Harold Verdun Baigent (16 November 1916 – 9 March 1996), known as 'Baige', was a New Zealand theatre director, actor and arts manager. He trained as an actor in the USA at

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...

Drama School, and acted in

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

and London stage productions, before returning to New Zealand in the late 1940s, where he founded his own drama company and worked as a drama tutor and stage manager. In the 1960s he settled in Melbourne, Australia. As director of the

Emerald Hill Theatre Company The Emerald Hill Theatre was a theatre company and venue in Melbourne, Australia, which operated from 1962 to 1966. The 140-seat Emerald Hill Theatre was at 250 Dorcas St, South Melbourne, in a former church converted by architect Robin Boyd. It ...

and the Victorian Travelling Theatre, he was an influential figure in the Victorian theatrical scene, and played a significant role in promoting the arts in regional Victoria and South Australia. He was associated with the Warrandyte Arts Association Drama Group and performed in many productions including ''Twelfth Night'' (1964) as Malvolio, and as director of ''Salad Days'' (1968). As an actor, Baigent was known for many parts on Australian film and television, including roles in the film ''

Gallipoli The Gallipoli peninsula (; tr, Gelibolu Yarımadası; grc, Χερσόνησος της Καλλίπολης, ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles ...

'' and the television series ''

The Flying Doctors ''The Flying Doctors'' is an Australian drama TV series produced by Crawford Productions that revolves around the everyday lifesaving efforts of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, starring Andrew McFarlane as the newly arrived Dr. T ...

'', and a memorable introductory monologue at the beginning of the film ''

Mad Max 2 ''Mad Max 2'' (released as ''The Road Warrior'' in the United States) is a 1981 Australian post-apocalyptic action film directed by George Miller. It is the second installment in the ''Mad Max'' franchise, with Mel Gibson reprising his role a ...

''. He was director of the Council of Adult Education in Adelaide, South Australia for many years, and founded the Arts Train, an innovative travelling arts project that toured small towns throughout South Australia and Victoria. He retired to the Heathcote area in the 1980s, but continued to be actively involved in theatre and the arts there until his death in 1996.

Partial filmography

Film

*''

Mad Dog Morgan ''Mad Dog Morgan'' is a 1976 Australian bushranger film directed by Philippe Mora and starring Dennis Hopper, Jack Thompson (actor), Jack Thompson and David Gulpilil. It is based upon the life of Dan Morgan (bushranger), Dan Morgan. Plot Dan M ...

'' (1976) as Extra #1 *''Jacka V.C.'' (1978) as Himself *''

'' (1981) as Camel Driver *''

'' (1981) as The Feral Kid (older) / Narrator (voice) *'' Double Deal'' (1983) as Sir Henry *''

Niel Lynne ''Niel Lynne'' (also known as ''Best Enemies'') is a 1985 Australian film about a young man during the 1960s.Ed. Scott Murray, ''Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995'', Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p111 Plot Niel Lynne (Paul Williams) is a romantic ...

'' (1985) as Guard *''

Slate, Wyn & Me ''Slate, Wyn and Me'' is a 1987 Australian film directed by Don McLennan and starring Sigrid Thornton, Simon Burke, and Martin Sacks.,David Stratton, ''The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry'', Pan MacMillan, 1990 p ...

'' (1987) as Sammy *''

Golden Braid ''Golden Braid'' is a 1990 Australian film directed by Paul Cox, who later called it "quite a funny film, but very few people get it."

'' (1990) as Clockmaker *'' Garbo'' (1992) as Old Resident with Cat * ''

Plasmo Plasmo (stylised as PLASMO) is an Australian children's science-fiction television, science fiction claymation TV series that consisted of a half-hour short film ("Happy Hatchday to Plasmo") made in 1989 followed by thirteen 5-minute episodes ...

'' (1997) as Librarian (voice) & Narrator

Television

* ''

Stage

* ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vio ...

'' (1964) as

Malvolio Malvolio is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's comedy ''Twelfth Night, or What You Will''. His name means "ill will" in Italian, referencing his disagreeable nature. He is the vain, pompous, authoritarian steward of Olivia's househo ...

* ''

Salad Days "Salad days" is a Shakespearean idiom referring to a period of carefree innocence, idealism, and pleasure associated with youth. The modern use, chiefly in the United States, describes a heyday, when a person is/was at the peak of their abilitie ...

'' (1968) as Director

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Baigent, Harold 1916 births 1996 deaths New Zealand male film actors 20th-century New Zealand male actors New Zealand directors New Zealand expatriates in the United States New Zealand expatriates in England New Zealand emigrants to Australia