Richard Meikle

Richard Meikle (10 October 1929 – 2 June 1991) was an Australian actor who worked extensively in film, theatre, and radio. He was the father of writer Sam Meikle.

Career

Meikle began his career as a stage actor. His first recorded role was in Metropolitan Theatre's production of Ned Kelly in 1947.[1]

In the 1950s, Meikle moved into radio acting, most prominently with Grace Gibson Radio Productions. Meikle's voice landed him many major roles with the company as both an actor and an announcer. Meikle was included in Reg James' list of his favourite Grace Gibson performances for his starring role alongside John Unicomb in the serial Becket.[2] Another factor working in Meikle's favour was his ability and desire to perform his own sound effects. Grace Gibson Productions' budget did not cover a professional sound effects person and as such actors who could do effects themselves were highly sought after. Reg James noted Meikle would often compete for rights to do sound effects with his co-stars Ron Roberts and James Condon.[3]

Meikle played London-based spy Guy Marriott. 1966 produced several roles for Meikle. He was used in the dual role of actor and announcer in The Shame of Sefton Ridge, an adaptation of Hamilton Basso's novel The View from Pompey's Head. Meikle read the opening credits and played the character of Mickey Higgens. Meikle's other role that year was that of henchman Paul Kruger in another Phillip Mann drama The Red Gardenia. Meikle also read the end credits of a few episodes. Another major role in the 60s for Meikle was as Logan Berkeley in Ross Napier's adaptation of the novel Borrasca. Borrasca was another example of Grace Gibson using Meikle as an announcer.

The early 1970s also proved to be a busy time for Meikle with Grace Gibson. He had another actor/announcer job in the form of Ross Napier's So Help Me God in 1970, where he read the credits for each episode and played criminal Toby Laird. Meikle had starring roles in the 1971 shows I Killed Grace Random and I, Christopher Macaulay, where he played copywriter Curtis Miller and the titular character respectively.

As television started to become more prevalent, Meikle began to branch out in the late 1970s. He appeared in several television movies, including Harvest of Hate, where he replaced Sir Robert Helpmann in the role of vineyard owner John Camden.[4] In 1976, Meikle had a major role as Martin Gruman in the one hour pilot episode of the television drama Bluey.

In 1982, Meikle returned to Grace Gibson and joined the cast of Grace Gibson's most popular serial, The Castlereagh Line. Meikle played Jim Holly.

Personal life

Richard was the son of Leslie Meikle, an engineer, and Alma May Meikle née Milsted.[5] Richard married twice: in 1955 to Lola Edna Brooks, an actress, with whom he had a son. He married again in 1968, to Helen Millicent Madgwick, by whom he had another four children. Richard's obituary appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald on 4 June 1991.

Filmography
YearTitleRoleNotes
1954Starlight TheatreRadio
1957A Fourth for BridgeTV movie
1957The Importance of Being EarnestTV movie
1957In the ZoneTV movie
1958Radio CabScott SullivanRadio
1958This Land AustraliaShort
1959On the BeachDavis
1959Not to be TakenSteven DaviesRadio (original voice)
1960ITV Play of the WeekLindsey StoneEpisode: "The Night of the Big Heat"
1961No Hiding PlaceArthur WolfEpisode: "The Long Stretch"
1961WhiplashPecos DenversEpisode: "Episode in Bathurst"
1961A Night OutGidneyTV movie
1962The Taming of the ShrewTV movie
1962Sara DaneIrish rebel convictRadio
1963The RobeMarcellus GallioRadio
1964Too Young to DieLarry GatesRadio
1964Pray for a Brave HeartRadio
1965The AffairTV movie
1965My Brother JackDud Rosevear1 episode
1965The Tilsit InheritanceJimRadio
1965BecketKing Henry IIRadio
1966The Red GardeniaPaul Kruger / AnnouncerRadio
1966The Shame of Sefton RidgeMickey Higgens / AnnouncerRadio
1967Love and WarTV movie
1967The Sinners of SonomaRobby BarrowRadio
1967ContrabanditsSam KodiakEpisode: "Target, Smokehouse"
1968BorrascaLogan BerkeleyRadio
1968KinkheadWarren ButlerRadio
1968UndercoverGuy MarriottRadio
1968The BattlersTV movie
1968HunterPhan LinEpisode: "Brain Storm"
1968-1969I've Married a BachelorGuru Chanderadas2 episodes
1969RiptideAlex KolonisEpisode: "Good Friday Island"
1969DeltaBill PrescottEpisode: "The Devil Take the Blue Tongue Fly"
1969Woobinda, Animal DoctorEpisode: "No Love for Theodore"
1969-1973Division 4Gil Williamson / Ian Taylor / James Marshall8 episodes
1970The RoversProfessor AndersonEpisode: "A Present for Jenny"
1970So Help Me GodToby Laird / AnnouncerRadio
1971I Killed Grace RandomCurtis Miller / AnnouncerRadio
1971I, Christopher MacaulayChristopher MacaulayRadio
1972Barrier ReefJoe FrancisEpisode: "The Speckled Stone Fish"
1972HomicideBarringtonEpisode: "From the Top"
1972CatwalkChristopher KemperEpisode: "Try Anything Twice"
1972The Prince and the PauperVoice, TV movie
1972-1976Matlock PoliceRoy 'Tiger' Donovan / Neil Thomas / Norman West3 episodes
1973The Count of Monte CristoTV movie
1973The Three MusketeersTV movie
1973Certain WomenGeorge Lindsay6 episodes
1974Moving On
1976BlueyMartin GrumanEpisode: "The First Bloody Day"
1976The Young DoctorsLes Bradley1 episode
1976Silent Night, Holy NightTV movie
1977Glenview HighMichael WilsonEpisode: "Quiet Nights and Silent Deaths"
1977Dot and the KangarooJack the FarmhandVoice / casting director
1978The Restless YearsSenator Ross Lindsay26 episodes
1978Chopper SquadGeorge DeaconEpisode: "8:52 A.M."
1979Harvest of HateJohn CamdenTV movie
1979The Little ConvictSergeant Bully LangtonVoice, casting director / production manager
1979Cop ShopFrank Dobson4 episodes
1981Doctors and NursesThe President
1982The Castlereagh LineJim Holly / William HollyRadio
1982-1987A Country PracticeFred Murray / Arthur Ryan / Jim Higgins6 episodes
1983Scales of JusticePremier CooperEpisode: "The Numbers"
1983Who Killed Baby Azaria?Coroner GalvinTV movie
1984For Love or MoneyHimselfDocumentary
1984The Last BastionGeneral VaseyTV Mini-Series
1985The Pickwick PapersVoice, TV movie
1985The Adventures of Robin HoodVoice, TV movie
1985The Man in the Iron MaskVoice, TV movie
1985Sons and DaughtersColonel Gerrard Bainbridge5 episodes
1985Stock SquadTV movie
1985RobberyMajor GeneralTV movie
1986KidnappedVoice, TV movie
1986The Hunchback of Notre DameVoice, TV movie
1988The Dirtwater DynastyMr. J. James1 episode
1990Home and AwayParamedic1 episode
UnknownCrisis PointNarratorTV Radio
UnknownRequiem for Paul JasonEric MillgateRadio
UnknownThe Silent WitnessLes Callaghan / End CreditsRadio
UnknownStep Into Deep WatersLeslie GalvinRadio
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References
  1. "Richard Meikle". AusStage. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  2. James, Reg (2015). A Theatre in my Mind. Fremantle, Western Australia: Vivid Publishing. p. 55. ISBN 978-1-925341-34-8.
  3. James, Reg (2015). A Theatre in my Mind. Fremantle, Western Australia: Vivid Publishing. p. 60. ISBN 978-1-925341-34-8.
  4. "Harvest of Hate". OzMovies. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  5. New South Wales Electoral Rolls
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