(Article
courtesy of SoSuterBill - https://sosuterbill.com/2020/04/22/radio-teaching-accents-trains/)
Billy Suter chats to seasoned Durban radio
and stage performer Frank Graham about his fun solo show, The Golden Days of Springbok Radio, in which he reminisces about
his heyday on air. The fun show glances back at everyone from Inspector Carr
and Sir Gregory Pitkin to Mildred Murfin and Humbert, Lolita Snetherswaite, Able
Seaman Johnson, Percy Snodgrass and Kenneth Wibley.
It is now available for online screening to
raise funds, during this time of the Coronovirus, for Graham and Durban’s
Rhumbelow Theatre, where the show was staged to great success. For details on
how to be provided the online streaming link for the show, for a minimum
donation of R100 per person watching, call Roland at 082 449 8636 or mail
roland@stansell.co.za.
WHAT CAN RADIO FANS EXPECT FROM YOUR SHOW?
A welter of anecdotes about radio
personalities and programmes, peppered with a variety of soundclips of
well-known voices and well-remembered signature tunes.
WHERE HAVE YOU PERFORMED THIS PRODUCTION?
The show has been performed several times
at the Rhumbelow Theatre in Durban, Maritzburg and Umkomaas. It was also a
popular feature in 2015 and 2016 at the Knysna Arts Festival.
WHERE AND WHEN WERE YOU BORN – AND HOW DID
YOU GET INTO RADIO?
I was born on November 3, at the Florence
Nightingale in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, and lived in Rivonia, north of the city,
until I was 16… when my dad was transferred to Durban. I had my last two years
of schooling here, followed by three years at Durban Teachers’ Training
College.
Three-and-a-half years into teaching at
Northlands Boys’ High School I was invited by friends to accompany them to a
recording of Men From the Ministry. I
was transported and instantly felt an ache to be part of it all. Tom Meehan
advised me to go to a formal English Service audition and I got in.
WHAT MARKED YOUR FIRST BIG BREAK ON RADIO –
AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN?
I had only done one play for the English
Service when I got a call from Tom Meehan saying he had something for me.
He was starting his second comedy on
Springbok and wanted me for one of the principals. This was an exciting leap of
faith because I’d never done anything for him before.
The other members of that cast, from whom I
learnt so much down the years and who were destined to become much-loved
friends, were Tommy Read, Maureen Adair and Margaret Logan, with Tom himself
making an occasional appearance as the vicar.
(Right: Blast
from the past… Frank Graham in his heyday on Springbok Radio)
It was absolutely the right time for me to
get into radio as an actor. The prospect of TV starting in this country in
about four years time led the big studios in Johannesburg losing a certain
amount of interest in Springbok and, as slots became available, Durban snatched
a lot of new time.
Towards the end of 1971, the Meehans were
suddenly doing Friends and Neighbours
and then, in 1972, The Navy Lark –
and I was a full member of cast in both.
The one programme which gnawingly stayed
out of reach was Men from the Ministry
– but that changed when Pat Simpson suddenly died mid-year… and I was in. A
hugely heady, exciting time!
GIVE SOME IDEA OF THE MANY VARIOUS SHOWS
AND CHARACTERS YOU HAVE PLAYED ON AIR OVER THE YEARS – AND WHAT HAS BEEN A PERSONAL HIGHLIGHT?
Far too many for me to be able to recall,
but I was involved in every comedy that Tom and his son, Barry Meehan (known on
air as Brian Squires), ever produced.
In only one did I ever get to play the lead
because I was of far more use to them as a character actor, using different
voices and accents – sometimes playing three or four characters in one show. My
record was seven in an episode of Friends
and Neighbours. That was what I loved doing best.
Oddly, perhaps, my radio highlight was on
Radio South Africa in a Don Ridgway-produced programme called Short Story. Don used me to read stories
in which there were characters, and I did all the voices and accents of the
characters in them. I received a lot of compliments for my efforts and it felt
very good!
WHAT
MARKED YOUR LAST TIME ON RADIO? AND WHAT MEMORIES OF THAT EXPERIENCE?
It was probably the last recording of Men from the Ministry, though I don’t
really remember. There are no particular memories because it was just more of
the same. But it was a poignant time.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING AND/OR
AMUSING MOMENT ON AIR?
At first I found reading the News on Radio
Port Natal a very definite strain; my nerves were shattered because, of course,
it was live. I remember pronouncing the Afrikaans word “nuus” as “nuis” and I
cringed at that. It got easier!
The most amusing incidents never happened
on air – there were plenty of them because they were all recorded and mistakes
could be edited out.
In a heavyweight, one-and-a -half-hour
production, a play on the life of Christ, we were moving towards the finale…
and we were all exhausted, no-one more than the actor playing Christ.
As he was laboriously hauling that enormous
cross up to Calvary, he loudly broke wind – and the tension was gone. We
roared!
WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS OF RADIO SHOWS AND
PRESENTERS TODAY?
There are no shows like ours anymore. Radio
drama died after 1994/5 with some drama coming from Johannesburg but none in
Durban.
To me, today’s presenters are a disgrace.
There are no standards anymore, and the accents and pronunciations are
appalling. I have always been very conservative on this point. No-one who can’t
speak English properly should be allowed anywhere near a public microphone.
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR TEACHING – WHERE AND
WHEN, WHAT DID YOU TEACH?
I only ever had one posting – to Northlands
Boys’ High School in Durban North, where I stayed 17-and-a-half years before
resigning. I was burnt out.
I turned to an enlarged radio career –
because I was then available during the day – as well as cabaret; my comedy
gigs taking me all over the country.
Later came films, TV and stage.
(Left: Frank
Graham when he was a popular cast member of Springbok Radio’s “Men from the
Ministry”)
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A STAGE ACTOR – AND
WHAT HAVE BEEN HIGHLIGHTS FOR YOU?
My first show was in Durban’s Playhouse
Cellar, where we did British Music Hall.
Great fun.
After that came Amadeus, Cinderella (great fun again, but exhausting because of all
of the running around in heavy costumes), Charley’s
Aunt, Fiddler on the Roof, My Fair Lady (two productions) West Side Story and, most recently, The
Sound of Music – all at the Playhouse.
I also took part in two productions of The Guitar that Rocked the World at the
Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, and appeared in Boogie
Wonderland at the Barnyard, Gateway.
WHAT WERE THE MOST RECENT STAGE SHOWS YOU
WERE IN?
West
Side Story (2013) and The Sound of Music (2016). My favourite stage role ever was as
Colonel Pickering in the 2006 production of My
Fair Lady. I had a ball, and have never had so many nice things said about
me on stage.
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR LONGTIME HOBBY REGARDING
MODEL TRAINS.
I’ve loved trains all my life. I started
collecting in about 1989 and have never stopped.
I purchased the apartment opposite the one
I live in and, with considerable help, started building a huge layout (it must
be about 65m²) which runs through three rooms.
The emphasis has always been the finest
detail and it gives me great pleasure. Pure therapy.
WHAT PLANS FOR THE REST OF THIS YEAR – AND
BEYOND?
Apart from another showing of The Golden Days of Springbok Radio at
Tina’s up in Kloof, nothing. There’s not a lot available for an actor in his
70s. I take it as it comes and give it my best shot.
WHAT FIVE WORDS BEST DESCRIBE YOU?
Loving, loyal, neurotic, impatient – and
pedantic, when it comes to spoken and written English.
WHAT ARE FIVE THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF
(HOWEVER TRIVIAL) THAT PEOPLE ARE UNLIKELY TO KNOW?
I am a first-generation South African… and
for many years I wore a hairpiece (oh, the vanity of the young actor, appalled
at what was happening to his scalp! I hated the thing and was glad to get shot
of it).
I hated Durban for the first five years
(several reasons) and only settled down when I started teaching.
Outside of the Durban North community it is
not widely known that, though I studied to teach English and History, I taught
nothing but Afrikaans for which, not unreasonably, I’m proud to tell you, I
gained a good reputation.
I have a tiny family: just one cousin and
her four offspring.
THE MOST FAMOUS PERSON YOU HAVE MET – AND WHO WOULD YOU GIVE GOLD TO MEET?
The most highly profiled – big deal! – was
probably David Hasselhoff (Knight Rider).
All the people I’d really love to have met are no longer with us: Laurence
Olivier and others. But, I guess: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Cruise and the
Queen, of whom I am a big admirer.
WHAT FIVE THINGS WOULD YOU LIST UNDER
‘VASTLY OVERRATED’?
Celebrity, reality TV (I hate it), some
“arty” films and modern music (what passes for music). Also, modern stand-up
comedy, so much of which involves people screeching and going frantic on stage,
and finding something funny in snot or abortions (I’ve heard ’em).
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST SURPRISING THING
SOMEONE HAS SAID OF YOU?
Actor-director Themi Venturas once said to
me a number of years ago: “What I like about you (as an actor) is that you get
on with it”. He meant that I didn’t need to be directed every inch of the way.
I have the courage to improvise, change scripts (not always appreciated) and
generally solve my own problems.
WHAT IS THE WORST TROUBLE YOU HAVE EVER
BEEN IN?
I can honestly say I never have been in any
trouble of note. I got crapped on by a production manager of a TV serial for
sneaking home to Durban over a weekend, but it was a storm in a teapot.
(Right: Frank
Graham today)
THE MOST FRIGHTENING THING THAT EVER
HAPPENED TO YOU?
Being stopped at a road block when I was
over the limit… but relief was instant. One of the cops pushed back his helmet
and said: “Hello, Mr Graham! Thank you… on your way…” More relief than Alka
Seltzer. An appreciative ex-pupil.
WHAT THINGS WOULD YOU LIST UNDER
‘ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS’? AND UNDER ‘ABSOLUTE NO-NO?
Fabulous: Educated English with a cut-glass
accent; kindness; loyalty; the magnificent voice of Jussie Björling; modern
sport: T20 cricket and 7s rugby.
No-nos: Saaaff Effrican eccents on the ê; loud
noise of any kind; bitchiness; cruelty to animals; undisciplined children.
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