Max Osbiston

Maxwell Hamilton Osbiston (7 August 1914 – 12 March 1981) was an Australian actor, active in radio, stage, film and television.

Early life Osbiston was born in Sydney, the son of Frank and Iolanthe Osbiston (née Margoliouth) of Cremorne, New South Wales.

He spent three years at the Agricultural School at Yanco, followed by North Sydney High School. He left school during the Great Depression, and with difficulty found employment delivering bread, and spent some time panning for gold in the Central West. On his return to Sydney he found employment as a traveler for a firm selling dentists' supplies, and remained in this business for four years.

Career Osbiston had been attracted to the stage from schooldays, and in 1935 joined Doris Fitton's Independent Theatre, appearing in The Late Christopher Bean (Emlyn Williams) in October 1935, The Three Sisters (Anton Chekhov) in September 1936, Hassan (James Elroy Flecker) in March 1937, and Boy Meets Girl (Samuel and Bella Spewack) in November 1937.

During much of this time he was also acting in radio plays for the Australian Broadcasting Commission, and in January 1938 he was signed to a one-year contract. He had roles in hundreds of radio dramas.

His professional stage career started with a small part in Of Mice and Men at the Minerva, which did not go unnoticed, and followed with French Without Tears at the same theatre, for which he received the highest accolades. Both plays were produced by Harvey Adams.

Osbiston served with the RAAF during WWII, but details are hard to find, though he may have attained the rank of flight lieutenant.

He was the romantic male lead in the film The Phantom Stockman.

Selected appearances

Film Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1941 The Power and the Glory Flight Leader 1953 The Phantom Stockman Frank McLeod 1954 His Majesty O'Keefe 1960 The Sundowners Farm Couple 1961 Bungala Boys Reg Phelan 1978 Little Boy Lost Inspector James

Television Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1959 Act of Violence TV play 1960 Thunder on Sycamore Street TV play The Square Ring Watty TV play The Life and Death of King Richard II Lord Willoughby TV movie 1961 Whiplash Gillespie / Garth Blake 2 episodes The Outcasts Edward Eagar Miniseries, 1 episode 1962 Consider Your Verdict Kevin Tressell 1 episode 1963 Time Out Robert O’Hara Burke 1 episode 1965 The Magic Boomerang George Duffy 1 episode The Stranger Telescope Technician Miniseries, 2 episodes 1966 Australian Playhouse Episode 7: "Getting Along with the Government" 1966–1973 Homicide Various roles 14 episodes 1968 Skippy the Bush Kangaroo Dr Morton 1 episode 1968; 1969 Hunter Foster / Mason 2 episodes 1969–1973 Division 4 Jim Roberts / Nobby King / Det. Insp. Roche / Robinson / Maurie Brown / Bullock / Warren Nash / William Harris 8 episodes 1970 The Long Arm Charlie Hall 1 episode 1971 Dynasty Thomson 1 episode The Godfathers 1 episode 1971–1975 Matlock Police Ralph Donaldson / Marshall / The District Inspector / Charles Wilson / Father Dawson / Harold Mason / Danny Hunt / Bull Ballard / Mr Robinson 9 episodes 1972 Spyforce Sir Roland Jensen 1 episode 1972–1973 Around the World in Eighty Days Mr Fix (voice) Animated series, 16 episodes 1973 Boney McDonald Snr 1 episode Ryan Lynch 1 episode 1974 27A Frederick Parsons TV movie Our Man in the Company Bruce 1 episode Silent Number 1 episode Escape from Singapore TV docudrama movie 1974; 1975 Behind the Legend Anthology series, 2 episodes 1975 Last Rites TV movie Ben Hall Buchanan Miniseries, 2 episodes Shannon's Mob Samuels 1 episode 1972–1975 Number 96 Charles / Sergeant Murphy 3 episodes 1976 Secret Doors TV movie Arena Parsons TV movie The Bushranger TV movie 1977 Chopper Squad Rodney Coombs 1 episode Moby-Dick TV movie 1978 Glenview High Inspector 1 episode Little Boy Lost Inspector James TV movie Case for the Defence Proudfoot 9 episodes 1979 A Place in the World Miniseries, 1 episode Cop Shop Fred Daniels / Supt Reg Lane 3 episodes 1980 Spring & Fall Doctor Anthology series, 1 episode

Theatre Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1934 Macbeth Criterion Theatre, Sydney 1935 The Late Christopher Bean Independent Theatre, Sydney 1936 The Three Sisters 1937 Hassan Boy Meets Girl 1940 Of Mice and Men Minerva Theatre, Sydney 1963–1964 The Private Ear / The Public Eye Phillip St Theatre, Sydney 1965; 1977 The Business of Good Government. A Modern Nativity Play Scots Church, Sydney with Q Theatre 1969 Canterbury Tales Chaucer Comedy Theatre, Melbourne with J. C. Williamson's 1973–1974 What If You Died Tomorrow? Sydney Opera House, Elizabethan Theatre, Sydney, Canberra Theatre, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Comedy Theatre, London 1974 That Championship Season UNSW Parade Theatre, Sydney 1977 The Magistrate Sydney Opera House

Radio

Personal life Osbiston married Beulah 'Babs' Mayhew of Ermington, New South Wales sometime around early 1939. They had appeared together as a couple in the radio series As Ye Sow, and continued to work on the same shows wherever possible, Mrs Osbiston continuing to appear as 'Babs Mayhew'.

Max Osbiston was a cousin of film editor Alan Brigstocke Osbiston (7 May 1914 – 1971) — see chart below.

Family Three children of Samuel Osbiston of Ryburgh, Norfolk, England found their way to Australia. Several descendants were prominent in banking, mining and the arts in Sydney: Frank Frederic Osbiston (c. 1843 – 23 April 1902) mine manager; worked in America, died at Coolgardie, Western Australia. Robert Osbiston of Campbelltown (c. 1846 – 16 November 1898) economist, secretary of the Bankers Institute, married Sarah Elizabeth Ann "Annie" Finch on 23 December 1871 in Chelsea, London. (Robert) Newton Osbiston (c. 1872 – 24 February 1902) married Susan Jane "Susie" Allison on 7 February 1900. She married again, to Arthur Smith of Cheviot Hills Station, Drake, New South Wales Frances Allison Osbiston ( – ) married Alexander Wyatt Martin on 19 February 1927 Ann Osbiston (1874–1964) Francis "Frank" Osbiston (16 September 1876 – 16 May 1953). He married Iolanthe Yolande Lindsay Margoliouth of New Zealand on 23 December 1911, lived at Cremorne. Francis Robert "Bob" Osbiston (25 January 1913 – ) served as war correspondent for the Sydney Truth and Daily Mirror. He married Winifred Joan Collins, daughter of painter and broadcaster Albert Collins, on 30 April 1938 and had two children. They divorced in 1946. She married again, to Neville Ballard Lewis on 16 February 1948. Maxwell Hamilton Osbiston (7 August 1914 – 12 March 1981) married Beulah "Babs" Mayhew (died 2004) early in 1939. daughter (18 July 1944 – ) Karen Osbiston (c. 1946 – ) Judith Lindsay Osbiston (5 September 1917 – ) married John Rorke, lived in Arcadia, New South Wales. David John Osbiston (5 October 1918 – 18 September 1996) Michael Osbiston ( – ) youngest son of Frank, (Check SMH 26 May 1962 p.68) Charles Alan Osbiston (c. 1881–c. 1957) married Emily Florence Brigstocke on 6 July 1912 Alan Brigstocke Osbiston (7 May 1914 – 1971) of Chatswood married Lyla Cranston on 17 June 1943 William Osbiston (c. July 1883 – 16 November 1939) served with 1st AIF Maude Osbiston (c. 1850 – 16 April 1923), died at Waterfall, New South Wales