Desmond Tester

Born: 1919-02-17

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Desmond Tester (17 February 1919 – 31 December 2002) was an English and Australian film actor and television actor, host and executive. He was born in London, England. Among his most notable roles was that of the ill-fated boy Stevie in the Alfred Hitchcock film Sabotage (1936). Tester made his first stage appearance at the age of 12, receiving positive reviews from London critics. He was known more as a child actor in film in his native England. Tester's characters often met with doomed fates, in such early films as Carol Reed's Midshipman Easy (1935), Tudor Rose (1936), The Stars Look Down (1939), and Sabotage. He also appeared in The Drum (1938). After World War II, he moved to Australia and embarked in careers in radio, theater and television. As television broadcasting began in Australia, Tester soon found work with Channel Nine's What's My Line and in a variety of children's programs including Kaper Kops with Reg Gorman and Rod Hull. He spent fifteen years at Channel Nine, taking charge of children's programming, and became more involved behind the scenes in production and publicity. He later moved to Reg Grundy Productions, eventually leaving the industry entirely due to a dislike of the overall management culture. In 1974 he revived his stage acting career. He also had occasional minor roles in various films, such as Barry McKenzie Holds His Own (1974) and The Wild Duck (1983). Tester died in Sydney on 31 December 2002. Description above from the Wikipedia article Desmond Tester, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.​


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Sabotage

as Stevie - Her Young Brother
Released: 1937-01-08

Karl Anton Verloc and his wife own a small cinema in a quiet London suburb where they live...

Movie page

The Wild Duck

as Elderly Guest
Released: 1984-03-05

Ibsen's play, adapted to Australia, concerns a couple forced to answer for their daughter's...

Movie page

The Drum

as Bill Holder
Released: 1938-09-29

Set in the India of the British Raj, the evil and untrustworthy Prince Guhl (Raymond Massey)...

Movie page

Tudor Rose

as Edward VI
Released: 1936-09-01

The tragic story of Lady Jane Grey, the young queen who reigned in England for nine days before...

Movie page

The Stars Look Down

as Hughie Fenwick - Davey's brother
Released: 1940-01-22

Davey Fenwick leaves his mining village on a university scholarship intent on returning to...

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An Englishman's Home

as Billy Brown
Released: 1940-01-27

A German spy is dispatched to Britain to search out targets for a planned invasion.

Movie page

Barry McKenzie Holds His Own

as Marcel Escargot
Released: 1974-12-12

Barry McKenzie's Aunt Edna is kidnapped by Count Von Plasma, the vampire head of an isolated...

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Midshipman Easy

as Gossett
Released: 1935-11-01

Set during the Peninsular Campaign of the Napoleonic War, Mr Midshipman Easy has just joined the...

Movie page

Non-Stop New York

as Arnold James
Released: 1937-09-13

A young woman finds herself as the intended victim of a murder plot on a transatlantic flight...

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The Beloved Vagabond

as Asticot
Released: 1936-08-24

Flying from one charming lady---eluding another---and almost losing both!

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Rafferty's Rules

as Bonieczeck
First aired: 1987-02-12

Rafferty's Rules was an Australian television drama series which ran from 1987 to 1990 on the...

TV Show page