Ronald Norman Haddrick MBE AM (9 April 1929 – 11 February 2020) was an Australian actor, narrator and South Australian cricketer. In 2012, he received the Actors Equity Lifetime Achievement Award for his long and distinguished career in media, spanning some seventy years both locally and also in Britain. He appeared in many Shakespearean roles and often performed with theatre actress Ruth Cracknell.^[1][2]

At the time of his Actors Equity Lifetime Achievement Award playwright David Williamson said, "Ron Haddrick was chosen for two reasons. He’s a great actor, definitely one of the greatest of his generation, and also a great human being who has enriched the lives of countless Australians through his acting. He has also enriched the lives of many of us who work in the theatre because of his dedication and palpable decency." Actor John Bell in presenting the award said his "career has been extraordinary ... he is undoubtedly one of the leading lights in the Australian acting industry and he is much loved, admired and respected, because of both his professionalism and his good nature."^[3] On news of his death Bell Shakespeare said: “a legend of Australian theatre ... it was a privilege to have him grace our stage”.^[4]

Family

Haddrick was born in Adelaide, South Australia, the only son of Olive May (née Gibson) and Alexander Norman Haddrick.^[5] Haddrick's wife, Lorraine, received the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 for her "outstanding dedication to athletics as a volunteer official for 32 years".^[6] They had two children: NIDA graduate Lynette Haddrick^[7] and screenwriter and producer Greg Haddrick, and three grandchildren, Taya, Milly and Jack Haddrick.^[8] In 2011 three generations of the Haddrick family were involved in the production of the Australian miniseries Cloudstreet. Ron Haddrick was the narrator, Greg Haddrick was a producer and Mille Haddrick was an actor.^[9]

Cricket career

As a sportsman, Haddrick played first-class cricket during the 1950s, representing South Australia on three occasions in the Sheffield Shield competition.^[10][11]

Professional acting career

Haddrick and Cracknell

In 1960 Haddrick appeared at the Adelaide Festival of Arts in a production of Murder in the Cathedral in Bonython Hall. It marked the start of a long working partnership between Haddrick and Ruth Cracknell. In 1970 they performed in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex. It was directed for the Old Tote in Sydney by Sir Tyrone Guthrie and toured widely. In 1973, Haddrick, Ruth Cracknell, Gordon Chater and Garry McDonald appeared at the Australian Theatre in Newtown in a miscellany called Aurora Australis. They were in the Old Tote's production of David Williamson's What If You Died Tomorrow? in 1974 and it toured Australia and played in London at the Comedy Theatre. In the late 1970s they were in two Peter Williams' productions at the Theatre Royal, Sydney, Bedroom Farce and The Gin Game. In 1983 Haddrick and Cracknell played the theatrical Mr and Mrs Crummles in Richard Wherrett’s production of David Edgar's two-part Dickens marathon, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby for the Sydney Theatre Company. This played at the Theatre Royal in Sydney and the State Theatre in Melbourne. In 1990 they were reunited in A.R. Gurney's Love Letters for the Sydney Theatre Company.^[14]

Death

Haddrick died at home in Sydney surrounded by his wife and family on 11 February 2020 aged 90. A memorial service was held at The Parade Theatre at NIDA on 1 March 2020. Speakers included his daughter Lyn, his granddaughter Millie, his son Greg, actors Kirrily Nolan and Peter Carroll AM, directors Aubrey Mellor OAM and John Bell AO OBE and former Australian cricket captain Ian Chappell.^[15][16]

Honours

• In 1974 he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) – For services to the Arts.^[17]
• In 1977 he received the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal.
• In 2012 he was awarded an Actors Equity Lifetime Achievement Award – for a lifetime combining a phenomenal career with generous leadership and selfless mentorship presented by Actors Equity Australia.^[18]
• In 2013 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (General Division) – For significant service to the performing arts as an actor and narrator.^[19]

Filmography

References

External links

• Ron Haddrick at IMDb