Michael Haigh (1935 – 31 October 1993) 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 ...

actor, narrator and teacher.

Early life

Haigh grew up in

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...

, New Zealand. His parents separated when he was 10 years old. Haigh was estranged from his father, an actor, and his mother, Dorothy, a radio broadcaster, raised him.

Career

Haigh grew interested in theatre while attending

Rongotai College Rongotai College is a state single-sex boys' secondary school in the southeastern suburb of Rongotai, Wellington, New Zealand. Serving Years 9 to 13 (ages 12 to 18), the school has 622 students as of July 2015. About 40 per cent of the studen ...

. After leaving school he considered going into either journalism or teaching, but he settled on teaching and attended Wellington Teachers’ Training College in the 1950s. During this time, Haigh was active with The Thespians and Unity Theatre in Wellington. Haigh was a teacher for 15 years. For the last seven of those years, Haigh, his wife, and two children were based in the far north of New Zealand, where he was teaching. In the 1960s he moved back to Wellington, as he had decided to become an actor as he no longer wanted to work in teaching. His first television role was playing an officer in ''Gone up North for a While'' in 1972. In 1976 he was one of the founding members of Circa Theatre in Wellington, along with

Ray Henwood Charles Raymond Henwood (15 January 1937 – 26 August 2019) was a Welsh-born New Zealand actor. He was married to district court judge Carolyn Henwood, and was the father of New Zealand comedian Dai Henwood. Born in Swansea, Wales, on 15 ...

Grant Tilly Grant Leonard Ridgway Tilly (12 December 1937 – 10 April 2012) was a New Zealand stage, movie and television actor, set designer, teacher and artist. Life and career Grant Tilly was educated in Wellington, taking art at Wellington Tech ...

, Susan Wilson,

Jean Betts Jean Betts is a New Zealand playwright, actor and director. Background Jean Betts emigrated with her parents (both founders of Unity Theatre, London), to Christchurch, New Zealand. She obtained a degree at University of Canterbury in English Li ...

and others. The idea was conjured at a dinner party at Haigh's house in Miramar. It was the second professional theatre in Wellington, after Downstage. The first play he directed was Roger Hall's ''Middle Age Spread'' at Circa Theatre in 1977. Haigh went on to act in more television drama with ''Landfall: A Film About Ourselves, Moynihan'' and ''Close to Home''. His final role was in the 1992 New Zealand film ''Absent Without Leave''. Haigh died in Wellington on 31 October 1993.

Filmography

* ''

Gone Up North for a While ''Gone Up North for a While'' is a 1972 New Zealand film directed by Paul Maunder. Synopsis Patricia Davis falls pregnant and goes against the advice of her family and unsympathetic welfare authorities by keeping her baby. This is followed by m ...

'' (1972) * ''Richard John Seddon - Premier'' (1973) * '' One of Those People that Live in the World'' (1973) * '' Country Calendar -

Fred Dagg Fred Dagg is a fictional character from New Zealand created and acted on stage, film and television by satirist John Clarke. Clarke appeared on New Zealand TV screens as Dagg during the mid to late 1970s, " taking the piss" out of the post-pion ...

'' (1974) * '' Landfall - A Film about Ourselves'' (1975) * ''Close to Home'' (1975-1983) * ''Men and Super Men'' (1975) * ''Moynihan'' (1976-1977) * ''The Les Deverett Variety Hour'' (1978) * ''The Deep End - The Captain’s Play'' (1980) * ''Keeling Over'' (1980) - As Narrator * ''

Gliding On ''Gliding On'' is a New Zealand sitcom that aired from 1981 to 1985. It was written by Roger Hall and adapted from his play ''Glide Time'', and directed by Tony Holden. The series depicts the working lives of four staff members at a government ...

'' (1981-1985) * ''Loose End - The Pumice Land'' (1981) * '' Carry Me Back'' (1982) * '' Bad Blood'' (1982) * ''Among the Cinders'' (1983) * ''Rabbiter’s Rest - A Fair Cop'' (1983) * '' Wild Horses'' (1984) * ''Country GP'' (1984-1985) * '' Mr Wrong'' (1985) * '' Footrot Flats - The Dog’s Tale'' (1986) * ''

Dangerous Orphans ''Dangerous Orphans'' is a 1986 New Zealand action film directed by John Laing. Synopsis Harry, Moir and Rossi after growing up together orphanage, as adults they pull off the occasional heist together. They plan an international heist to aven ...

'' (1986) * ''

Send a Gorilla ''Send a Gorilla'' is a 1988 New Zealand comedy film directed by Melanie Read. Synopsis Valentine's Day is the busiest day in the year for three young women and their singing telegram service. Their Send A Gorilla Singing Telegram Company has ...

'' (1988) * '' Absent Without Leave'' (1992)

References

External links

Michael Haigh biography at NZ On Screen
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haigh, Michael 20th-century New Zealand actors New Zealand schoolteachers New Zealand male television actors New Zealand male film actors Male actors from Wellington City 20th-century New Zealand educators