Frank Edgar Richard Whitten (15 November 1942 – 12 February 2011) was a

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

television actor. He was more recently known for playing Ted "Grandpa" West in the New Zealand television show '' Outrageous Fortune''.Megahey, Leslie
Esteemed drama teacher and actor who was prominent in radical theatre
''The Age'', 11 April 2011.

Early life and education

Whitten was born in

Te Aroha Te Aroha ( mi, Te Aroha-a-uta) is a rural town in the Waikato region of New Zealand with a population of 3,906 people in the 2013 census, an increase of 138 people since 2006. It is northeast of Hamilton and south of Thames. It sits at the f ...

and grew up in the

Waikato Waikato () is a Regions of New Zealand, local government region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipa District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton City ...

region in the 1940s and 50s. Around 1963, "with very little experience and even less money", he left for

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

to become an actor. He also spent time as an improvisational tutor at leading British drama school the

London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) is a drama school located in Hammersmith, London. It is the oldest specialist drama school in the British Isles and a founding member of the Federation of Drama Schools. LAMDA's Principal is ...

, and by 1970 was the school's vice-principal. Over the next eighteen years, Whitten worked in a children's community theatre company he co-founded called Common Stock, which developed plays with, and for, working-class children.

Career

In 1982 Whitten returned to

and began acting in theatre. Two years later, he appeared as an exploitative guru of a commune in '' Trespasses'', the movie spin off of police show ''

Mortimer's Patch ''Mortimer's Patch'' was a popular TVNZ police drama from the early 1980s. It featured actors Terence Cooper, Sean Duffy, Don Selwyn and Jim Hickey and depicted detective and police work in the fictional town of "Cobham". It was filmed in a ...

''. The same year, Whitten played the enigmatic farmer who strides into the isolated rural world of a young child in ''

Vigil A vigil, from the Latin ''vigilia'' meaning ''wakefulness'' (Greek: ''pannychis'', or ''agrypnia'' ), is a period of purposeful sleeplessness, an occasion for devotional watching, or an observance. The Italian word ''vigilia'' has become genera ...

'', the first feature directed by Vincent Ward. In the mid-1980s he joined the serial ''Heroes'', playing roadie to a group of young musicians. He followed this role by playing one of the main roles on historical drama '' Heart of the High Country'', based on the novel by English author Elizabeth Gowans.Frank Whitten Biography
NZ On Screen. Whitten had a role in the short film ''Accidents'', and small roles in the romance ''Arriving Tuesday'', ''Zilch'', ''The Returning'', and two international thrillers, ''Chill Factor'' and ''Hot Target''. In 2003, he appeared in P.J. Hogan's live action remake of ''

Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by List of Scottish novelists, Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and Puer aeternus, never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending ...

''. On television, he made guest appearances on ''Erebus: The Aftermath'', ''Gloss'', ''The Chosen'', ''Ray Bradbury Theatre'' and ''Mysterious Island'', and a lead role in the award-winning miniseries ''

The Leaving of Liverpool "(The) Leaving of Liverpool" (Roud 9435), also known as "Fare Thee Well, My Own True Love", is a folk song. Folklorists classify it as a lyrical lament and it was also used as a sea shanty, especially at the capstan. It is very well known in ...

''. In 2007, his ongoing role on as "Grandpa" Ted West on '' Outrageous Fortune'' won him a best supporting actor award at the New Zealand Screen Awards. For twelve years, he played the older man in the

Speight's Speight's is a brewery located in Dunedin, New Zealand. The brewery is owned by the Japanese-controlled holding company Lion. It is best known for its Gold Medal Ale, one of the best-selling beers in New Zealand. The brewery also gave rise to ...

"Southern Man" series of television commercials, well known for his character's catchphrase, "Good on ya, mate!"

Theatre

Whitten penned the stage drama ''Trifecta''.

Death

Whitten died on 12 February 2011, aged 68. The official media statement stated that ''" edied peacefully in his sleep"'' following a short battle with

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

*
Frank Whitten biography/filmography at ''NZ On Screen''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitten, Frank 1942 births 2011 deaths Deaths from cancer in New Zealand New Zealand male film actors New Zealand male television actors People from Te Aroha Place of death missing