Gordon Chater

Gordon Chater
Born	Gordon Maitland Chater 6 April 1922(1922-04-06) London, England
Died	12 December 1999(1999-12-12) (aged 77) Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Gordon Chater (6 April 1922, London, England – 12 December 1999, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia) was a comedian and actor.

Chater attended Cambridge University to study to become a doctor but did not finish his degree. While at Cambridge he took part in many student revues.

He arrived in Australia following World War II. He first came to prominence in Australia as a stage and radio actor, and was a cast member of the 1963 Sydney season of Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard, the debut production by the Old Tote Theatre Company, the precursor to the Sydney Theatre Company.

Chater became a national TV star when he was cast with Carol Raye and Barry Creyton in the Australian satirical television series The Mavis Bramston Show,^[1] for which he won the 1966 Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television. He cemented his popularity with the title role in the popular sitcom My Name's McGooley, What's Yours?,^[1] playing the elderly live-in father of a young married couple, played by John Meillon and Judi Farr. He appeared in many other television comedy series. His fellow actors included Ray Barrett and Charles "Bud" Tingwell, among others.

Stage roles in Australia

Amongst work in many other shows, Chater appeared in:

• the The Rocky Horror Show in Brisbane in 1988^[2]
• The STC production of "The Importance of Being Earnest" as both "Lane" and "Merriman" in 1990.^[2]
• Lady Bracknell's Confinement at the Playhouse, in Melbourne in 1993.^[2]

Gordon Chater later worked in the United States, including appearing on Broadway.

In the 1970s Chater was particularly associated with the play The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin by Steve J. Spears, the stage role for which he became best known. The play broke new ground in Australian theatre with its shocking opening scene (in which Chater walked onstage naked) and its discussion of paedophilia.^[1]

Awards

• Winner of the Macquarie Award in 1952 for Comedy Performance on Radio
• Winner of the Gold Logie in 1966 for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television (The Mavis Bramston Show)

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} McDonald, Philippa (1999-12-13). "7:30 Report:Gordon Chater dies aged 77". www.abc.net.au/ Australian Broadcasting Corporation. http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/stories/s73089.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-08. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Contributor Identifier: 225086 Contributor Name:Gordon Chater". www.ausstage.edu.au. http://www.ausstage.edu.au/indexdrilldown.jsp?xcid=59&f_contrib_id=225086&f_event_id=12571. Retrieved 2009-02-08. 

External links

• Gordon Chater – Stage acting credits
• "The Dictionary of Performing Arts in Australia — Theatre . Film . Radio . Television — Volume 1" — Ann Atkinson, Linsay Knight, Margaret McPhee — Allen & Unwin Pty. Ltd., 1996
• "The Australian Film and Television Companion" — compiled by Tony Harrison — Simon & Schuster Australia, 1994
• "The Importance of Being Earnest" — (information and photo): [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]
• Gordon Chater at the Internet Movie Database
• Gordon Chater – at the Internet Broadway Database
• Gordon Chater Dies aged 77 – Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• My Name's McGooley – What's Yours? – Classic Australian Television
• The Mavis Bramston Show
• The History of The Mavis Bramston Show
• Tributes 1999 – Gordon Chater – Mark Juddery Tributes

Persondata
Name	Chater, Gordon
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	6 April 1922
Place of birth	London, England
Date of death	12 December 1999
Place of death	Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia