Dick Fair

Richard Edward Fair (17 November 1907 – 20 July 1982) was an Australian actor of stage and screen and radio compere and producer, who also did voice.over. He is best known for hosting the radio shows Australia's Amateur Hour and 'Australia's Hour of Song', a community singing hour with guest performers. He occasionally acted under the name Grant Lyndsay.

Biography

Early life and study Fair was born in Mosman, New South Wales, to Richard Edward Fair Snr, Canadian-born contractor and his second wife Emily Gertrude Kennedy, from Victoria, he attended St. Aloysius College and St.Ignatius College, and studied voice production and attending Andrew McCann's acting school

Stage and film Fair made his stage debut in a production of The Terror aged 19, and worked for numerous theatre companie's including Maurice Moscovitch Company, and J.C. Williamson Ltd. and toured with Bert Bailey in The Patsy

He appeared in several film roles including the Ken Hall produced On Our Selection and The Squatter's Daughter. His performance in Squatter's Daughter was described as "very wet, like a lot of Australian leading men in movies around this time."

Radio compere and entertainer the program would feature singers including Peter Dawson and Gladys Moncrieff, he worked as an announcer of serials, commercials, and various chat. He went freelance as a producer in 1960, working at 2CH for some ten years, after which he returned to 2GB for a late night music program.

Personal life Fair married Agnes Margaret McLeod on 23 September 1933, at St. Mary's Basilica with Catholic rites.

He was involved in a court case, by his landlady in 1958, who sought that he be evicted from her Vaucluse home, under the grounds of being frequently drunk and disorderly, twice setting fire to bedding and playing music late at night on full volume. He won the case and remained in the apartment until 1963. For most of his life, Fair had resided in the Eastern Suburbs, moving into a nursing home in Normanhurst, New South Wales 1974, where he died on 20 July 1982.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1932 On Our Selection Sandy 1933 The Squatter's Daughter billed under the stage name "Grant Lyndsay" 1970 Tora! Tora! Tora! Lt. Col. Carrol A. Powell, Radar Officer Uncredited