Michael Laurence (24 November 1935 – 23 March 2015) was an Australian actor, producer, director and screenwriter best known for creating TV serial ''

Return to Eden ''Return to Eden'' is an Australian television drama series starring Rebecca Gilling, James Reyne, Wendy Hughes and James Smillie. It began as a three-part, six-hour mini-series shown on Network Ten on September 27–29, 1983. Gilling and Smil ...

''.

Biography

He began his career as a child actor on Sydney radio, before winning a scholarship at 18 to 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 ...

, before appearing in theatre productions, including everything from Shakespearean roles to musicals. He created, directed and starred in the

Nine Network The Nine Network (stylised 9Network, commonly known as Channel Nine or simply Nine) is an Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by parent company Nine Entertainment and is one of five main free-to-air television netw ...

production ''

The Godfathers The Godfathers are an English rock band from London, England, with strong influences from R&B and punk. Career The Godfathers were formed by Peter and Chris Coyne (vocals and bass, respectively) after the demise of The Sid Presley Experienc ...

'', which won the

Logie Award The Logie Awards (officially the TV Week Logie Awards; colloquially known as The Logies) is an annual gathering to celebrate Australian television, sponsored and organised by the magazine ''TV Week''. The first ceremony was held in 1959 as the ...

for Best Comedy in 1971. He worked on the popular serial ''

Number 96 96 (ninety-six) is the natural number following 95 and preceding 97. It is a number that appears the same when turned upside down. In mathematics 96 is: * an octagonal number. * a refactorable number. * an untouchable number. * a semiperfe ...

'', and other successful miniseries including the children's series

The Lost Islands ''The Lost Islands'' is an Australian television series which first aired in Australia on Network Ten. It later screened around the world, including the United Kingdom, France, West Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Greece (and various other p ...

, a 22-part story on

Network Ten Network 10 (commonly known as Ten Network, Channel 10 or simply 10) is an Australian commercial television network owned by Ten Network Holdings, a division of the Paramount Networks UK & Australia subsidiary of Paramount Global. One of five ...

, ''

Which Way Home ''Which Way Home'' is a 2009 documentary film directed by Rebecca Cammisa. The film follows several children who are attempting to get from Mexico and Central America to the United States, on top of a freight train that crosses Mexico known as " ...

'', '' The Last Frontier'' and ''

Shadow of the Cobra ''Shadow of the Cobra'' is a 1989 television miniseries based on the book ''The Life and Crimes of Charles Sobhraj'' by Richard Neville and Julie Clarke.Ed. Scott Murray, ''Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995'', Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p233 R ...

''. His work, including more than 200-hour of commercial television, was sold to numerous countries.

Select credits

*''

Homicide Homicide occurs when a person kills another person. A homicide requires only a volitional act or omission that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from accidental, reckless, or negligent acts even if there is no inten ...

'' (1966) - episode "The Black Book" - actor *'' On the Hop'' (1967) - TV play *''

Color Me Dead ''Color Me Dead'' is a 1969 Australian thriller directed by Eddie Davis, starring American actors Tom Tryon, Carolyn Jones and Rick Jason. It is a remake of the 1950 film '' D.O.A.''. Due to the failure on renewing copyright of ''D.O.A.'', the ...

'' (1969) - actor *''

Squeeze a Flower ''Squeeze a Flower'' is a 1970 Australian comedy film directed by Marc Daniels and starring Walter Chiari. Plot Brother George is the only monk at the Italian Monastery who knows the secret recipe of the popular liqueur that is the sole source of ...

'' (1970) - actor *'' The Long Arm'' (1970) - episode "Only a Wave Away" - actor *''The Phallic Forest'' (1970) (short)-actor *''

'' (1971–72) - TV series - writer (all episodes) *'' The Spoiler'' (1972) - episode "Bye Bye Baby" - actor *''

Crisis A crisis ( : crises; : critical) is either any event or period that will (or might) lead to an unstable and dangerous situation affecting an individual, group, or all of society. Crises are negative changes in the human or environmental affair ...

'' (1972) (TV movie) - writer *'' The People Next Door'' (1973) - creator, writer *''

The Love Epidemic ''The Love Epidemic'' is a 1975 Australian semi-documentary about venereal disease directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith. It incorporates clinical case studies and sex health instruction with comedy sketches. It was shot on 16mm for $33,000 and blow ...

'' (1975) - co-writer, actor *''

'' (1976) - writer, creator, producer *''

'' - various episodes as writer *''

The Young Doctors ''The Young Doctors'' is an Australian early-evening soap opera originally broadcast on the Nine Network and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation, it aired from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March 1983. The series is primar ...

'' - writer *'' People Like Us'' (1980) - writer, producer *''

'' (1983) - mini series - writer, co-producer *'' The Last Frontier'' (1986) - mini series *''

'' (1989) - writer *''

'' (1991) - TV movie - writer

References

External links

*
Michael Laurence
at HLA

at Sydney Morning Herald {{DEFAULTSORT:Laurence, Michael 1935 births 2015 deaths Australian autobiographers Australian male child actors Australian soap opera writers Australian television producers Australian male television writers