Frank Clewlow

Frank Dawson Clewlow (October–December 1885 – 13 June 1957) also known under pseudonym of Stafford Dawson, was an English-born actor, director, stage and radio producer and theatre manager, he worked in his native England, as well as Scotland during the 1910s and 1920s, before emigrating to Australia in 1926 where he continued his career and in 1936 he became Federal Controller of Productions for the Australian Broadcasting Commission (later Corporation – ABC).

Early life He was born in Stone, Staffordshire, England, to Joseph Clewlow (born 1858 Stafford, Staffordshire) and his wife Mary Jane Dawson (born 1857 in Luton, Bedfordshire) whom he married on 29 December 1884 at St Mary, Luton. Frank had two younger siblings Hilda Dorothy Clewlow (born 1891 in Stone) and Harry Dawson Clewlow (born 1898 in Stone) He went to Alleyne's Grammar School then studied maths, physics, chemistry, zoology and botany at the University of Birmingham, but became involved with the Pilgrim Players and, under the influence of Barry Jackson and John Drinkwater, never completed the course. He borrowed £4 and ran away from home as he couldn't take his University exams due to working on the play there. He joined a repertory company in Ilkeston, Derbyshire.

He worked for two years as leading actor and stage manager under the name "Stafford Dawson" in 1909 for Annie Horniman at the Manchester Gaiety Theatre, Manchester., then toured with Allan Wilkie (father of Australian journalist Douglas Wilkie) to the Far East in 1911. Tragedy of Nan 3 November 1917 Trelawny of the Wells 10 November 1917 Corsican Brothers 24 November 1917 Just to Get Married 23 February 1918

St George and the Dragon 30 March 1918

Measure for Measure 23 April 1918 Twelfth Night 2 May 1918 The Silver Box 18 May 1918 Cupid and the Styx 25 May 1918 Taming of the Shrew 15 June 1918

Director-producer He played with Ian McLaren's company as Touchstone and Sir Andrew Aguecheek, to form a Leicester branch of the British Drama Society and directed it for three years. at The Athenaeum Theatre in Glasgow and the Museum Hall in Bridge of Allan for two years where he directed

Thomas the Rhymer 2 December 1924 The Two Shepherds 2 December 1924 The Lifting 1 February 1925 The Guinea's Stamp 13 February 1925 Mary Stuart 24 March 1925 The Dark Lady 25 March 1925 James the First of Scotland 11 May 1925 The Inn of Adventure 13 October 1925 Punch Counts Ten 22 December 1925 Souterness 19 January 1926 The House of the Queen 19 January 1926 Gregarach 23 March 1926 The Fantasticks 23 March 1926 , He played Henry VIII, Mercutio and Lafeu at the Theatre Royal, Hobart and Henry VIII at the Otago Theatre, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Career in Australia It was during this time he met a young actor Catherine Duncan with whom he was to have a professional association several years later.

He was appointed director of the Melbourne Repertory Theatre Society, succeeding Gregan McMahon in 1928., lectures on German theatre, on poetry, judging at eisteddfods and elocution competitions, even opening an art exhibition in 1930. He contributed an article The Future of the Theatre for July 1931 Stream leftist literary journal that included an article by Nettie Palmer.

He was responsible for the stage debut of Coral Browne in the George Bernard Shaw play You Never Can Tell at the Garrick Theatre in 1930.

Around 1930 he organised a series of "great plays" for 3LO, a new member station of the Australian Broadcasting Commission, which led to his appointment in 1931 as Director of Drama for that station. He assembled a strong group of radio actors to perform several great plays every week. A similar group was assembled by his counterpart in Sydney, Laurence Halbert, and the two stations exchanged programs by landline and transcription disc. Later that same year he placed Peter Finch on contract. He appointed Catherine Duncan to write for radio after judging her entry The Sword Sung in a Sydney New Theatre competition.

But rivals and opponents such as Leslie Rees and Lawrence H Cecil were developing influence within the organization. His insistence on "high standards" could easily be interpreted as reactionary, and his acid tongue made enemies of people who disagreed with him. In 1950 he was excised from his position and (quite unwillingly) transferred to Hobart to produce plays there.

Recognition He appeared in the Who's Who in Australia for publications 1936 and 1947. A portrait of Clewlow painted by Jack Carington Smith was an exhibited entry for the 1955 Archibald Prize.