Hayes Gordon

Hayes Gordon (25 February 192019 October 1999) was an American-born actor, theatre entrepreneur, producer and director and acting teacher with a considerable career in Australia.

Early life Gordon was born on 25 February 1920, in Boston, Massachusetts

An only child, Gordon helped support his parents financially by teaching at Peabody House, an organisation set up to provide education to poor children and keep them off the streets and out of trouble. One day, a customer told him about an audition for a bass baritone. He soon went to work in the theatre until 1953. Upon finding out that Gordon had studied with Strasberg, fellow cast member Maggie Fitzgibbon convinced him to give some informal acting lessons. When the tour ended in 1953, Hayes remained in Australia to appear in other productions, including J. C. Williamson's Annie Get Your Gun and Oklahoma!.

After selling out shows, Gordon relocated the company to a derelict warehouse in Sydney's Kirribilli, which was purchased via fundraising and renovated via voluntary labour from the actors, The following year, he returned to the stage to play Daddy Warbucks with the original Australian cast of Annie, in a touring production with J. C. Williamson's.

Honours 1997: Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the Australia Day Honours, "In recognition of service to the arts, particularly the acting profession and the theatre and to the community" 1979: Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year's Honours, "In recognition of service to the performing arts". 1979: Honoured with a tribute on an episode of This is Your Life.

Personal life Gordon married and divorced American music theatre performer Katrina Van Oss in the U.S. In 1972 he married former student Helen Terry, and had one daughter. where she began teaching the Hayes Gordon philosophy for screen acting.

Death Gordon died on 19 October 1999

As director Year Title Role Venue / Co. Ref. 1958 Variations on Similar Themes Director Cammeray Children's Library, Theatre Institute, Sydney with Ensemble Theatre 1958–1960 The Man Director Theatre Institute, Sydney, Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 1959–1960 Orpheus Descending Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 1960 The Drunkard Director 1961 Miss Lonelyhearts Director The Seven Year Itch Director The Buffalo Skinner Director 1962 Five Finger Exercise Director Billy Liar Director 1963 Look Homeward, Angel Director Between Two Thieves Director Fairy Tales of New York Director The Tiger / The Typists Director The Physicists Director 1964 The Thracian Horses Director The Rehearsal Director Cages: Snowangel / Epiphany Director 1965 Invitation to a March Director Baby Want a Kiss Director Photo Finish Director The Subject Was Roses Director Semi-Detached Director Peninsula Playhouse, Sydney with Ensemble Theatre 1966 Oklahoma! Director Menzies Hotel, Sydney Brigadoon Director Burning Bright Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 1966–1967 Where's Daddy? Director 1967 Kiss Me, Kate Director Menzies Hotel, Sydney Out of this World Director Can-Can Director Wonderful Town Director South Pacific Director The Owl and the Pussycat Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney & NSW tour with Union Theatre Repertory Company Slow Dance on the Killing Ground Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney All Things Bright and Beautiful Director 1968 An Enemy of the People Director 1969 The Real Inspector Hound Director Postscript to a Promise Director 1970 Re-Enactment of Cook's Landing at Kurnell Director Sydney We Bombed in New Haven Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney, Monash University, Melbourne, Playhouse, Canberra 1971 Who Killed Santa Claus? Director Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Phillip Theatre, Sydney with J. C. Williamson's The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney Luther Producer 1972 Same Difference Director Australian tour with Ensemble Theatre Enter a Free Man Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney Summertree Director 1973 The Royal Hunt of the Sun Director James Hay Theatre, Christchurch fir Christchurch Arts Festival The Gingerbread Lady Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 1974 Who's Who Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney, Theatre 62, Adelaide The Gentle Island Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 6 Rms Riv Vu Director 1974–1975 Savages Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney, Theatre Royal, Hobart 1975 The Good Doctor Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney, Playhouse, Canberra, Monash University, Melbourne 1976 Comedians Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney California Suite Director 1977 Medal of Honor Rag Director Boy Meets Girl Director A Marriage Director The Prisoner of Second Avenue Director 1978 Lamb of God Director 1979 Chapter Two Director 1980 No Room for Dreamers Assistant Producer / Production Assistant / Lighting Designer Ensemble Theatre, Sydney & UK tour Cold Storage Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney, National Theatre, Melbourne Happy Family Lighting Designer Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 1981 When in Rome Director I Ought to Be in Pictures Director / Lighting Designer Ensemble Theatre, Sydney, Universal Theatre, Melbourne, Playhouse, Canberra The Elephant Man Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 1982 Old World Director The Price Director 1982; 1984 Mass Appeal Director Australian tour with Ensemble Theatre 1983 Veronica's Room Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney All My Sons Director Sydney Opera House with Ensemble Theatre 1984 Filumena Director 1985 Tosca Festival Theatre, Adelaide Play Memory Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney Same Time, Next Year Director 1986 Mavra / Hinund Zuruck / Il Prigioniero Convenor Opera Centre, Sydney with Opera Mode 1986–1987 Barefoot in the Park Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 1987 The Gingerbread Lady Director Theatre Royal, Hobart, Ensemble Theatre, Universal Theatre, Melbourne 1989 The Star-Spangled Girl Director Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 1993 Jake's Women Director Source:

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Venue / Co. 1944 Hollywood Canteen Serviceman (uncredited) Feature film 1965 Revenge of a Shark Victim Narrator Short film 1975 Australia After Dark Narrator Documentary film 1982 The Dark Room Self Feature film1983 The Return of Captain Invincible Kirby Feature film Abra Cadabra B.L. Z'Bubb Animated film 1986 Sky Pirates Narrator Feature film

Television Year Title Role Venue / Co. Ref. c.1940 Hayes Gordon Presents Presenter 1948 The Fashion Story 2 episodes 1949 The Fifty-Fourth Street Revue Self 2 episodes 1957 The Late Show Presenter 1957 The George Wallace Show Self TV special 1960 Design 218 TV documentary film 1979 This Is Your Life Self 1 episode

Radio Year Title Role Venue / Co. Ref. 1940s Music in the Air Radio show, New York 1956–1957 Ford Show Compere Radio series