Leonard Teale
| Leonard Teale | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Leonard George Thiele 26 September 1922 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Died | 14 May 1994 (aged 71) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1956-1986 |
| Spouse(s) | Liz Harris (1968-1994) (his death) (4 children) |
Leonard "Len" George Thiele AO (26 September 1922 – 14 May 1994), professionally Leonard Teale was a well-known Australian actor of radio, television and film known for his resonant baritone voice. He is best remembered for his role as David "Mac" Mackay in the long running Australian police drama Homicide.
Brisbane-born Leonard George Thiele (he later changed his surname professionally) attended Milton State Primary School in Brisbane. Radio roles included the dual roles of Superman/Clark Kent in the late 1940s- early 1950s, along with the lead role in Tarzan, regular appearances in radio variety programs such as the Bonnington's Bunkhouse Show, and voiceovers in countless commercials. He appeared in several feature films, including Smiley, Smiley Gets A Gun, and Bungala Boys. In the early 1950s, with Raymond Hanson, Roland Robinson and others, he helped form the short-lived Australian Cultural Defence Movement, aimed at protecting Australian art from the perceived inroads being made by other cultures, particularly from the U.S. The movement eventually faltered under the weight of anti-communist criticism. (His brother, Neville Thiele, was criticised for participating in left-wing theatre).
He was a co-compere of the radio ABC Children's Session, as "Chris" from 1951 to 1954 (also playing the title role in its Muddle-Headed Wombat serial), his involvement possibly cut short by management for political reasons. At this time he was still using the surname "Thiele" professionally.
Major television roles included a regular comedic role in the Mobil-Limb Show, host roles in variety programs Singalong and Folkmoot, and acting roles in locally produced drama series including Whiplash, The Hungry Ones, Adventure Unlimited, and Consider Your Verdict. He is best remembered, however, for his long-running role as Senior Detective (later Detective Sergeant) David "Mac" Mackay in Homicide from 1965–73. Homicide was Australia's first-ever locally produced TV police drama. Teale won a Logie for best Australian actor in 1974. He also hosted a documentary about the series, The Homicide Story, in 1970. Other leading television roles included Captain Woolcott in Seven Little Australians (1973), and headmaster Charles Ogilvy in school-based soap opera Class of '74 (1974–75).
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