Leywood, Roy

Mr Leywood was born in a theatrical family. His Australian father Bert Leywood and mother May Morrell - “known as the Australian pocket Venus” - were well known actors across the Tasman.

Roy lived in England from the age of five until 32, making a living on the stage. He was offered a job producing drama for New Zealand radio and came over in 1953 to live, retiring from his position as executive producer of drama in Auckland for Radio New Zealand in 1980.

He spent six months visiting old home ground in England with his wife. When he returned to Auckland, he was offered the role of Mr Jones in “Under the Mountain.”

Before then his only past television appearance was in New Zealand’s first television series “The Alpha Plan” in the 1960s.