Laurence George "Laurie" Main (29 November 1922 – 8 February 2012) was an Australian actor best known for hosting and narrating the children's series Welcome to Pooh Corner, which aired on The Disney Channel during the 1980s.
Laurie Main | |
---|---|
Born | Laurence George Main 29 November 1922 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
Died | 8 February 2012 Los Angeles, California, U.S. | (aged 89)
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1953–2003 |
Born in Melbourne, Main moved to the UK at the age of 16, making his acting debut in The Yellow Balloon.[1][2] He emigrated to the United States in 1960, studying with Agnes Moorehead.[3]
His television and film guest appearances include Wagon Train, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Maverick, I Spy, The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., Get Smart, The Andy Griffith Show, The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze, That Girl, Ironside, The Monkees, Hogan's Heroes, Mayberry R.F.D., The Ghost & Mrs. Muir, Daniel Boone, Family Affair, Bewitched, The Partridge Family, McMillan & Wife, Land of the Lost, Little House on the Prairie, Punky Brewster and Murder, She Wrote.[4][1] Main also appeared in The Facts of Life Goes to Paris in 1982.[1]
His stage work included The Diary of a Nobody (1954/5) and Waltz of the Toreadors (1956) in London's West End; and he made several appearances on Broadway.[5][6][7]
He also appeared on many television commercials.
Main also did considerable voice work for Disney, having supplied the voice of Dr. Watson in the 1986 animated film The Great Mouse Detective.[8] He also narrated the animated shorts Winnie the Pooh Discovers the Seasons (1981) and Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore (1983), as well as serving as the story reader on many Disney Read-Along records, audio cassettes and compact discs.[9]
Main died on 8 February 2012 in Los Angeles, California at the age of 89.[3]
Filmography
edit- The Yellow Balloon (1953) as Bibulous Customer
- The Master Plan (1955) as Johnny Orwell
- Shop Spoiled (1954) as Coffee Stall Customer
- Delavine Affair (1954) as Summit
- The Adventures of Robin Hood (1956) (TV Series) as Cook
- The New Adventures of Charlie Chan (1958) (TV Series) as Cecil Meadows
- The Whole Truth (1958) as Party Guest
- Fair Game (1958) (TV Series) as George Square
- Sunday Night Theatre (1958-1959) (TV Series) as Mihaly Farkas / Father Looe
- Dow Hour of Great Mysteries (1960) (TV Series) as Connors
- Shirley Temple Theatre (1960) (TV Series) as Archbishop of Canterbury
- The DuPont Show of the Month (1960) (TV Series)
- Maverick (1960-1961) (TV Series) as Crimmins / Marquis of Bognor
- Vanity Fair (1961) (TV Series)
- Bachelor Father (1961) (TV Series) as Beechim
- Wagon Train (1961) (TV Series) as Father Francis Xavier Sweeney
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1961) (Season 6 Episode 19: "The Landlady") as Wilkins
- Play of the Week (1961) (TV Series) as Roger Compton
- Jane Eyre (1961) (TV Movie) as St. John Rivers
- Great Ghost Tales (1961) (TV Series) as Sir Robert Tyne
- Alcoa Premiere (1961) (TV Series) as Sergeant Hadley
- Ichabod and Me (1961) (TV Series) as Arthur Barnsdall
- The Dick Powell Theatre (1961) (TV Series) as Harold Elrod
- Hawaiian Eye (1962) (TV Series) as Sir Wilfrid
- The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor (1962) (TV series) as Colonel Driscoll
- The Phantom of the Opera (1962) as Forbes (uncredited)
- The Punch and Judy Man (1963) as 2nd Drunk
- The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze (1963) as Carruthers (uncredited)
- The DuPont Show of the Week (1963) (TV Series) as J.T. Cooper
- The Third Man (1963-1965) (TV Series) as Dennis Nesbit
- Daniel Boone (1964) (TV Series) as Benjamin Franklin
- The Jack Benny Program (1964) (TV Series) as Dr. Granger
- I'd Rather Be Rich (1964) as Harrison
- My Fair Lady (1964) as Hoxton Man Not Hoston (uncredited)
- Honey West (1965) (TV Series) as Antoine
- Munster, Go Home! (1966) as Minor Role (uncredited)
- I Spy (1966) (TV Series) as Luchesi
- The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. (1966) (TV Series) as Shah Karum
- Hogan's Heroes (1966-1969) (TV Series) as Air Marshal Woodhouse / Colonel Wembley / Major Shawcross / Colonel Franz
- Get Smart (1967) (TV Series) as Dr. Ramsey
- The Scorpio Letters (1967) (TV Movie) as Tyson
- The Andy Griffith Show (1967) (TV Series) as Robling Flask
- The Iron Horse (1967) (TV Series) as Father Jean Louis
- That Girl (1967) (TV Series) as Grimsley / Maitre D'
- Bewitched (1967-1971) (TV series) as Tour Guide / Guide / Francis
- The Guns of Will Sonnett (1968) (TV Series) as Judge
- Ironside (1968) (TV Series) as Harris
- The Monkees (1968) (TV Series) as Mr. Friar
- Family Affair (1968-1970) (TV Series) as Mr. Edgemont / Passenger / Mr. Smyser
- Target: Harry (1969) as Simon Scott
- Mayberry R.F.D. (1969) (TV Series) as Thornton Avery
- The Ghost & Mrs. Muir (1970) (TV Series) as Nero
- Daniel Boone (1965-1970) (TV Series) as Stinch / Sir Samuel Peacham / Benjamin Franklin
- On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970) as Lord Percy
- Darling Lili (1970) as French General
- Night Chase (1970) (TV Movie) as Tout
- Cat Ballou (1971) (TV Movie) as Land Developer
- The Doris Day Show (1971) (TV Series) as Father Kingsley
- Private Parts (1972) as Reverend Moon
- The Partridge Family (1972) (TV Series) as Frederic La Forge
- McMillan & Wife (1973) (TV Series) as Alfie
- The Strongest Man in the World (1975) as Mr. Reedy
- My Father's House (1975) (TV Movie) as Food Editor
- Land of the Lost (1976) (TV Series) as William Blandings
- Freaky Friday (1976) as Mr. Mills
- Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977) as Duval
- Five Weeks in a Balloon (1977) (TV Movie) (voice)
- Black Beauty (1978) (TV movie) as Farmer Grey / Squire Douglas Gordon / Pipe Smoking Stable Owner (voice)
- Time After Time (1979) as Inspector Gregson
- ABC Weekend Specials (1979) (TV Series) as Reggie
- The Competition (1980) as Judge Wyeth
- CBS Children's Mystery Theatre (1980) (TV Series) as Dr. Watson
- Tarzan, the Ape Man (1981) as Club Member (voice)
- Winnie the Pooh Discovers the Seasons (1981) (Short) as Narrator (voice)
- Little House on the Prairie (1981) (TV Series) as Major Guffey
- The Facts of Life Goes to Paris (1982) (TV Movie) as Reggie
- Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore (1983) (Short) as Narrator (voice)
- Casablanca (1983) (TV Series) as Wilf Parker
- Welcome to Pooh Corner (1983) (TV Series) (Narrator)
- Monchhichis (1983) (TV series) (voice)
- Cheech & Chong's The Corsican Brothers (1984) as Narrator
- Dumbo's Circus (1985) (TV Series) (voice)
- My Chauffeur (1986) as Jenkins
- The Great Mouse Detective (1986) as Dr. Watson (archive sound)
- Punky Brewster (1988) (TV series) as Announcer
- The New Yogi Bear Show (1988) (TV series) (voice)
- Wicked Stepmother (1989) as Client
- Paddington Bear (1989-1990) (TV Series) (voice)
- Rover Dangerfield (1991) (voice)
- Murder, She Wrote (1992) (TV Series) as Man
- Mom and Dad Save the World (1992) as Chorus Master
- Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) as Wedding Guest
- The Thief and the Cobbler (1993) as The Brigand
- Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving (1999) as the Narrator
- Pooh's Party Game: In Search of Treasure (game) (2001) as the Narrator
- Piglet's Big Game (2003) as the Narrator
References
edit- ^ a b c "Laurie Main, Narrator on TV's 'Welcome to Pooh Corner,' Dies at 89 | Hollywood Reporter". The Hollywood Reporter. 16 February 2012.
- ^ "Laurie Main | Movies and Filmography". AllMovie.
- ^ a b "Actor Laurie Main dies at 89". Variety. 15 February 2012.
- ^ "Laurie Main". aveleyman.com.
- ^ Wearing, J. P. (16 September 2014). The London Stage 1950-1959: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780810893085 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Production of The Waltz of the Toreadors | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
- ^ "Laurie Main – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB". ibdb.com.
- ^ "Laurie Main". BFI. Archived from the original on 5 March 2019.
- ^ Minovitz, Ethan (16 February 2012). "Disney actor and narrator Laurie Main dead at 89". Big Cartoon News. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
3. Demetria Fulton previewed Main on The Facts of Life; episode titled, "The Facts of Life Goes to Paris “(09/25/1982).
External links
edit- Laurie Main at IMDb
- Laurie Main at the Internet Broadway Database
- Laurie Main at the TCM Movie Database