Alan Edwards (actor)

In 1994 Edwards became a recipient of a Brisbane Theatre Critic’s Matilda Award. In 1997 he received The Glugs of Gosh Award for Excellence in Theatre and in 1998 he was awarded a Doctorate of Letters (honoris causa) by the University of Southern Queensland.

The charity The Actors’ & Entertainers Benevolent Fund of Queensland was started by Edwards in 1975 and he was the inaugural president of the organisation. Edwards served in that role until 1994.

Edwards founded and built up the first state theatre company in Queensland in 1969 and in the process helping to establish the career of future star Geoffrey Rush as well as Bille Brown, Carol Burns and many others. He was so highly esteemed that celebrity actors such as Diane Cilento came back to Brisbane to work with him. In 1988 Alan Edwards was succeeded in the post of Artistic Director by Aubrey Mellor.

In 1960, he appeared in the British film, The Unstoppable Man, as the Station Constable. He began his teaching career at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He also taught at the Central School of Speech and Drama, Rose Bruford College and Toynbee Hall. In 1964 he was brought to Australia to teach at the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Sydney. During this time Edwards also managed to act with The Old Tote Theatre Company, The Theatre Royal, Hobart and played many roles on television for the ABC and commercial networks.

Edwards won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He also obtained the same for the Old Vic School. After completing his training, he worked in various repertory theatres in England and Scotland before joining the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. From 1956, he worked mainly in London in film, theatre and radio. He also directed many plays, especially when Artistic Director of the Queensland Theatre Company.

Alan Edmund William Edwards AM MBE (17 January 1925 – 14 January 2003) was a British actor and founding Artistic Director of the Queensland Theatre Company in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.