Ed Devereaux

Ed Devereaux
Born Edward Sidney Devereaux
27 August 1925
Sydney, Australia
Died 17 December 2003 (aged 78)
Hampstead, London, England
Years active 1955–98
Spouse(s) Rene (divorced 1986, died 2000)
Julie (1986-his death)

Ed Devereaux (27 August 1925 – 17 December 2003) was an Australian actor, director and scriptwriter who lived in the United Kingdom for many years. He was best known for playing the part of Matt Hammond the head ranger in the Australian television series Skippy the Bush Kangaroo. He was also involved in the series behind the scenes, Devereaux writing the script and directing the episode The Veteran (1969), for which he received much critical acclaim. Devereaux based the story of the episode "Double Trouble" on an idea conceived by his children, wrote the screenplay of "Summer Storm" and the script for "The Mine".

Devereaux appeared as Mr. Gubbins in the 1963 British comedy movie Ladies Who Do and in several Carry On films including Carry On Sergeant, Carry On Nurse, Carry On Regardless and Carry On Jack.

He also appeared as Thomas Macaulay in seriesFive5 of The Onedin Line, as Lord Beaverbrook in both Edward & Mrs. Simpson and The Life and Times of David Lloyd George, and as Mac in the British comedy series Absolutely Fabulous and in The Professionals (episode "Runner") and The Sweeney ("Jackpot"). In 1964 he appeared in The Saint episode "The Loving Brothers". Australian TV roles included the title role of Jack Meredith in My Brother Jack (ABC-TV, 1965), and George King in Kings (1983).

Personal life

Memorial plaque to Ed Devereaux, Golders Green Crematorium

Devereaux's first wife was Irene Champion. Together they had four children: John (b. 1954), Steven (b. 1955), Timothy (b. 1956) and Matthew (b. 1962). Champion wrote the song for the Skippy spin-off movie The Intruders in 1969. She and Devereaux separated in 1986.

Death

Three months after he was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus, Devereaux died in his sleep of renal failure at his Hampstead home, at the age of 78, on 17 December 2003. He had insisted on being released from Royal Free Hospital to be at home with Julie, his second wife of 17 years.[1] He was cremated at the Golders Green Crematorium, where his ashes remain.

Selected filmography

References

  1. ↑ Sydney Morning Herald obituary. Retrieved 2011-03-05.

External links