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Charles 'Bud' Tingwell O.A.M
(3 January 1923 - 15 May 2009)
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Australian Film Television Actor
Theater - Writer - War Veteran







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Charles 'Bud' Tingwell was one of the greatest stars of Australian Film
and acted in his first motion picture in 1946
he went on to appear in more than 100 Films
and Television programs in both the United Kingdom and Australia.
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Bud Tingwell was born in the Sydney suburb of Coogee
the son of William Harvey Tingwell and Enid
as an adolescent his Father encouraged him to be an accountant
but Bud failed the entrance exam and fell in love with radio.
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While still at school he became a cadet at Sydney radio station 2CH
soon becoming the youngest radio announcer in Australia.
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In 1941, aged 18 Bud's Radio career was cut short when he volunteered
for war service overseas with the Royal Australian Air Force
under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan personnel.
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Commonwealth air forces formed part of a joint training
and assignment system and consequently
Bud trained as a pilot in Canada during 1942.
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Despite damaging a Harvard training aircraft in the August
of that year he later qualified as a pilot and was commissioned
as a Pilot Officer and posted that December
to the Mediterranean Theater for operational training
with No. 74 OTU RAF in British Palestine
to fly the famous Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire.
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He was then posted to active duty on a photo reconnaissance
unit No. 680 Squadron RAF and flew 75 missions
in Mosquitos and Spitfires during the North African Campaign
among the Allied invasion of Sicily.
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Other aircraft that he was qualified to fly included
the Bristol Blenheim Martin Baltimore, Bristol Beaufighter
and Airspeed Oxford.
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He was promoted to flying Officer in June of 1943
and flight Lieutenant in December of 1944.
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Towards the end of the war Bud was transferred
back to Australia and posted to No. 5
Operational Training Unit RAAF as a flying instructor
then too No. 87 Squadron RAAF
flying photo reconnaissance Mosquitoe planes
over the Dutch East Indies.
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On demobilization in 1946, he was awarded
the 1939 - 45 Star, Italy Star and Defense Medals
and remained a reservist in the Air Force into the 1950's.
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After returning to Australia
Bud married his childhood sweetheart Audrey May Wilson
who died in 1996 and they had two children.
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He then joined Doris Fitton's Independent Theater group
and appeared live on stage from the mid-1940's
in such classics as 'The Little Foxes' by Lillian Hellman
and Jean Giraudoux's 'The Madwoman of Chaillot'
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In 1946 Bud was given his very first film role
as a control tower officer in 'Smithy'
and several roles over the next few years
rising in prominence until he caught the attention
of Hollywood in 1952 and was awarded the part of
Lt Harry Carstairs in the all time film classic
'The Desert Rats' in which he appeared opposite
Chips Rafferty, James Mason and Richard Burton.
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After the filming of 'The Desert Rats' he remained
in Australia for three years making three further films
which included 'King of the Coral Sea'
featuring Chips Rafferty.
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In 1954 he co-starred with Gordon Chater
in 'Top of the Bill' the first of the famous live satirical
revues staged at Sydney's Phillip Street Theater in 1956.
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Bud moved to Britain the following year
and began his first recurring Television role as
Australian surgeon Alan Dawson in the live TV serial
'Emergency – Ward 10' and it's film spin-off
'Life in Emergency Ward 10' (1959).
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He played the role of Inspector Craddock in all four films
of the famous 'Miss Marple' series
starring Margaret Rutherford.
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In the late 1960's Bud performed various voice roles
for the Gerry Anderson Supermarionation TV series
'Thunderbirds' and in TV series
'Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons'.
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He then appeared in the first series of 'Catweazle'
and was the recurring character of Motel Manager
Kevin McArthur in 'Crossroads' in the late 1960's to early 70's.
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Bud appeared in many films during his time in Britain
spending a total of 16 years on screen
as a 'London Aussie' abroad.
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In 1973 he returned to his beloved Australia
with his wife and children
and shortly after won the role of Inspector
Reg Lawson in the long-running TV series
and highly successful Crawford production 'Homicide'.
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This was followed by roles in a number of major
Australian films such as 'Breaker Morant' (1980)
'Puberty Blues' (1981)
'All the Rivers Run' (1983).
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He played the recurring role of farmer Ted Campbell
in the soap 'A Country Practice' in the late 1980's
and as the Narrator from 'The Flying Scotsman In Australia'
Bud took on the role of Gramps in 'Charlie the Wonderdog'
a recurring TV segment on The Late Show
and then played lawyer Lawrence Hammill
in the Australian classic film 'The Castle' (1997).
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Bud later stated that this role helped him to recover
from the death of his wife the previous year.
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After the success of 'The Castle'
Buds career underwent a revival during the late 1990's
and early 2000's and take on roles in the commercial films
'The Craic' (1999) and 'The Dish' (2000)
the TV mini-series 'Changi' as well as the lead role
in the romantic drama film 'Innocence' (2000).
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Bud continued with a recurring role in the soap opera
'Neighbours' from 2000 to 2003 playing Henry O'Rourke
and had previously appeared in the soap in 1993
as Bert Willis and John Conroy in the musical theater
production of 'The Man from Snowy River' Arena Spectacular
which toured Australian capital cities twice during 2002.
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In 2004 Bud published a memoir 'Bud: A Life'
and he launched his own website in 2006
which attracted 500 registered users in just over a week.
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On the 5th October that year he created his first blog
and continued to act regularly in a number of films
and TV programs that are still in production
among his last appearances he hosted 'Celebrity Circus'
and '20 to 1' and appeared on a celebrity special
of 'Temptation' with his daughter, Virginia.
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Smithy (1946) .... Control Tower Officer
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Bitter Springs (1950) .... John King
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Kangaroo (1952) .... Matt
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I Found Joe Barton (1952) .... Al Munch
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The Desert Rats (1953) .... Lieutenant Harry Carstairs
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King of the Coral Sea (1953) .... Peter Merriman
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The Shiralee (1957) .... Jim Muldoon
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Dunkirk (1958) .... Sergeant in Cookhouse
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Life in Emergency Ward 10 (1959) .... Dr. Alan Dawson
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Bobbikins (1959) .... Luke Parker
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Cone of Silence (1960) .... Captain Braddock
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Tarzan the Magnificent (1960) . . .Conway
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Murder, She Said (1961) .... Inspector Craddock
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Murder at the Gallop (1963) .... Inspector Craddock
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Murder Most Foul (1964) .... Inspector Craddock
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Murder Ahoy! (1964) .... Inspector Craddock
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The Secret of Blood Island (1964) .... Major Dryden
Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966) .... Alan Kent -
Thunderbirds Are Go (1966) .... Dr. Tony Grant (voice)
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Nobody Runs Forever (1968) .... Jacko
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Petersen (1974) .... Reverend Petersen
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End Play (1975) .... Dr. Fairburn
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Eliza Fraser (1976) .... Duncan Fraser
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Summerfield (1977) .... Dr. Miller
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Money Movers (1978) .... Jack Henderson
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Breaker Morant (1980) .... Lt. Colonel Denny
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Puberty Blues (1981) .... The Headmaster
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Malcolm (1986) .... Tram Factory Boss
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Windrider (1986) .... Stewart Simpson Senior
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Bushfire Moon (1987)
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Evil Angels (a.k.a. A Cry in the Dark) (1988)
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The Flying Scotsman in Australia (1992) .... Narrator
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The Castle (1997) .... Lawrence Hammill QC
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Amy (1997) .... Country Doctor
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The Craic (1999) .... Farmer
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The Wog Boy (2000) .... Mr. Walker
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Innocence (2000) .... Andreas Borg
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The Dish (2000) .... Reverend Loftus
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Irresistible (2006) .... Sam
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Menzies and Churchill at War (2008)
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Three Blind Mice (2008)
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Emergency – Ward 10 (1957) .... Dr. Alan Dawson
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The Avengers (1963).... Mike Venner
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An Enemy of the State (1965) .... Harry Sutton
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The Avengers (1967) .... Dr. Neville
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A Man of our Times (1968) .... David Soames
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Catweazle (1970) .... Mr. Bennet
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UFO (1970) .... Beaver James
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Homicide (1973–76) .... Inspector Reg Lawson
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The Sullivans (1976) .... Dr. Hammond
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All the Rivers Run (1983 mini-series) .... Uncle Charles
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All the Rivers Run 2 (1989 mini-series) ... Uncle Charles
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The Late Show (1993) .... Gramps in "Charlie the Wonder Dog"
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Mother and Son (1994) .... The Judge
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The Silver Brumby (1998) .... Benni
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Neighbours (2000, 2003) .... Henry O'Rourke
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Changi (2001) .... David Colins (in old age)
Partial Television Appearances
The Shaun Miller Foundation
FOUNDATION PATRON
partial film appearances





Bud was appointed a member of the 'Order of Australia' in 1999
Queen's Birthday Honours inducted into the 'Logie Hall of Fame' in 1994
inducted into 'Australian Film Walk of Fame' in 2008
in honour of his outstanding career and achievements in Film and Television.
Charles 'Bud' Tingwell ... my mentor, my colleague, my friend
you we're a legend of the silver screen and a legend in Shaun's life...
you we're simply the best and you will never be forgotten. xCam

