“TELEVISION IS BORING”

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29271, 1 August 1960, Page 13

“TELEVISION IS BORING”

British Actor’s View

Television acted like a suction pump: it was the greatest medium for draining off talent that show business had known, said Derek Farr, the English actor who is touring New Zealand in the J. C. Williamson production of “Odd Man In,” in an interview yesterday.

“I have no particular preference for working in either theatre, films, or television. As long as I am acting I am quite happy, but I find that watching television is the most boring experience imaginable," he said.

When it was started television caused the live theatre harm, but in Britain it was noticeable the public was going back to live productions for entertainment The cinemas, particularly in the smaller towns,’had been affected more than the theatre.

Asked for his opinion on the merits of commercial television compared with the service given by the British Broadcasting Corporation, Mr Farr said there was room for both. Obviously commercial television had to be made to pay and tried to reach a large audience by. providing entertainment, whereas the 8.8. C. could give more prominence to educational and informative features. Television could kill an actor very quickly, he said. After seeing an actor on a show for a year the public get sick of him. Discussing his present tour, Mr Farr said the audiences had been very responsive, and he admired the way they stood up to the rigours of New Zealand theatres. In sonte theatres members of the audience wore thick overcoats and also brought rugs to keep themselves warm. One criticism he had of New Zealand hotels was that they were not warm enough. “The scenery in New Zealand is magnificent, but if tourists are to be attracted hotels will have to be made warm in winter and cool in summer. Overseas visitors expect it,” said Mr Farr. Mr Farr, who is accompanied by his actress wife, Muriel Pavlow, has been an actor for 24 years. He has appeared in more than 40 films, the best known being “The Dambusters” and “Doctor at Large.”