Ronald Norman HaddrickMBE AM (9 April 1929 – 11 February 2020) was an Australian actor, narrator andSouth Australian cricketer. In 2012, he received theActors Equity Lifetime Achievement Award for his long and distinguished career in media, spanning some seventy years both locally and also in Britain. He appeared in manyShakespearean roles and often performed with theatre actressRuth Cracknell.^[1][2]

At the time of this Lifetime Achievement Award, playwrightDavid Williamson said, "Ron Haddrick was chosen for two reasons. He’s a great actor, definitely one of the greatest of his generation, and also a great human being who has enriched the lives of countless Australians through his acting. He has also enriched the lives of many of us who work in the theatre because of his dedication and palpable decency."

In presenting the award, actorJohn Bell said Haddrick's "career has been extraordinary ... he is undoubtedly one of the leading lights in the Australian acting industry and he is much loved, admired and respected, because of both his professionalism and his good nature."^[3] On news of his death,Bell Shakespeare said: “a legend of Australian theatre ... it was a privilege to have him grace our stage”.^[4]

Haddrick was born inAdelaide,South Australia, the only son of Olive May (née Gibson) and Alexander Norman Haddrick.^[5] Haddrick's wife, Lorraine, received theAustralian Sports Medal in 2000 for her "outstanding dedication to athletics as a volunteer official for 32 years".^[6] They had two children:NIDA graduate Lynette Haddrick^[7] and screenwriter and producerGreg Haddrick, and three grandchildren, Taya, Milly and Jack Haddrick.^[8]

In 2011 three generations of the Haddrick family were involved in the production of the Australian miniseriesCloudstreet. Ron Haddrick was the narrator, Greg Haddrick was a producer, and Mille Haddrick was an actor.^[9]

As a sportsman, Haddrick playedfirst-class cricket during the 1950s, representingSouth Australia on three occasions in theSheffield Shield competition.^[10][11]

Haddrick first appeared on the stage in 1949^[12] at theAdelaide Tivoli Theatre. Later, he was invited to join the Stratford Memorial Theatre (now theRoyal Shakespeare Theatre). During five seasons inStratford-upon-Avon he performed withLaurence Olivier,Vivien Leigh,John Gielgud,Peggy Ashcroft andMichael Redgrave.

On his return to Sydney, he gained roles with theTrust Players. After theOld Tote Theatre Company formed, Haddrick played in more than forty productions.

Haddrick has worked extensively in radio and TV throughout his career, notably for theAustralian Broadcasting Corporation. He made an early television appearance in the 1960 television playClose to the Roof. He had his first starring TV role as Dr. William Redfern inThe Outcasts. He later appeared as the alien "Adam Suisse" inG K Saunders' pioneering children's science fiction seriesThe Stranger, broadcast on the ABC in 1964–65. In 1969 and again in1982, he voiced Ebenezer Scrooge for two Australian-produced adaptations ofA Christmas Carol. He worked along the same lines in the Australian animation field in 1977 with a shorter version of Jules Verne'sJourney to the Center of the Earth.

Haddrick also narrated six audio books of the British children's TV seriesThomas the Tank Engine & Friends, released by ABC For Kids. These were written byChristopher Awdry and illustrated by Ken Stott.

Haddrick is also known for having narrated all audio books of the Australian children's/young adult fantasy book seriesDeltora Quest, written byEmily Rodda.

Other stage work in the '70s and ‘80s included major roles forSydney Theatre Company,State Theatre Company of South Australia andQueensland Theatre Company in classics and new Australian plays. He also played extensive seasons of theNimrod Theatre Company production ofThe Club. Haddrick received two of the now defunct "Sydney Theatre Critics Circle Awards" for his performances inLong Day's Journey into Night andI'm Not Rappaport.

In the 1990s he played many roles for Marian Street Theatre and the STC, includingKing Lear and Wacka Dawson inThe One Day of the Year.

Haddrick appeared in Australian-made television fromCertain Women andHeartbreak High toFarscape and in numerous feature films. Haddrick also played onThe Lost Islands, as the tyrant "Q", a 200-year-old ruler. On radio, he has performed in hundreds of dramas, documentaries, and special features. He was frequently heard reading poetry for theABC.^[13]

In 1960 Haddrick appeared at theAdelaide Festival of Arts in a production ofMurder in the Cathedral inBonython Hall. It marked the start of a long working partnership between Haddrick andRuth Cracknell. In 1970 they performed inSophocles'Oedipus Rex. It was directed for the Old Tote in Sydney by SirTyrone Guthrie and toured widely. In 1973, Haddrick, Ruth Cracknell,Gordon Chater andGarry McDonald appeared at the Australian Theatre in Newtown in a miscellany calledAurora Australis. They were in the Old Tote's production of David Williamson'sWhat If You Died Tomorrow? in 1974; it toured Australia and played in London at theComedy Theatre. In the late 1970s, they were in two Peter Williams' productions at theTheatre Royal, Sydney,Bedroom Farce andThe Gin Game.

In 1983 Haddrick and Cracknell played the theatrical Mr and Mrs Crummles inRichard Wherrett’s production of David Edgar's two-partDickens marathon,The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby for theSydney Theatre Company. This played at the Theatre Royal in Sydney and the State Theatre in Melbourne. In 1990 they were reunited inA.R. Gurney'sLove Letters for the Sydney Theatre Company.^[14]

Haddrick died at home at age 90 in Sydney surrounded by his wife and family on 11 February 2020. A memorial service was held at The Parade Theatre atNIDA on 1 March 2020. Speakers included his daughter Lyn, his granddaughter Millie, his son Greg, actors Kirrily Nolan andPeter CarrollAM, directorsAubrey MellorOAM andJohn BellAOOBE and former Australian cricket captainIan Chappell.^[15][16]

• In 1974 he was made aMember of the Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) – For services to the Arts.^[17]
• In 1977 he received theQueen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal.
• In 2012 he was awarded anActors Equity Lifetime Achievement Award – for a lifetime combining a phenomenal career with generous leadership and selfless mentorship presented byActors Equity Australia.^[18]
• In 2013 he was made aMember of the Order of Australia (General Division) – For significant service to the performing arts as an actor and narrator.^[19]

• Ron Haddrick atIMDb

• Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia
• 1929 births
• 2020 deaths
• Male actors from Adelaide
• Australian cricketers
• Australian male Shakespearean actors
• Australian male film actors
• Australian male musical theatre actors
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• Australian television presenters
• Australian male voice actors
• Members of the Order of Australia
• Australian Members of the Order of the British Empire
• South Australia cricketers
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• 20th-century Australian sportsmen

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