Frank Taylor (actor)

Francis Hewat Taylor (22 February 1920 – 28 July 2004) was a Scottish-born Australia actor known for his long running portrayal of Sgt. Andrew "Scotty" Macleod in the television series Division 4.[1] He appeared in every one of the show's 301 episodes[2] becoming a well known television personality.[3]

Frank Taylor
Born
Francis Hewat Taylor

(1920-02-22)22 February 1920
Kirkhill, Coldingham, Berwickshire, Scotland
Died28 July 2004(2004-07-28) (aged 84)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
NationalityScottish
EducationEdinburgh Academy
Alma materScottish School of Drama
OccupationActor
Years active1938-1980s
SpousePauline Taylor (née Larcombe)
Children2 daughters

Early life

Taylor was born in Kirkhill in Scotland and was educated at the Edinburgh Academy and the Scottish School of Drama. His professional debut as an actor was as the Second Page in Richard of Bordeaux at the Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, in September 1938.

War service

During World War II Taylor joined the Royal Air Force and served for five years as a Wireless operator and Air gunner with Squadron 608 and Squadron 217. He was shot down and taken as a prisoner in February 1942 and was incarcerated in seven Prisoner of war camps, before being liberated on 2 May 1945 by the British 2nd Army 11th Armoured Division.

Australian career

After settling permanently in Sydney in 1952 Taylor appeared in productions of plays by Brendan Behan and William Shakespeare and contemporary drama productions, including The Hostage, Henry V, Difference of Opinion and for the Old Tote Theatre Company in The Caucasian Chalk Circle and Heartbreak House. He appeared in Under Milk Wood at the Independent Theatre in North Sydney.[4] He played the role of Martin Elliot in the television production of The Affair and of Wilson in The Sundowners.[5][6] In 1960 Taylor appeared in the Australian television play Seagulls Over Sorrento. It was based on the popular stage play Seagulls Over Sorrento and was produced by Crawford Productions for Melbourne's HSV-7, airing as an episode of ACI Theatre.[7] It screened on TCN-9 in Sydney on Sunday 12 June.[8] In the 1966 he appeared in the popular Australian situation comedy series My Name's McGooley, What's Yours? on the Seven Network (station ATN7). Later he also appeared in many of the early landmark television series in Australia before being cast in Crawford Productions police series Division 4.[9] Taylor read and recorded over 400 books for the Royal Blind Society of NSW audio book collection.[10] He retired in the late 1980s.

Awards

In 1972 Taylor received the Penguin Award for the Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series.[11]

Autobiography

In 1988 Taylor wrote an autobiography entitled Barbed Wire and Footlights – Seven Stalags to Freedom.[12]

Personal life

Taylor married the Sydney-born zoologist Pauline Gladys Larcombe[13] in 1954. The couple had two daughters, Marjorie and Gillian, and lived in the substantial Victorian era home Hazelhurst at 15 Ethel Street, Burwood, New South Wales.[14] Pauline Taylor's mother Mrs W.F.A. Larcombe[15] lived next door in the heritage listed Landsdowne and the two houses and tennis court, on multiple blocks of land, formed a family compound for over 50 years.[16] Taylor died in 2004 survived by his wife and two daughters. His widow Pauline died in 2011.[17]

References
  1. "AUSTRALIA'S TOP TV COPS". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 39, no. 51. Australia, Australia. 17 May 1972. p. 45. Retrieved 6 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. Frank Taylor Actor
  3. "TV actors to open Gunning show". The Canberra Times. Vol. 48, no. 13, 672. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 16 February 1974. p. 3. Retrieved 6 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "At Sydney Theatres". Le Courrier Australien. No. 24. New South Wales, Australia. 13 June 1958. p. 4. Retrieved 6 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "THE OLD TOTE COMPANY: LEISURE-THE ARTS A homecoming with passion". The Canberra Times. Vol. 41, no. 11, 697. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 25 May 1967. p. 29. Retrieved 6 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "A team of Sundowners". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 27, no. [?]. Australia, Australia. 14 October 1959. p. 5. Retrieved 6 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "Green Guide: 'Seagulls Over Sorrento". The Age. 5 May 1960. p. 3.
  8. "Channel Spot". Sydney Morning Herald. 6 June 1960. p. 25.
  9. ""DIVISION 4" PACKS IN THE ACTION". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 38, no. 51. Australia, Australia. 19 May 1971. p. 13. Retrieved 6 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. Royal Blind Society of New South Wales (1981), "Audio Book", Royal Blind Society Audio Books, Royal Blind Society
  11. "Television Society announces awards". The Canberra Times. Vol. 47, no. 13, 279. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 13 November 1972. p. 6. Retrieved 6 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. Taylor, Frank, 1921- (1988), Barbed wire and footlights : seven Stalags to freedom / Frank Taylor, Merlin{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. "Tadpole Given Thyroid Diet". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). Vol. IX, no. 178. New South Wales, Australia. 27 October 1944. p. 7. Retrieved 6 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. https://www.realestate.com.au/property/15-ethel-st-burwood-nsw-2134 15 Ethel Street Burwood NSW 2134 Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  15. "Sydney girl played roulette with Farouk". The Sun (Sydney). No. 12, 849. New South Wales, Australia. 5 April 1951. p. 34 (LATE FINAL EXTRA). Retrieved 6 December 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. 17 Ethel Street, Burwood, NSW 2134 Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  17. Ryerson Index Retrieved 14 February 2023.
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