John Hamblin was 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. He passed away on Sept. 21 at age 87.
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Hamblin was born in 1935 in Windsor but grew up in Suffolk.
Apparently, Hamblin’s mother and father separated and and when Hamblin’s mother moved in with the local baker, his father moved the rest of the family to Norfolk.
Hamblin lost contact with his mother at that point.
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Hamblin’s father had flown with the Royal Flying Corps during World War I and Hamblin himself joined the Air Force and did his national service in Cyprus in the late 1950s before returning to England.
Aside hosting Play School, Hamblin also secured 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.
Hamblin played the role of Michael Chamberlain in the 1984 telemovie The Disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain.
After a hiatus in the 1990s, he returned to TV series in guest roles in All Saints and Love My Way in the early 2000s.
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