Peter Pagan

Peter MacGregor Pagan (24 July 1921 – 2 June 1999)[1] was an Australian-American actor from Sydney best known for his role in The Overlanders (1946).

Following the success of that film, he left Australia for Britain, then moved to the U.S. where he worked extensively in theatre and TV.[2][3]

He became a U.S. citizen in 1954.[4] He died in New York City, age 77.[1]

Career

Pagan was born in Sydney, one of three sons. His family moved to Hay, where his father was the town surveyor. He boarded at Scots College, Bellevue Hill. His brother was Brigadier Sir John (Jock) Ernest Pagan, CMG MBE (1914–1986), federal president of the Liberal Party of Australia and NSW agent-general for New South Wales in London.[5]

When 16 he joined an amateur group at Bryant's Playhouse, Forbes Street, Darlinghurst, and studied drama there for four years.

Pagan joined the AIF at 21, and served over three years with an armoured division in Western Australia and was discharged on medical grounds in 1945.

He was cast in The Overlanders. He went to London and then New York.[6]

When he was 27, Pagan joined the Barter Theatre Company in Virginia.

He was awarded the Drama Critics' Award for best supporting actor in 1971 for his role in There's a Girl in My Soup opposite Van Johnson.

In the mid 70s Pagan said, "I'm not interested in Broadway anymore - the critics are killing it." In the late '70s and '80s, Pagan divided his time between New York and Sydney.[6]

Select film & TV credits

Theatre Credits

References
  1. Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014. Social Security Administration.
  2. "Peter Pagan In U.S. Success". The Sunday Herald. Sydney. 15 October 1950. p. 8 Supplement: Sunday Herald Features. Retrieved 4 January 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. "Here, there & everywhere". The Australian Women's Weekly. 6 February 1980. p. 16. Retrieved 4 January 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. New York, Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in New York City, 1792-1989
  5. "Pagan, J. E. (John Ernest) (1914-1986)", Trove, 2011, retrieved 8 June 2019
  6. Hallett, Bryce (12 June 1999). "Peter Pagan; OBITUARIES". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 42. ProQuest 363547125.
  7. "Stage... Whispers". The Sunday Herald (Sydney). No. 49. New South Wales, Australia. 1 January 1950. p. 13 (Features). Retrieved 7 February 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "Here, there & everywhere". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 47, no. 36. Australia. 6 February 1980. p. 14. Retrieved 7 February 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
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