Ed Devereaux

Ed Devereaux (27 August 1925 – 17 December 2003) was an Australian actor, who lived in the UK for many years. He was best known for playing the part of "Matt Hammond" in the Australian children's television series Skippy. He was also involved in the series behind the scenes: Devereaux directed The Veteran (1969), for which he received much critical acclaim. He also wrote the script. Devereaux based the story of Double Trouble on an idea conceived by his children, wrote the screenplay of Summer Storm and wrote the script of The Mine.

Devereaux appeared as Mr. Gubbins in the 1963 British comedy movie Ladies Who Do and in several Carry On films including Carry On Sergeant, Carry On Nurse, Carry On Regardless, Carry On Cruising and Carry On Jack.

He also appeared as Thomas Macaulay in series 5 of The Onedin Line and as Mac in the British comedy series Absolutely Fabulous and in The Professionals (episode "Runner") and The Sweeney ("Jackpot"). In 1964 he appeared in The Saint episode "The Loving Brothers".

Devereaux's first wife was Irene Champion. Together they had four children: John (b. 1954), Steven (b. 1955), Timothy (b. 1956) and Matthew (b. 1962). Champion wrote the song for the Skippy spin-off movie The Intruders in 1969. She and Devereaux separated in 1986.

Three months after he was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus, Devereaux died in his sleep of renal failure at his Hampstead home, at the age of 78, on 17 December 2003. He had insisted on being released from Royal Free Hospital to be at home with Julie, his second wife of 17 years. He was cremated at the Golders Green Crematorium, where his ashes remain.