brisbane Repertory Theatre 1962 Twelfth Night Sir Andrew Aguecheek Caboolture 1963 The Caretaker Davies Brisbane Arts Theatre The Living Room Father James Browne 1969 Hadrian VII Cardinal Berstein Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne with J. C. Williamson's 1970 A Rum Do! The Rev. Samuel Marsden SGIO Theatre, Brisbane with QTC (Royal Performance) Philadelphia, Here I Come! Australian tour with QTC 1972 Richard II Sir John Bushy / Head Gardener Theatre Royal, Hobart 1975 Semi-Detached Marian St Theatre, Sydney The Touch of Silk Independent Theatre, Sydney 1980 Shut Your Eyes and Think of England Mr Rubinstein Her Majesty's Theatre, Brisbane, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne 1991 The Cherry Orchard Faers Suncorp Theatre, Brisbane with QTC The Crucible 1992 The Marriage of Figaro Antonio

As crew Year Title Role Type Ref. 1961 The Multi-Coloured Umbrella Designer Brisbane Arts Theatre 1964 Summer Solstice Producer 1965 Private Ear & Public Eye Director 1967 Breakfast with Julia Director