The first proper television job I had was playing one of the lead roles in the British ITV series “Emergency Ward 10” as Australian surgeon Alan Dawson. I was offered a couple of other things, but this one looked the most interesting. It was only about three episodes of an experimental show. Live-to-air drama about medical matters and set in a hospital. After the first performance, people started to rave about it. By the second week, I think it rated Number One. I was amazed one day when the phone rang ... and the chap at the other end said, "Oh, I am George Pollock. I'm about to direct a film starring Margaret Rutherford and we're wondering whether you could get time off from your medical series to play the part of Inspector Craddock."

Inspector Craddock and Miss Marple - Murder She Said

So, I was granted leave from the series and participated in several films including all four Miss Marple “Murder” films with Dame Margaret Rutherford for M.G.M. I left “Emergency Ward 10” hoping to return to Australia for a stage play; however the play fell through, so I freelanced in film, theatre, television and radio. I played leads for B.B.C radio, TV series and plays, such as “Enemy of the State” for BBC and “Catweazle” for London Weekend Television.

London was a wonderful experience. Throughout my time in the UK, I toured in several plays; formed my own theatre company, Altinger Productions, with John Alderton and David Butler; wrote and toured the play “54321” and also performed in special seasons, including Morell in “Candida” at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Queeg in “Caine Mutiny Court Martial” at the Sybil Thorndike Theatre and George in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

I directed a special season of “Doctor in the House” in Blackpool and “The Collector”: at the Kings Head Theatre, in London. Then, in 1970, I took over the lead role as Danvers in “There’s a Girl in My Soup” at London’s Comedy Theatre for two years.