Trivia

Auckland, New Zealand (May 2003)

Cryer began learning the piano at the age of five and later played the double bass in the Auckland Junior Symphony Orchestra.

While studying in Italy in 1960, Cryer earned money as a model and film extra.

Cryer's awards include New Zealand Entertainer of the Year in 1973, the Variety Artists of New Zealand's Benny Award in 1977 and the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal for services to New Zealand.

Max Cryer was a New Zealand television producer and presenter, radio broadcaster, entertainment producer, singer, cabaret performer and writer.

He also performed as a narrator and on stage. Roles included Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady, Danilo in The Merry Widow, Prince Orlovsky in Die Fledermaus, and the King of Siam in The King and I.

Max Cryer was contracted to a Hollywood agency for ten years, during which he made fifteen tours of USA as an entertainer.

Cryer was a host for radio and TV events including the first TV coverage of the Mobil Song Awards in 1963, and in 1969 the first nationwide simulcast of TV and radio and the first time TV was linked throughout New Zealand.

He served on boards for the Auckland Festival, Central Theatre, Northern Opera and was a judge for the Watties Book Award.

After graduating in 1960, Cryer spent a year in Perugia, Italy studying singing and Italian.

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

He began learning the piano at the age of five and later played the double bass in the Auckland Junior Symphony Orchestra.

In the early sixties Cryer moved from Italy to London where he sang with the Sadlers Wells Company. Returning to New Zealand, he taught English and music at Otahuhu College and also began appearing on television as an interviewer and as host of quiz show 'Top of the Form'.

In addition to his TV and radio work he also wrote columns for the New Zealand Herald and the New Zealand Woman's Weekly and published a number of books.

Cryer hosted an entertainment show called 'Cryer and the children' which ran for 10 years and resulted in 15 albums of songs. In 1977 he moved into TV production producing programmes such as Mastermind and University Challenge.