Frank Thring as The Collector in "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome." |
I was going over a transcript of an interview I did ages ago with the late Angelo Rossitto, whom you may remember was Bela Lugosi's dwarf man-servant in such bargain basement programmers as SPOOKS RUN WILD and SCARED TO DEATH. When I did the interview, Angie, as he liked to be called, had just done a big budget film in Australia you may remember called MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME. He was simply unforgettable as the "master blaster". However, he was not the only colorful character in the film. There was another actor, a native Australian whose larger than life visage was also unforgettable. He played the "collector" a devilish figure who trafficked in human life and death in Tina Turner's Thunderdome. By this time, the actor known as Frank Thring, had changed considerably in his appearance from what made him an international presence back in the 1960s.
As Herod Antipas in "King of Kings." |
I had, of course, seen all these films first run in theaters and marveled at his villainy as a child, growing up at the movies. I did not connect him with his later work in Australian films since he changed so much in his physical appearance, yet that voice of his should have given me a clue that this was indeed the same actor that left such a vivid impression on me as a child.
"I'm the biggest queen you know, deary!" |
As Pontius Pilate in "BEN-HUR." |
unhinged Capt. Ahab in a cast that included an then unknown Christopher Lee.
Frank worked with ease on the stage as well, making a name for himself long before he ever left Australia for films. He played Capt. Hook opposite Peggy Cummings of CURSE OF THE DEMON and GUN CRAZY fame. It is our loss that many of these performances were not repeated on film.
I, for one, will always remember Frank Thring as one of those unique performers that never attempted any role unless he could create something special and unforgettable in the process. I will leave you with a quote from 'little Angie Rossitto' who remembered Frank with such affection on the shoot for THUNDERDOME:
"Frank Thring was a consummate actor at all times and was the only one in the cast who could out drink Mel Gibson and still be a gentleman. It got so bad with Mel that Tina (Turner) wrote Mel a letter begging him to stop drinking. This shoot nearly killed me as I was nearly 80 at the time, as well as, going blind, but Frank always looked after us, as if being in Australia made it his responsibility to make sure we were taken care of. He was a prince."
Frank Thring being his delightful and
fruity self on Australian TV's "Tonight Live."
Thank you Mr. Del Valle for supplying reading I cannot find anywhere else. You are The King.
ReplyDeleteGreat article on a chap I knew nothing about. Thank you so much.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWonderful article. Thanks for enlightening me on the life and works of Frank Thring Jnr.
ReplyDeleteHe was quite an amazing actor wasn't he. I note he was always the consummate gentleman even whilst drunk - almost Cowardesque in his manner. A great Australian and Internationally known actor.