Frank Thring

He was an actor, known for Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), Ben-Hur (1959) and The Vikings (1958). He was married to Joan Cunliffe.

Started as a sound effects man on radio with 3XY, before becoming an actor. His first regular role on radio was as part-Aboriginal detective Napoleon Bonaparte (later made into a television serial entitled Boney (1972), starring James Laurenson).

Cold-eyed Australian character actor known particularly for his biblical villains Pontius Pilate in Ben-Hur (1959) and King Herod in King of Kings (1961). Also played Herod in an acclaimed 1950s stage production of "Salome.".

Kirk Douglas happened to see Anthony Quayle's Aaron chop off Laurence Olivier's hand of Titus to give it to Frank Thring's Saturninus in the Stratford-on-Avon production of "Titus Andronicus" directed by Peter Brook. Actor-producer Douglas was sufficiently impressed by this to have Thring himself do the same with Tony Curtis' hand in his upcoming production of The Vikings (1958), where Enid was played by Maxine Audley who had previously played Tamora in "Titus Andronicus".

Served just six weeks in the RAF in 1945, then made his stage debut at the age of 19 in 'Henry VIII' at the Melbourne Repertory Theatre in Middle Park. First theatrical appearance in Britain at the Q Theatre in Chiswick in 1954. Became a regular player with the Union Theatre Repertory Company in Melbourne from 1959.

Frank Thring was born on May 11, 1926 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia as Francis William Thring Jr.