Maxwell Hamilton Osbiston (7 August 1914 – 12 March 1981) was an Australian actor, active in radio, stage, film and television.
Biography
Osbiston was born in Sydney, the son of Frank[1] and Iolanthe Osbiston (née Margoliouth) of
Cremorne, New South Wales.
He spent three years at the
Agricultural School at
Yanco, followed by
North Sydney High School. He left school during the
Great Depression, and with difficulty found employment delivering bread, and spent some time panning for gold in the
Central West.
On his return to Sydney he found employment as a traveler for a firm selling dentists' supplies, and remained in this business for four years.[2]
His professional stage career started with a small part in Of Mice and Men at the
Minerva, which did not go unnoticed, and followed with French Without Tears at the same theatre, for which he received the highest accolades. Both plays were produced by
Harvey Adams.[4]
Osbiston served with the RAAF during WWII, but details are hard to find, though he may have attained the rank of
flight lieutenant.[5]
Osbiston married Beulah "Babs" Mayhew of
Ermington, New South Wales sometime around early 1939. They had appeared together as a couple in the radio series As Ye Sow,[6] and continued to work on the same shows wherever possible, Mrs Osbiston continuing to appear as "Babs Mayhew".
Max Osbiston was a cousin of film editor
Alan Brigstocke Osbiston (7 May 1914 – 1971) — see chart below.
Selected appearances
Radio
Osbiston had roles in literally hundreds of radio dramas, including:
Three children of Samuel Osbiston of
Ryburgh, Norfolk, England found their way to Australia. Several descendants were prominent in banking, mining and the arts in Sydney:
Frank Frederic Osbiston (c. 1843 – 23 April 1902) mine manager; worked in America,[12] died at
Coolgardie, Western Australia.[13]
Robert Osbiston of Campbelltown (c. 1846 – 16 November 1898) economist,[14] secretary of the Bankers Institute, married Sarah Elizabeth Ann "Annie" Finch on 23 December 1871 in
Chelsea, London.
(Robert) Newton Osbiston (c. 1872 – 24 February 1902) married Susan Jane "Susie" Allison on 7 February 1900. She married again, to Arthur Smith of Cheviot Hills Station,
Drake, New South Wales
Frances Allison Osbiston ( – ) married Alexander Wyatt Martin on 19 February 1927
Ann Osbiston (1874–1964)
Francis "Frank" Osbiston (16 September 1876 – 16 May 1953). He married Iolanthe Yolande Lindsay Margoliouth of New Zealand on 23 December 1911, lived at Cremorne.
Francis Robert "Bob" Osbiston (25 January 1913 – ) served as war correspondent for the Sydney Truth and Daily Mirror. He married Winifred Joan Collins, daughter of painter and broadcaster
Albert Collins, on 30 April 1938 and had two children. They divorced in 1946.[15] She married again, to Neville Ballard Lewis on 16 February 1948.
Maxwell Hamilton Osbiston (7 August 1914 – 12 March 1981) married Beulah "Babs" Mayhew (died 2004) early in 1939.
daughter (18 July 1944 – )
Karen Osbiston (c. 1946 – )
Judith Lindsay Osbiston (5 September 1917 – ) married John Rorke, lived in
Arcadia, New South Wales.
David John Osbiston (5 October 1918 – 18 September 1996)
Michael Osbiston ( – ) youngest son of Frank,[1] was another actor.[16] (Check SMH 26 May 1962 p.68)
Charles Alan Osbiston (c. 1881–c. 1957) married Emily Florence Brigstocke on 6 July 1912