John Unicomb

John Robert Unicomb (4 July 1928 – 13 August 2012) was an Australian actor and stage manager who had early successes in radio and was later influential in the history of theatre in Tasmania. His brother Morris Unicomb was also a successful actor. The surname has often been mis-spelled "Unicombe".

Career

Unicomb was the eldest son of Morris Britain Unicomb (born 14 July 1900) and Beatrice Mary Unicomb, née Warburton, (died 11 August 1990) of Dulwich Hill, New South Wales, who encouraged the development their sons' vocal talents.[1] He had successes in elocution and recitation competitions in the eisteddfods[2] which in the first half of the 20th-century were a vital aspect of Australian performing arts.

He embarked on an Arts course at Sydney University but abandoned studies for a career in radio drama,[3] at that time a flourishing field in both ABC and commercial networks.

He played Terry O'Riordan in Chauvel's film Sons of Matthew, becoming great friends with John Ewart, whom he knew from the days of working on the ABC Children's Session.[4]

In 1951 he had a small part in the film Captain Thunderbolt,[5] played Oswald in a well-reviewed[6] King Lear for John Alden and, famously, an athletic Hamlet[7] in Robin Lovejoy's production at the Metropolitan Theatre.[8] On the strength of that performance he won a place in Ngaio Marsh's company touring New Zealand.[9] He then joined the flow of hopeful actors to Great Britain.

While in London he married fellow-thespian Fernande Flynn; wedding guests included Leo McKern and Ralph Peterson.[10] They had a son Michael around the end of 1953[11]

He later worked as a comedian,[12] and was involved in the protests against Australian involvement in the Vietnam War.[13]

He moved to Tasmania, where he was active in the Hobart theatre scene, working for the Theatre Royal, of which he was appointed general manager in 1986. He retired in 1994 and died in 2012. An audio recording of his theatre recollections is held by the National Library of Australia, Canberra.[14]

Morris Unicomb

His brother Morris James Unicomb (c. 1933 – 25 February 2006) achieved a degree of fame as a child actor, playing the unborn brother of Tyltyl in a radio adaptation of Maeterlinck's The Bluebird.[1] By 1942 he was playing the lead role in the radio series Johnny Be Careful.[15] and at age eleven was playing "Pip" in the serial "Budge's Gang".[16] He was in the cast of the premiere of Blue Hills[17] and appeared in the 1947 film Bush Christmas, which won praise in Europe.[18]

He is most likely the Morrie Unicomb who with brother Don were proficient surf lifesavers.[19]

Robin Unicomb

Robin Antony Unicomb (born c. 1942), as a juvenile was a successful entrant to numerous eisteddfods in elocution and singing, and as an adult singing bass parts from Gilbert and Sullivan:[20][21]

References

  1. ^ a b "ABC Stars of the Air". The Pioneer (Yorketown). Vol. 45, no. 2318. South Australia. 23 April 1943. p. 4. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "Verse Speaking, Under 10". Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate. No. 19, 189. New South Wales, Australia. 13 April 1938. p. 12. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Stars of the Air". The Muswellbrook Chronicle. Vol. 30, no. 20. New South Wales, Australia. 14 March 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Radio". South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus. Vol. LI, no. 75. New South Wales, Australia. 1 October 1951. p. 2. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Australia Makes Debut In T.V. Films". The Sunday Herald (Sydney). No. 115. New South Wales, Australia. 8 April 1951. p. 1. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Music and Drama". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 35, 307. New South Wales, Australia. 17 February 1951. p. 5. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Amateurs Shine in Hamlet Production". The Sun (Sydney). No. 12, 874. New South Wales, Australia. 4 May 1951. p. 7. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "Star Groups of 1951". The Sunday Herald (Sydney). No. 154. New South Wales, Australia. 6 January 1952. p. 8. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "Metropolitan Theatre". The Sun (Sydney). No. 12, 983. New South Wales, Australia. 8 September 1951. p. 5. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "Married in London". Daily Mirror (Sydney). No. 3495. New South Wales, Australia. 15 August 1952. p. 12. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "Chatter". The Sun-herald. No. 267. New South Wales, Australia. 7 March 1954. p. 48. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "Music Hall Marathon". The Australian Jewish Times. Vol. 72, no. 6. New South Wales, Australia. 16 October 1964. p. 2. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ ""Political prisoners of Govt"". The Tribune (Sydney). No. 1589. New South Wales, Australia. 18 December 1968. p. 1. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "John Unicomb interviewed by Bill Stephens". NationalLibrary of Australia. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  15. ^ "Radio Boy Actor". The Burrowa News. New South Wales, Australia. 21 August 1942. p. 4. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "Radio Veteran at Eleven". The North Western Courier. Vol. XXVI, no. 23. New South Wales, Australia. 27 March 1944. p. 7. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ^ "Uncommon Knowledge". The Canberra Times. Vol. 64, no. 20, 172. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 5 July 1990. p. 12. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "Best for Children". The Sun (Sydney). No. 13795. New South Wales, Australia. 29 April 1954. p. 42. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "Mass Rescues at Two Sydney Beaches". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 36, 513. New South Wales, Australia. 31 December 1954. p. 5. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  20. ^ "Eisteddfod". The Canberra Times. Vol. 50, no. 14, 374. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 10 May 1976. p. 6. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  21. ^ "Earlier eisteddfod results". The Canberra Times. Vol. 51, no. 14, 771. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 9 May 1977. p. 17. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via National Library of Australia.