Nationality New Zealander Name Eric Baume | Role Journalist | |
Full Name Frederick Ehrenfried Baume Born 29 May 1900 ( 1900-05-29 ) Auckland, New Zealand Occupation Australian journalist, radio, actor and talk show host Died April 24, 1967, Sydney, Australia Books Tragedy Track: The Story of the Granites | ||
Eric Baume OBE (29 May 1900 – 24 April 1967) was a New Zealand-born Australian based journalist, radio presenter, actor and talk show host.
Contents
Early life
Eric Baume was born Frederick Ehrenfried Baume in Auckland, New Zealand in 1900 to a father of the same name who was a lawyer and politician. Eric moved to Sydney in the early 1920s and worked for as editor for several papers. At this time he developed what was to become a lifelong addiction to gambling, which kept the family in debt for decades.
Career
He wrote a novel called Half Caste. Film rights were purchased in 1946 by United Artists.
He hosted a radio series titled This I Believe. A television version aired on ATN-7 from 3 December 1956 to circa 27 July 1958.
He also hosted a short-lived show on ATN-7 on Sundays titled State Your Case during 1957.
In 1959 he hosted Men at the Top, and then began hosting Eric Baume's Viewpoint (1959-1961).
He is well remembered as "The Beast" in the Australian TV talk show Beauty and the Beast, where his gruff style compared to the ladies on the panel kept the ratings high.
Honour
In 1966 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
Death
Baume died in 1967. His debts considerably exceeded his assets.
Personal life
He was the uncle of Michael Baume and was also related to Peter Baume, both Liberal politicians and ministers.