John Hamblin

John Reginald Hamblin^[1] (18 March 1935 – 21 September 2022), known affectionately as "Funny John"^[2] or "Naughty John",^[3] was a British-born Australian children's television presenter and actor of stage and screen who appeared in theatre productions, soap operas and made-for-TV films.

John Hamblin
Born	John Reginald Hamblin (1935-03-18)18 March 1935 Ash, Surrey, England, United Kingdom
Died	21 September 2022(2022-09-21) (aged 87) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Nationality	English Australian
Occupation(s)	Television presenter, actor
Years active	1955–2016
Known for	Host of Play School The Restless Years

Hamblin was a presenter on the Australian children's television program Play School for 29 years, from 1970 to 1999. He featured in more than 350 episodes and became the second-longest-serving presenter in the program's history, after Benita Collings, with whom he often presented.^[4]

Early life

Hamblin was born on 18 March 1935^{[1][5][page needed]} in Ash, Surrey, England,^[1] and grew up in Suffolk. When Hamblin's mother moved in with the local baker, his father moved the rest of the family to Norfolk. He lost contact with his mother at that point.^[6] Hamblin's father had flown with the Royal Flying Corps during World War I, and Hamblin himself joined the Air Force and did his national service in Cyprus in the late 1950s before returning to England.^[6]

Hamblin initially trained at art school for six months but decided on a career in acting instead, and he studied drama to become an actor.^[6]

Career

Theatre

Hamblin started his acting career in England in repertory theatre with the Theatre Royal, Windsor. He also worked in old time music hall.^[6]

After emigrating to Australia, Hamblin continued to work in theatre over 25 years, from 1970 until 1995, including Blithe Spirit and a stage show of Play School.^[7]

Hamblin also toured in the stage play Crown Matrimonial as King Edward VIII. ^[8]

Television

In 1967, Hamblin made an appearance in the cult British TV series The Prisoner in the episode "A Change of Mind".^[9]

After migrating to Australia, Hamblin secured roles in television from the late 1960s until the late 1980s, including roles in soap operas, becoming notable for his role in series The Restless Years as A.R. Jordan.^[10] His TV credits also include Number 96, Class of '74,^[11] The Young Doctors (as Dr Dan Wheatley),^[12] Case for the Defence,^[13] and Sons and Daughters.^[14]

Hamblin played the role of Michael Chamberlain in the 1984 telemovie The Disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain.^[9][15] After a hiatus in the 1990s, he returned to TV series in guest roles in All Saints and Love My Way in the early 2000s.^[6]

Play School presenter

Known as being irreverent and inserting double-entendres into skits,^[16] Hamblin was the second-most-prolific presenter of Play School, appearing in 357 episodes from 1970 to 1999,^[6] while fellow presenter Benita Collings appeared in 401 episodes.^[4] On the show, Hamblin would sing, read stories, make crafts, play with the toys and educate children about such things as telling the time and the days of the week.^[17] Hamblin is especially remembered for his presenting partnership with longtime hosts Benita Collings and Noni Hazlehurst.

Hamblin returned briefly for a special guest appearance in 2016, as part of Play School's 50th anniversary special.^[18][19]

Many bloopers of Hamblin's time on Play School have since resurfaced, most of which feature him forgetting lines or making sexually explicit jokes.^[20]

Personal life

Hamblin came to Australia in the 1960s as a "Ten Pound Pom" with his second wife, Wendy.^[6] After Play School, he retired and moved to Tasmania with his third wife, Jenny,^[2] whom he married in 1984.^[6] He had two children, Emma and Myles.^[12][21] He suffered a heart attack^[6] in 2003^{[citation needed]}. In 2008, he published his memoirs, Open Wide, Come Inside, with Peter Richman.^[6][22]

Hamblin died at a hospital in Sydney on 21 September 2022, aged 87.^[12][21]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Type
1976	The Bushranger[23]	Sergeant Dunbar	TV movie
1983	Who Killed Baby Azaria?[24][25]	Michael Chamberlain	TV movie
1984	Run Chrissie Run![24][25]	Cathy's father	Feature film
	Crime of the Decade[9]	Ian Henderson	TV movie
	A Street to Die [9][13]	Dr. Walker	Feature film
2009	There's a Heaven Above You	Background	Film short

Television

Year	Title	Role	Type
1959	Quartermass and the Pit[9]	Newsvendor	TV miniseries
	Season of Passion[24][25]	uncredited	TV series
1960	Scotland Yard	Thomas Miller	TV series
1967	The Prisoner[9][25]	1st Woodland Man	TV series, season 1, episode 12: A Change of Mind
1969	Riptide	Wallace's Mate	TV series
1970–99	Play School[2][14]	Himself as host	TV series
1971	The Comedy Game		TV series
1972	Number 96	Dr. Mike Cavanagh	TV series
1974	This Love Affair[26]	Andrew	TV series
1974–75	Class of 75[11]	Donald Blair	TV series
1977	The Young Doctors[12]	Dr. Dan Wheatley	TV series
1978	Case for the Defence[13]	John Case	TV series
1979	Skyways	Bob Kennedy	TV series
1978–80	The Restless Years[10]	A.R. Jordan	TV series
1980	Spring & Fall		TV series
	The Timeless Land	Robert Campbell	TV miniseries
1982	Secret Valley[27]	Mr. Melrose	TV series
1983	Starting Out	Dr. James Holt	TV series
1984	The Last Bastion[9]	Anthony Eden	TV miniseries
	Runaway Island[28]	Lachlan McLeod	TV series
1985	Winners	Doctor	TV series
1986	Tusitala[29]	Dr. Eisner	TV miniseries
1987	Sons and Daughters[14]	Frank Porter	TV series
1988	Rafferty's Rules	Tom Herman	TV series
2000	All Saints[12]	Alex Knight	TV series
2001	Pizza[30]	Judge	TV series
2006	Love My Way[12]	Clive	TV series

Theatre

Year	Title	Role	Type
1970	The Trials of Hilary Pouncefortt		Neutral Bay Music Hall
1971	Exposed to Danger, or, Little Nell in the Klondyke		Neutral Bay Music Hall
1971	Land Of Dreaming		UNSW Parade Theatre
1972	The Spring Heeled Terror of Stepney Green		Neutral Bay Music Hall
1977	Lust for Power, or Perils at Parramatta	Harry Masterman	Neutral Bay Music Hall
1978	Crown Matrimonial	Edward VIII	Seymour Centre, Mayfair Theatre, Sydney, Newcastle Civic Theatre, Her Majesty's Theatre, Brisbane, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth
1982	The Anniversary		Phillip Street Theatre
1982	The Circle		Theatre Royal, Sydney, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne
1984	Caravan		Playhouse, Sydney Opera House
1985	Crown Matrimonial		Playhouse, Sydney Opera House, Twelfth Night Theatre, Cairns Civic Theatre, Townsville Civic Theatre, Pilbeam Theatre, Rockhampton, Melbourne Athenaeum, Canberra Theatre Centre
1987	Blithe Spirit		Playhouse, Sydney Opera House, Glen Street Theatre, Canberra Theatre Centre, Newcastle Civic Theatre
1991	Run for Your Wife		Glen Street Theatre
1993	Away		Riverside Theatres, Parramatta
1995	Play School - The Big Show		Regal Theatre, Perth

^[31]

References

1. "Hamblin, John, 1935-". Libraries Australia. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
2. "54 Years of 'Play School' | Where are they now? | John Hamblin". Woman's Day. 21 September 2020. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
3. "John Hamblin". About the ABC. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
4. "Moment in Time – Episode 29". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
5. Alan Veitch (1984). Atterton, Margot (ed.). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Australian Showbiz. Sunshine Books. ISBN 0867770570. OCLC 16520399.
6. Craig, Natalie (20 May 2008). "Don't tell the children". The Age. Archived from the original on 22 June 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
7. "John Hamblin". AusStage. Archived from the original on 7 June 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
8. "The Restless Years". Archived from the original on 18 February 2020.
9. "John Hamblin". BFI.org. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
10. "Benita Collings 'Why I Had to Leave TV'". Woman's Day. 28 March 2022. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
11. Moran, Albert (1989). Australian Television Drama Series: 1956–1981. Australian Film, Television and Radio School. p. 44. ISBN 9780642121639.
12. O'Brien, Kerrie (21 September 2022). "Much-loved Play School presenter 'naughty John' Hamblin dies". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
13. "John Hamblin". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 25 September 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
14. "Paula Begoun and John Hamblin". Conversations. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 6 June 2008. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
15. "The Disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain (1983) – The Screen Guide – Screen Australia". www.screenaustralia.gov.au. Archived from the original on 26 April 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
16. "Play School is 'rife with double entendres'". NewsComAu. 5 July 2016. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
17. "Play School". www.abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
18. Molk, Steve (21 September 2022). "Play School icon JOHN HAMBLIN dies aged 87". TV Blackbox. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
19. Play School celebrates 50 years | ABC KIDS, 10 May 2016, archived from the original on 13 September 2022, retrieved 21 September 2022
20. ABC TV Australia Blooper & Goof Reels 1984 1987, 31 March 2018, retrieved 23 November 2023
21. "'Unforgettable' long-time Play School presenter, 'Naughty' John Hamblin dies aged 87". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 21 September 2022. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
22. Richman, Peter (2008). Open Wide, Come Inside. Peter Richman Productions. ISBN 978-0-9775942-7-6. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
23. Murray, Scott (1996). Australia on the Small Screen, 1970–1995: The Complete Guide to Tele-features and Mini-series. Oxford University Press. p. 21. ISBN 9780195539493.
24. "John Hamblin". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
25. "John Hamblin List of Movies and TV Shows". TV Guide. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
26. "Love affair with a dream". The Sydney Morning Herald. 27 May 1974. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
27. "Out of the ashes comes Secret Valley". The Australian Women's Weekly. 24 December 1980. p. 48. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
28. "Runaway Island – for European eyes only". The Australian Women's Weekly. 30 September 1981. p. 128. Archived from the original on 3 March 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
29. Bridekirk, Susan (September 1986). "Scot of the Pacific". Cinema Papers. No. 59. p. 49. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
30. Adams, Cameron (3 September 2001). "Television". Herald Sun. Melbourne. p. 95. ProQuest 360266051. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022 – via ProQuest.
31. "AusStage".

External links

• John Hamblin at IMDb
• John Hamblin discography at Discogs