Biography for
Frank Thring (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

11 May 1926, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Date of Death

29 December 1994, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (cancer)

Birth Name

Francis William Thring Jr.

Height

6' 2" (1.88 m)

Trade Mark

Often played refined, autocratic villains

Trivia

His father, F.W. Thring, invented the forerunner of the clapperboard still in use today. He was also big in early theatre and film production in Australia.

Cold-eyed Australian character actor known particularly for his biblical villains Pontius Pilate in Ben-Hur (1959) and King Herod in King of Kings (1961). Also played Herod in an acclaimed 1950s stage production of "Salome.".

Formed his own stock company as actor-manager, after acquiring the Middle Park Repertory Company in Melbourne, renaming it The Arrow.

Served just six weeks in the RAF in 1945, then made his stage debut at the age of 19 in 'Henry VIII' at the Melbourne Repertory Theatre in Middle Park. First theatrical appearance in Britain at the Q Theatre in Chiswick in 1954. Became a regular player with the Union Theatre Repertory Company in Melbourne from 1959.

Started as a sound effects man on radio with 3XY, before becoming an actor. His first regular role on radio was as part-Aboriginal detective Napoleon Bonaparte (later made into a television serial entitled 'Boney', starring James Laurenson).