Desmond Tester

Desmond Tester

Born: February 17, 1919
Died: December 31, 2002
in London, England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Desmond Tester (17 February 1919 – 31 December 2002) was an English and Australian film actor and television actor, host and executive. He was born in London, England. Among his most notable roles was that of the ill-fated boy Stevie in the Alfred Hitchcock film Sabotage (1936).

Tester made his first stage appearance at the age of 12, receiving positive reviews from London critics. He was known more as a child actor in film in his native England. Tester's characters often met with doomed fates, in such early films as Carol Reed's Midshipman Easy (1935), Tudor Rose (1936), The Stars Look Down (1939), and Sabotage. He also appeared in The Drum (1938).

After World War II, he moved to Australia and embarked in careers in radio, theater and television. As television broadcasting began in Australia, Tester soon found work with Channel Nine's What's My Line and in a variety of children's programs including Kaper Kops with Reg Gorman and Rod Hull. He spent fifteen years at Channel Nine, taking charge of children's programming, and became more involved behind the scenes in production and publicity. He later moved to Reg Grundy Productions, eventually leaving the industry entirely due to a dislike of the overall management culture.

In 1974 he revived his stage acting career. He also had occasional minor roles in various films, such as Barry McKenzie Holds His Own (1974) and The Wild Duck (1983).

Tester died in Sydney on 31 December 2002.

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Movies for Desmond Tester...

The Wild Duck
Title: The Wild Duck
Character: Elderly Guest
Released: March 5, 1984
Type: Movie
Ibsen's play, adapted to Australia, concerns a couple forced to answer for their daughter's legitimacy.
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Barry McKenzie Holds His Own
Title: Barry McKenzie Holds His Own
Character: Marcel Escargot
Released: December 12, 1974
Type: Movie
Barry McKenzie's Aunt Edna is kidnapped by Count Von Plasma, the vampire head of an isolated Eastern European dictatorship who mistakes her for the Queen of England and thinks that kidnapping her will draw tourists to his country. Barry and his mates set out to rescue her and bring her back to Australia.
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The Turners of Prospect Road
Title: The Turners of Prospect Road
Character: Nicky
Released: June 16, 1947
Type: Movie
A London cabby finds a greyhound puppy in his cab, and gives it to his daughter. She raises it and trains it up at the race tracks; and in spite of crooked rival owners, the dog eventually wins the Greyhound Derby.
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An Englishman's Home
Title: An Englishman's Home
Character: Billy Brown
Released: January 27, 1940
Type: Movie
A German spy is dispatched to Britain to search out targets for a planned invasion.
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The Stars Look Down
Title: The Stars Look Down
Character: Hughie Fenwick - Davey's brother
Released: January 22, 1940
Type: Movie
Davey Fenwick leaves his mining village on a university scholarship intent on returning to better support the miners against the owners. But he falls in love with Jenny who gets him to marry her and return home as local schoolteacher before finishing his degree.
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The Drum
Title: The Drum
Character: Bill Holder
Released: September 29, 1938
Type: Movie
Set in the India of the British Raj, the evil and untrustworthy Prince Guhl (Raymond Massey) plans to wipe out the British troops as they enjoy the hospitality of Guhl's spacious palace. It's up to the loyal young Prince Azim (Sabu) to warn the troops of Guhl's treachery by tapping out a message on his drum.
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Non-Stop New York
Title: Non-Stop New York
Character: Arnold James
Released: September 13, 1937
Type: Movie
A young woman finds herself as the intended victim of a murder plot on a transatlantic flight from London to New York.
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Sabotage
Title: Sabotage
Character: Stevie - Her Young Brother
Released: January 8, 1937
Type: Movie
Karl Anton Verloc and his wife own a small cinema in a quiet London suburb where they live seemingly happily. But Mrs. Verloc does not know that her husband has a secret that will affect their relationship and threaten her teenage brother's life.
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Tudor Rose
Title: Tudor Rose
Character: Edward VI
Released: September 1, 1936
Type: Movie
The tragic story of Lady Jane Grey, the young queen who reigned in England for nine days before she was executed.
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The Beloved Vagabond
Title: The Beloved Vagabond
Character: Asticot
Released: August 24, 1936
Type: Movie
Flying from one charming lady---eluding another---and almost losing both!
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Midshipman Easy
Title: Midshipman Easy
Character: Gossett
Released: November 1, 1935
Type: Movie
Set during the Peninsular Campaign of the Napoleonic War, Mr Midshipman Easy has just joined the Royal Navy. He is very keen to do well but luckily he has an understanding captain to pull him out of the various adventures he seems to get involved in.