John Hamblin Obituary, Funeral

John Hamblin, an English-born Australian children’s television presenter and actor of stage and screen who appeared in theatre productions, soap operas and made-for-TV films has died.

He died Wednesday, Sept. 21 at age 87.

Hamblin began his acting career in his native country England, in repertory theatre with the Theatre Royal, Windsor and also worked in old time music hall before an appearance in the cult TV series The Prisoner – the episode ‘A Change of Mind’.

Hamblin had roles in television throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, including roles in soap operas Number 96, Class of ’74, The Young Doctors (as Dr Dan Wheatley), Case for the Defence and Sons and Daughters.

However, he was best known as the host of Australian children’s programme Play School, a popular program for almost 30 years.

He began hosting the show in 1970, and appeared in more than 350 episodes during his run with the cast.

He retired from hosting the show in 1999 but returned once as a special guest as part of the show’s 50th Anniversary special in 2016.

Hamblin published his memoirs “Open Wide, Come Inside” with Peter Richman in 2008 and died 14 years later, on Sept. 21 at a hospital in Sydney, Australia.