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Frank Clewlow

From Alfawiki
Frank Clewlow
Born
Frank Dawson Clewlow

(1885-10-01) 1 October 1885 (age 141)
Stone, Staffordshire, England
Died13 June 1957(1957-06-13) (aged 71)
Other namesStafford Dawson
Occupation(s)Actor, theatre director, theatre manager, radio producer
Years active1909–1950s
Known forFederal Controller of Productions at the Australian Broadcasting Commission; director of Melbourne Repertory Theatre Society

Frank Dawson Clewlow (born between October and December 1885 – died 13 June 1957), who was also professionally recognized as Stafford Dawson, was an English-born performer, director, producer for stage and radio, as well as a theatre manager. His career spanned England and Scotland throughout the 1910s and 1920s before relocating to Australia in 1926. By 1936, he assumed the role of Federal Controller of Productions at the Australian Broadcasting Commission (which later became the Australian Broadcasting Corporation – ABC).

Early life

Clewlow was born in Stone, Staffordshire, England to parents Joseph Clewlow and Mary Jane Dawson, and had two younger brothers or sisters. He received his education at Alleyne's Grammar School and pursued studies in mathematics, physics, chemistry, zoology, and botany at the University of Birmingham. Inspired by figures such as Barry Jackson (director) and John Drinkwater (playwright), he left university prior to completing his degree to follow a career in theatre, joining a repertory troupe based in Ilkeston, Derbyshire.

From 1909, under the stage name "Stafford Dawson," he spent two years as lead actor and stage manager working with Annie Horniman at the Manchester Gaiety Theatre, Manchester, then embarked on a Far East tour with Allan Wilkie in 1911.

Upon returning to England, Clewlow was appointed actor-producer by Barry Jackson at the newly established Birmingham Repertory Company from 1913 to 1918. He appeared in numerous productions ranging from Shakespearean dramas to contemporary plays.

List of plays


Director-producer

He took on roles such as Touchstone and Sir Andrew Aguecheek with Ian McLaren's company. In November 1921, he collaborated with Herbert Pochin and Walter Martin to explore founding the Leicester Drama Society. The first official meeting took place on 25 January 1922 at the Chamber of Commerce where he was appointed Honorary Secretary. Subsequently, on 11 April 1922 a public gathering at Leicester's Association Hall resulted in creating a Leicester branch of the British Drama Society, which he directed for three years. Among the trio who founded it, he was uniquely experienced as an actor. During this period, his productions included:


Scottish productions

Between 1922 and 1947, he acted as producer for the Scottish National Theatre Society at venues such as The Athenaeum Theatre, Glasgow and Museum Hall in Bridge of Allan. His directorial credits during this time included:

Additionally, he served as stage manager for the Royal Carl Rosa Opera Company.

Immigration to Australia and personal life

In 1926, he relocated to Australia alongside Wilkie, pursuing work as an actor and stage director. He wed Minnie Suckling, an actress from the same company; prior to this, he had been married to Gertrude Mary T Littlewood in Manchester between April and June 1910. His performances in Australia and New Zealand included roles such as Henry VIII, Mercutio, and Lafeu at venues like Theatre Royal in Hobart and Otago Theatre in Dunedin.

Career in Australia

During this era, he encountered actor Catherine Duncan, with whom he later formed a professional partnership.

In 1928, he took over as director of the Melbourne Repertory Theatre Society, following Gregan McMahon. His productions featured works like The Touch of Silk by Australian playwright Betty Roland. His secretary, Angel Symon, assembled an important collection of theatrical memorabilia now preserved at the University of Adelaide. Financial struggles led to the dissolution of the Repertory Theatre around 1930.

He remained prominently visible in public life by delivering poetry readings, lecturing on German theatre and poetry, judging eisteddfods and elocution competitions, and inaugurating art exhibitions. In July 1931, he authored The Future of the Theatre for the left-leaning literary periodical Stream, alongside a piece by Nettie Palmer.

In 1930, he directed Coral Browne’s stage debut in George Bernard Shaw's You Never Can Tell at Melbourne's Garrick Theatre.

Around the same time, he organized a series titled "great plays" for 3LO, part of the Australian Broadcasting Commission, which led to his appointment as Director of Drama for the station in 1931. He assembled a talented group of radio actors for weekly broadcasts and collaborated with Sydney’s counterpart Laurence Halbert through program sharing.

By 1938, he was appointed National Director of Productions for the ABC in Sydney under (later Sir) Charles Moses, who was centralizing operations. During this period, radio drama was Australia's dominant entertainment form and a major employer for actors. Leaders like him played a crucial role in shaping careers and determining program success.

Notable accomplishments include:

  • Discovering Ida Elizabeth Osbourne in 1934 and casting her in radio roles.
  • Commissioning Edmund Barclay's serial As Ye Sow in 1937.
  • Selecting then-unknown Nigel Lovell for adaptations such as The Wild Ass's Skin and Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in 1939.
  • Establishing a national children’s radio program authorized by Charles Moses in 1939; Osbourne developed the influential Children's Session and Argonauts Club.
  • Signing future star Peter Finch that same year.
  • Producing the celebrated radio play The Fire on the Snow by Douglas Stewart in 1941 with Osbourne narrating.
  • Engaging Gwen Meredith in 1943 to create The Lawsons, a radio serial blending agricultural education with entertainment; it aired from 1944 to 1949 before evolving into the landmark Blue Hills, which continued until 1976.
  • Appointing Catherine Duncan as a radio playwright after reviewing her work The Sword Sung.

Nevertheless, internal competition arose from figures like Leslie Rees and Lawrence H Cecil, who gained prominence. His uncompromising standards and forthright manner estranged some peers. In 1950, he was removed from his role and reluctantly reassigned to Hobart to produce theatrical works.

Recognition

External links

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