Max Cryer Explained

Max Cryer
Birth Date:10 December 1935
Birth Place:Ōtāhuhu, New Zealand
Occupation:Producer, entertainer

John Maxwell Cryer (10 December 1935 – 25 August 2021), generally known as Max Cryer, was a New Zealand television producer and presenter, radio broadcaster, entertainment producer, singer, cabaret performer and writer.

Early life and education

Cryer was born in Ōtāhuhu in 1935, the son of East Tāmaki farmer Arthur John "Jack" Cryer and his wife Jane Stewart, who farmed on Cryers Road, Tamaki, Auckland.[1] [2] [3] He began learning the piano at the age of five and later played the double bass in the Auckland Junior Symphony Orchestra.[4] He graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Arts in 1958, and a Master of Arts with second-class honours in etymology and linguistics in 1959.[5] [6] After graduating in 1960, Cryer spent a year in Perugia, Italy studying singing and Italian.[7]

Career

While studying in Italy in 1960, Cryer earned money as a model and film extra. He then moved to London where he sang with the Sadlers Wells Company. Returning to New Zealand, he taught English and music at Otahuhu College and also began appearing on television as an interviewer and as host of quiz show 'Top of the Form'. Cryer hosted an entertainment show called Cryer and the children' which ran for 10 years and resulted in 15 albums of songs.[8] [9]

In 1977 he moved into TV production producing programmes such as Mastermind and University Challenge.

He continued to perform as a narrator and on stage. Roles included Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady, Danilo in The Merry Widow, Prince Orlovsky in Die Fledermaus, and the King of Siam in The King and I.

Cryer was a host for radio and TV events including the first TV coverage of the Mobil Song Awards in 1963, and in 1969 the first nationwide simulcast of TV and radio and the first time TV was linked throughout New Zealand.

In addition to his TV and radio work he also wrote columns for the New Zealand Herald and the New Zealand Woman's Weekly and published a number of books.

He served on boards for the Auckland Festival, Central Theatre, Northern Opera and was a judge for the Watties Book Award.

Honours and awards

Cryer's awards include New Zealand Entertainer of the Year in 1973,[10] the Variety Artists of New Zealand's Benny Award in 1977 and the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal for services to New Zealand. In the 1995 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to entertainment.

Cryer died, suddenly, on 25 August 2021, aged 85.[11]

Works

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Death search: registration number 2021/26413 . Births, deaths & marriages online . Department of Internal Affairs . 20 September 2021.
  2. News: Births . 13 December 1935 . New Zealand Herald . 20 September 2021 . 1.
  3. News: Homestead holds happy memories . 24 March 2006 . Times Live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150518092940/http://www.times.co.nz/our-people/homestead-holds-happy-memories.html. 18 May 2015. 12 May 2015 . Sarah . MacDonald.
  4. Web site: Pryor. Ian. Max Cryer. NZOnScreen. 12 May 2015.
  5. Web site: NZ university graduates 1870–1961: Co–Cu . Shadows of Time . 28 August 2021.
  6. Book: Lambert, Max. Who's who in New Zealand.. 1991. Reed. 978-0-7900-0130-2. Auckland. 142. English. 636330493.
  7. Web site: The Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982) - 15 Sep 1965 - p9. 2021-09-04. Trove. en.
  8. News: 26 Aug 1998. Max Cryer, M.C.. 17. Waikato Times. Proquest Australia & New Zealand Newsstream.
  9. Web site: Screen. NZ On. Max Cryer NZ On Screen. 2021-09-04. www.nzonscreen.com. en.
  10. News: Entertainment awards . 9 October 1973 . . 113 . 33351 . 10 . 14 February 2023.
  11. News: Kiwi broadcaster Max Cryer dies at age 86. 2021-09-04. The New Zealand Herald. en-NZ. Demelza. Jackson. 26 August 2021.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Max Cryer".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.