New Zealand television presenter Max Cryer has passed away

Publish Date
Thursday, 26 August 2021, 5:19PM
Photo / NZ On Screen

Photo / NZ On Screen

New Zealand television entertainment pioneer and author Max Cryer has passed away. He was 86.

According to reports, Cryer passed away at his home yesterday.

Cryer's career as an entertainer began in the '60s on stage at Sadler's Wells Opera in London, with appearances on BBC and at Wigmore Hall.

Returning home, he was New Zealand's first television quizmaster and hosted 12 different television series including the country's first live talk-variety show, Town Cryer.

As a singer he recorded LPs with his "singing children" and his stage roles include Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady, the king in The King and I, Count Danilo in The Merry Widow and Prince Orlovsky in Die Fledermaus.

In 1977, he joined TVNZ as a producer and for the next ten years produced Mastermind and University Challenge, as well as Mastermind International for the BBC.

He was a columnist in the New Zealand Herald and the New Zealand Woman's Weekly, as well as the drama reviewer for The Sunday Star-Times for 10 years, before a late flowering as a prolific, bestselling author.

In the 1995 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to entertainment.

He was also named the NBOA Entertainer of the Year in 1977. 

Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you