Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Dr Mac

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Dr Mac

    I stumbled upon this audio recording of an old Australian radio program, Dr Mac... here is what it says about it...

    Dr Mac was a series of self-contained quarter-hour episodes, recounting tales of Dr. Robert McIntyre, a gentle old Scottish medico, practicing in a country town in Australia, known only as Dr. Mac to his patients, friends and his many thousands of warmly devoted radio listeners. The series was created by E. Mason Wood for the Macquarie Network and the keynote was simplicity. In most episodes we find Dr. Mac dealing more in homespun wisdom and philosophy, always laced with compassion, rather than in the clinical practice of medicine.

    Lou Vernon played Dr. Mac; one of radio's most experienced and best-loved character actors. He came to radio in the mid 1930s after some 30 years in show business, first as a ballad singer (a baritone), then in vaudeville, and in the theatre. He played everything from black-faced comics to Grand Opera excerpts and Shakespeare. On radio in 1936 he was famous for his Italian greengrocer Luigi in Dolly and Dan for the BSA Players, and among many hundreds of dramatic performances his Thomas Carlyle in Genius at Home for the Macquarie Radio Theatre was a standout.

    Several actresses played Ettic, Dr. Mac's wife, but Enid Lorimer, an actress of great strength and experience, played her more often than anyone else. She is heard in this episode.

    Enlish-born Enid Lorimer (1887-1982) was a distinguished actor in radio plays, stage productions, film and television. She lectured on theosophy and was a foundation member of Actor's Equity. Lorimer was posthumously awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 1982.

    I put it up on our Australian History page at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/australia

    Alastair

  • #2
    Re: Dr Mac

    When I was a kid in the '50s/60s, there was a TV show called "The Flying Doctor" about an Australian doctor who flew around the Outback administering heroic medical aid to the isolated farms and communities. TV was still new in our area and it was a tremendously exciting experience. I can't remember the good doctor's name, but I believe he had a few of the same down-to-earth practice tips Dr. Mac recorded.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Dr Mac

      That was a classic that Alastair just put up, and I also remember the 'Flying Doctor'.

      Oddly my father was Robert and my brother Donald !

      These were good days.

      Ranald

      Comment

      Working...
      X