Laurence George "Laurie" Main (29 November 1922 – 8 February 2012) was an Australian actor best known for hosting and narrating the children's series ''

Welcome to Pooh Corner ''Welcome to Pooh Corner'' is a live-action/puppet television series that aired on Disney Channel, featuring the characters from the Winnie the Pooh universe portrayed by actors in human-sized puppet suits, except Roo, who was originally a tradi ...

'', which aired on

The Disney Channel Disney Channel is an American pay television channel that serves as the flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company. Launched on April 18, 1983, under the na ...

during the 1980s. Born in Melbourne, Main moved to the UK at the age of 16, making his acting debut in '' The Yellow Balloon''. He emigrated to the United States in 1960, studying with

Agnes Moorehead Agnes Robertson Moorehead (December 6, 1900April 30, 1974) was an American actress. In a career spanning five decades, her credits included work in radio, stage, film, and television.Obituary '' Variety'', May 8, 1974, page 286. Moorehead was th ...

. His television and film guest appearances include ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western television series that aired for eight seasons, first on the NBC television network (1957–1962) and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and reached the top of the ...

'', ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 ...

'', '' Maverick'', ''

I Spy I spy is a guessing game where one player (the ''spy'' or ''it'') chooses an object within sight and announces to the other players that "I spy with my little eye something beginning with...", naming the first letter of the object. Other players a ...

'', '' The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.'', ''

Get Smart ''Get Smart'' is an American comedy television series parodying the Spy fiction, secret agent genre that had become widely popular in the first half of the 1960s with the release of the ''James Bond'' films. It was created by Mel Brooks and Bu ...

'', ''

The Andy Griffith Show ''The Andy Griffith Show '' is an American sitcom television series that was aired on CBS from October 3, 1960, to April 1, 1968, with a total of 249 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons—159 in black and white and 90 in color. The series ...

'', '' The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze'', ''

That Girl ''That Girl'' is an American television sitcom that ran on ABC from September 8, 1966, to March 19, 1971. It starred Marlo Thomas as the title character, Ann Marie, an aspiring (but only sporadically employed) actress who moves from her hometo ...

'', '' Ironside'', ''

The Monkees The Monkees were an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles in the mid-1960s. The band consisted of Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones (musician), Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork. Spurred by the success of ''The Monkees (TV series), Th ...

'', ''

Hogan's Heroes ''Hogan's Heroes'' is an American television sitcom created by Bernard Fein and Albert S. Ruddy which is set in a Prisoner-of-war camp, prisoner-of-war (POW) camp in Nazi Germany during World War II, and centers around a group of Allied prisoner ...

'', '' Mayberry R.F.D.'', '' The Ghost & Mrs. Muir'', ''

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (, 1734September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyo ...

'', ''

Family Affair ''Family Affair'' is an American sitcom starring Brian Keith and Sebastian Cabot that aired on CBS from September 12, 1966, to March 4, 1971. The series explored the trials of well-to-do engineer and bachelor Bill Davis (Keith) as he attempt ...

'', ''

Bewitched ''Bewitched'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series that originally aired for eight seasons on ABC from September 17, 1964, to March 25, 1972. It is about a witch who marries an ordinary mortal man and vows to lead the life of a typi ...

'', ''

The Partridge Family ''The Partridge Family'' is an American musical sitcom created by Bernard Slade, which was broadcast in the United States from September 1970 to March 1974 on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. After the final first-run telecast on ABC in March ...

'', ''

McMillan & Wife ''McMillan & Wife'' (known simply as ''McMillan'' from 1976 to 1977) is an American police procedural television series that aired on NBC from September 17, 1971, to April 24, 1977. Starring Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James in the title roles, ...

'', '' Land of the Lost'', ''

Little House on the Prairie The ''Little House on the Prairie'' books comprise a series of American children's novels written by Laura Ingalls Wilder (b. Laura Elizabeth Ingalls). The stories are based on her childhood and adulthood in the Midwestern United States, Americ ...

'', ''

Punky Brewster ''Punky Brewster'' is an American Situation comedy, sitcom television series about a young girl (Soleil Moon Frye) being raised by a foster parent (George Gaynes) in Chicago. The show ran on NBC from September 16, 1984, to March 9, 1986, and ag ...

'' and ''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The series f ...

''. Main also appeared in '' The Facts of Life Goes to Paris'' in 1982. His stage work included ''

The Diary of a Nobody ''The Diary of a Nobody'' is an 1892 English comic novel written by the brothers George and Weedon Grossmith, with illustrations by the latter. It originated as an intermittent serial in '' Punch'' magazine in 1888–89 and first appeared in ...

'' (1954/5) and '' Waltz of the Toreadors'' (1956) in London's West End; and he made several appearances on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

. He also appeared on many television commercials. Main also did considerable voice work for

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

, having supplied the voice of Dr. Watson in the 1986 animated film ''

The Great Mouse Detective ''The Great Mouse Detective'' (released as ''Basil the Great Mouse Detective'' in some countries and ''The Adventures of the Great Mouse Detective'' during its 1992 re-release) is a 1986 American animated mystery adventure film produced by W ...

''. He also narrated the animated shorts ''Winnie the Pooh Discovers the Seasons'' (1981) and '' Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore'' (1983), as well as serving as the story reader on many Disney Read-Along records, audio cassettes and compact discs. Main died on 8 February 2012 in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

at the age of 89.

Filmography

*'' The Yellow Balloon'' (1953) as Bibulous Customer *'' The Master Plan'' (1955) as Johnny Orwell *'' Shop Spoiled'' (1954) as Coffee Stall Customer *'' Delavine Affair'' (1954) as Summit *''

The Adventures of Robin Hood ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' is a 1938 American Epic film, epic swashbuckler film from Warner Bros. Pictures. It was produced by Hal B. Wallis and Henry Blanke, directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, and written by Norman Reilly Ra ...

'' (1956) (TV Series) as Cook *'' The New Adventures of Charlie Chan'' (1958) (TV Series) as Cecil Meadows *'' The Whole Truth'' (1958) as Party Guest *'' Fair Game'' (1958) (TV Series) as George Square *''

Sunday Night Theatre ''Sunday Night Theatre'' was a long-running series of televised live television plays screened by BBC Television from early 1950 until 1959. The productions for the first five years or so of the run were re-staged live the following Thursday, ...

'' (1958-1959) (TV Series) as Mihaly Farkas / Father Looe *''

Dow Hour of Great Mysteries ''The Dow Hour of Great Mysteries'', was a series of seven television specials from March to November 1960, hosted by Joseph Nye Welch on NBC Television, and sponsored by Dow Chemical. Welch died on October 6, 1960, bringing the series to an en ...

'' (1960) (TV Series) as Connors *'' Shirley Temple Theatre'' (1960) (TV Series) as Archbishop of Canterbury *''

The DuPont Show of the Month ''DuPont Show of the Month'' was a 90-minute television anthology series that aired monthly on CBS from 1957 to 1961. The DuPont Company also sponsored a weekly half-hour dramatic anthology series hosted by June Allyson, ''The DuPont Show with Ju ...

'' (1960) (TV Series) *'' Maverick'' (1960-1961) (TV Series) as Crimmins / Marquis of Bognor *'' Vanity Fair'' (1961) (TV Series) *'' Bachelor Father'' (1961) (TV Series) as Beechim *''

'' (1961) (TV Series) as Father Francis Xavier Sweeney *''

'' (1961) (Season 6 Episode 19: "The Landlady") as Wilkins *''

Play of the Week Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

'' (1961) (TV Series) as Roger Compton *''

Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The firs ...

'' (1961) (TV Movie) as St. John Rivers *''

Great Ghost Tales ''Great Ghost Tales'' is an American horror television series that aired Live from July 6 until September 21, 1961. The program was the summer replacement for '' The Ford Show''. Premise An anthology of scary stories. Authors whose works were ...

'' (1961) (TV Series) as Sir Robert Tyne *''

Alcoa Premiere ''Alcoa Premiere'' (also known as ''Premiere, Presented by Fred Astaire'' ) is an American anthology drama series sponsored by the Alcoa Corporation that aired from October 10, 1961, to September 12, 1963, on ABC. The series was hosted by Fred ...

'' (1961) (TV Series) as Sergeant Hadley *''

Ichabod and Me ''Ichabod and Me'' is an American sitcom television series starring Robert Sterling and George Chandler that aired in the United States during the 1961–62 United States network television schedule, 1961–62 television season. It depicts the l ...

'' (1961) (TV Series) as Arthur Barnsdall *'' The Dick Powell Theatre'' (1961) (TV Series) as Harold Elrod *''

Hawaiian Eye ''Hawaiian Eye'' is an American detective television series that ran from October 1959 to April 1963 on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television network. Premise Private investigator Tracy Steele (Anthony Eisley) and his half-Hawaiian ...

'' (1962) (TV Series) as Sir Wilfrid *''

The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor ''The Detectives'' (also known as ''The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor'', ''Captain of Detectives'', and ''Robert Taylor's Detectives'') is an American crime drama series which ran on ABC during its first two seasons (sponsored by Procter & Ga ...

'' (1962) (TV series) as Colonel Driscoll *''

The Phantom of the Opera The Phantom of the Opera may refer to: Novel * The Phantom of the Opera (novel), ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (novel), 1910 novel by Gaston Leroux Characters * Erik (The Phantom of the Opera), Erik (''The Phantom of the Opera''), the title char ...

'' (1962) as Forbes (uncredited) *'' The Punch and Judy Man'' (1963) as 2nd Drunk *'' The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze'' (1963) as Carruthers (uncredited) *''

The DuPont Show of the Week ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'' (1963) (TV Series) as J.T. Cooper *''

The Third Man ''The Third Man'' is a 1949 film noir directed by Carol Reed, written by Graham Greene, and starring Joseph Cotten as Holly Martins, Alida Valli as Anna Schmidt, Orson Welles as Harry Lime and Trevor Howard as Major Calloway. Set in post-Worl ...

'' (1963-1965) (TV Series) as Dennis Nesbit *''

'' (1964) (TV Series) as

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin (April 17, 1790) was an American polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and Political philosophy, political philosopher.#britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the m ...

*''

The Jack Benny Program ''The Jack Benny Program'', starring Jack Benny, is a radio and television comedy series. The show ran for over three decades, from 1932 to 1955 on radio, and from 1950 to 1965 on television. It won numerous awards, including the 1959 and 19 ...

'' (1964) (TV Series) as Dr. Granger *''

I'd Rather Be Rich ''I'd Rather Be Rich'' is a 1964 American romantic comedy film with musical aspects directed by Jack Smight, produced by Ross Hunter and starring Sandra Dee. The film focuses on a dying man who wishes to meet his granddaughter's fiancé, but he ...

'' (1964) as Harrison *''

My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical theatre, musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story, based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play ''Pygmalion (play), Pygmalion'' and on the Pygmalion (1938 film), 1938 film ...

'' (1964) as Hoxton Man Not Hoston (uncredited) *'' Honey West'' (1965) (TV Series) as Antoine *''

Munster, Go Home! ''Munster, Go Home!'' is a 1966 American comedy film based on the 1960s family sitcom ''The Munsters''. It was directed by Earl Bellamy, who also directed a number of episodes in the series. The film was produced immediately after the television ...

'' (1966) as Minor Role (uncredited) *''

'' (1966) (TV Series) as Luchesi *'' The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.'' (1966) (TV Series) as Shah Karum *''

'' (1966-1969) (TV Series) as Air Marshal Woodhouse / Colonel Wembley / Major Shawcross / Colonel Franz *''

'' (1967) (TV Series) as Dr. Ramsey *'' The Scorpio Letters'' (1967) (TV Movie) as Tyson *''

'' (1967) (TV Series) as Robling Flask *'' The Iron Horse'' (1967) (TV Series) as Father Jean Louis *''

'' (1967) (TV Series) as Grimsley / Maitre D' *''

'' (1967-1971) (TV series) as Tour Guide / Guide / Francis *'' The Guns of Will Sonnett'' (1968) (TV Series) as Judge *'' Ironside'' (1968) (TV Series) as Harris *''

'' (1968) (TV Series) as Mr. Friar *''

'' (1968-1970) (TV Series) as Mr. Edgemont / Passenger / Mr. Smyser *'' Target: Harry'' (1969) as Simon Scott *'' Mayberry R.F.D.'' (1969) (TV Series) as Thornton Avery *'' The Ghost & Mrs. Muir'' (1970) (TV Series) as Nero *''

'' (1965-1970) (TV Series) as Stinch / Sir Samuel Peacham / Benjamin Franklin *''

On a Clear Day You Can See Forever ''On a Clear Day You Can See Forever'' is a musical with music by Burton Lane and a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner based loosely on ''Berkeley Square'', written in 1926 by John L. Balderston. It concerns a woman who has ESP and has been ...

'' (1970) as Lord Percy *'' Darling Lili'' (1970) as French General *''

Night Chase Night, or nighttime, is the period of darkness when the Sun is below the horizon. Sunlight illuminates one side of the Earth, leaving the other in darkness. The opposite of nighttime is daytime. Earth's rotation causes the appearance of su ...

'' (1970) (TV Movie) as Tout *''

Cat Ballou ''Cat Ballou'' is a 1965 American western comedy film starring Jane Fonda and Lee Marvin, who won an Academy Award for his dual role. The story involves a woman who hires a notorious gunman to protect her father's ranch, and later to avenge his ...

'' (1971) (TV Movie) as Land Developer *''

The Doris Day Show ''The Doris Day Show'' is an American sitcom which was originally broadcast on CBS from September 1968 until March 1973, remaining on the air for five seasons and 128 episodes. The series is remembered for its multiple format and cast chang ...

'' (1971) (TV Series) as Father Kingsley *'' Private Parts'' (1972) as Reverend Moon *''

'' (1972) (TV Series) as Frederic La Forge *''

'' (1973) (TV Series) as Alfie *''

The Strongest Man in the World ''The Strongest Man in the World'' is a 1975 American science fiction comedy film directed by Vincent McEveety, produced by Walt Disney Productions, and starring Kurt Russell, Joe Flynn (in his first of two posthumous roles) and Eve Arden. It ...

'' (1975) as Mr. Reedy *''My Father's House'' (1975) (TV Movie) as Food Editor *'' Land of the Lost'' (1976) (TV Series) as William Blandings *''

Freaky Friday ''Freaky Friday'' is a comedic children's novel written by Mary Rodgers, first published by Harper & Row in 1972. The plot is set in a day in the life of 13-year-old Annabel Andrews and her mother, who spend one Friday in each other's bodies. ...

'' (1976) as Mr. Mills *''

Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo ''Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo'' is a 1977 American sports film, sports adventure film, adventure comedy film directed by Vincent McEveety and written by Arthur Alsberg and Don Nelson (screenwriter), Don Nelson. The film is the third installment in ...

'' (1977) as Duval *''

Five Weeks in a Balloon ''Five Weeks in a Balloon, or, A Journey of Discovery by Three Englishmen in Africa'' () is an adventure novel by Jules Verne, published in 1863. It is the first novel in which he perfected the "ingredients" of his later work, skillfully mixing ...

'' (1977) (TV Movie) (voice) *''

Black Beauty ''Black Beauty: His Grooms and Companions, the Autobiography of a Horse'' is an 1877 novel by English author Anna Sewell. It was written from a horse as main character's perspective. She wrote it in the last years of her life, during which s ...

'' (1978) (TV movie) as Farmer Grey / Squire Douglas Gordon / Pipe Smoking Stable Owner (voice) *'' Time After Time'' (1979) as Inspector Gregson *'' ABC Weekend Specials'' (1979) (TV Series) as Reggie *'' The Competition'' (1980) as Judge Wyeth *'' CBS Children's Mystery Theatre'' (1980) (TV Series) as Dr. Watson *'' Tarzan, the Ape Man'' (1981) as Club Member (voice) *''

Winnie the Pooh Discovers the Seasons ''Winnie the Pooh Discovers the Seasons'' is an educational short film produced by Rick Reinert Productions for Walt Disney Productions' educational media division and released in September 1981. Plot Christopher Robin presents Pooh with ...

'' (1981) (Short) as Narrator (voice) *''

'' (1981) (TV Series) as Major Guffey *'' The Facts of Life Goes to Paris'' (1982) (TV Movie) as Reggie *'' Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore'' (1983) (Short) as Narrator (voice) *''

Casablanca Casablanca (, ) is the largest city in Morocco and the country's economic and business centre. Located on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of the Chaouia (Morocco), Chaouia plain in the central-western part of Morocco, the city has a populatio ...

'' (1983) (TV Series) as Wilf Parker *''

'' (1983) (TV Series) (Narrator) *'' Monchhichis'' (1983) (TV series) (voice) *''

Cheech & Chong's The Corsican Brothers ''Cheech & Chong's The Corsican Brothers'' is a 1984 American film, the sixth feature-length film starring the comedy duo Cheech & Chong. Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong star as the two twin brothers in a parody of various film adaptations of the 18 ...

'' (1984) as Narrator *'' Dumbo's Circus'' (1985) (TV Series) (voice) *'' My Chauffeur'' (1986) as Jenkins *''

'' (1986) as Dr. Watson (archive sound) *''

'' (1988) (TV series) as Announcer *'' The New Yogi Bear Show'' (1988) (TV series) (voice) *''

Wicked Stepmother ''Wicked Stepmother'' is a 1989 American black comedy fantasy film written, produced, and directed by Larry Cohen and starring Bette Davis and Barbara Carrera. It is best known for being the last film of Bette Davis, who withdrew from the proj ...

'' (1989) as Client *''

Paddington Bear Paddington Bear (though his name is just Paddington; the "Bear" simply serves to confirm his species; and also known as Paddington Brown for some sources) is a fictional character in British children's literature. He first appeared on 13 October ...

'' (1989-1990) (TV Series) (voice) *''

Rover Dangerfield ''Rover Dangerfield'' is a 1991 American animated musical comedy film starring the voice talent of comedian Rodney Dangerfield, who also wrote the screenplay and story and co-produced the film. It revolves around the eponymous character, a canine ...

'' (1991) (voice) *''

'' (1992) (TV Series) as Man *''

Mom and Dad Save the World A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given childbirth, birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the case ...

'' (1992) as Chorus Master *'' Robin Hood: Men in Tights'' (1993) as Wedding Guest *''

The Thief and the Cobbler ''The Thief and the Cobbler'' is a 1993 animated fantasy film co-written and directed by Richard Williams, who intended it to be his magnum opus and a milestone in the animated medium. Originally devised in the 1960s, the film was in and out o ...

'' (1993) as The Brigand *'' Piglet's Big Game'' (2003) as the Narrator

References

3. Demetria Fulton previewed Main on The Facts of Life; episode titled, "The Facts of Life Goes to Paris “(09/25/1982).

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Main, Laurie 1922 births 2012 deaths Australian male stage actors Australian male film actors Australian male television actors Australian male voice actors British emigrants to the United States Australian emigrants to the United Kingdom Audiobook narrators