Frank Thring

Francis William Thring IV (11 May 1926 – 29 December 1994) was an Australian character actor in radio, stage, television and film; as well as a theatre director. His early career started in London in theatre productions, before he starred in Hollywood film, where he became best known for roles in Ben-Hur in 1959 and King of Kings in 1961. He was known for always wearing black and styling his home in black decor. Early life Thring was born in Melbourne. Although sometimes referred to as Frank Thring Jr. because of his well-known father, F. W. Thring, he was actually Francis William Thring (or William Francis Thring) IV. His forebears were Francis William Thring (1812–1887), Francis William Thring (known as William Thring) (1858–1920); William Frank Thring, known as Francis William Thring or F. W. Thring, (1882–1936). Thring was the son of F. W. Thring and Olive (née Kreitmeyer), and was educated at the Melbourne Grammar School. His father was the head of the theatrical firm J. C. Williamson's in the 1920s, and subsequently founded the theatre film production studio Efftee Studios in the 1930s, in Melbourne, Australia. He has been anachronistically claimed to have been the inventor of the clapperboard. Thring Sr. was also a noted film producer (The Sentimental Bloke), and partner in the nationwide Australian theatre circuit Hoyts. Thring Sr. died in July 1936 at the age of 53, when Frank Jr. was 10 years old. His second wife (Frank Jr.'s mother) inherited all the businesses. Frank said his earliest memory is of his mother standing on a stepladder in the foyer of the Regent Theatre in Melbourne, and arranging gladioli in the vases attached to the pillars.