CANBERRA theatre-lovers are marking the end of an era with the news that  one of this city’s favourite actors, Hec McMillan, died peacefully at his Reid home on January 16, aged 95.

McMillan grew up in Canberra from 1926. In an excerpt from an oral history interview recorded with  Ken Begg in 1996 he recalls the national capital in the mid-1920s. ‘Limestone plains stretching in every direction with very little on them’. He describes the opening ceremony of the Provisional Parliament House in May 1927, which he attended as a seven year old. He also recalls Nellie Melba singing at the ceremony but cutting her song short.

‘Hec’ was already a household name in Canberra, with roles to play in many community activities well outside the theatre (although he was a famed member of REP and Philo) when he became more widely-known for  his roles in films like ‘Babe’ (1995), ‘Dad and Dave: On Our Selection’ (1995) and ‘Sons and Daughters’ (1982) and for NZ comedian John Clarke’s 1991 show, ‘A Royal Commission into the Australian Economy’, co-written with Ross Campbell and directed by Bruce Petty at Belvoir St Theatre in Sydney.

A keen Freemason, his family has also described him as a loving husband and father, a kind and generous friend, a dutiful soldier, loyal colleague, cricket nut, golf tragic, foiled opera singer and cryptic crossword demon– and very fine actor.

His involvement in Canberra life was legendary, shared for many years with this late wife Phyll.

A typical activity was his participation as compere in The Company of Friends, a group of senior entertainers who devoted their free time to providing entertainment in nursing homes and retirement villages around Canberra and at least once in the School of Arts Café, Queanbeyan.

The Duntroon Society records the following:

Hec McMillan was born on February 21, 1919 in Sydney. He served in WWII with 6 Australian Division and later in the post-war CMF, retiring at the rank of major. He was a member of the Commonwealth Public Service from 1933-79, during which time he acted and directed as an amateur with Canberra Repertory, Canberra Philharmonic, and kindred organisations in Canberra and Hong Kong.

He retired from the CPS in 1979 and turned fully professional as an actor in the entertainment industry.

He was appointed to Membership of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1981 for services to the performing arts in ACT, and was elected Senior Australian of the Year (ACT) in 2004.

His acting credits include: mainstage (The Department, The Perfectionist, The Club, Flexitime, Seasons Greetings, Bedroom Farce, A Hard God, The Royal Commission into the Australian Economy, On Our Selection, Threepenny Opera, Henry and Peter and Henry and Me, Treasure Island); television (several episodes of Country Practice, GP, True Believers, The Paper Man, Rafferty’s Rules, The Fremantle Conspiracy); and feature films (Nostradamus Kid, On Our Selection, Babe). His last professional public appearance was in 1999 in the Edgely Great ANZAC Tattoo at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

A celebration of Hec McMillan’s life will be held at 11am tomorrow, Friday January 23, at White Lady Chapel, 101 Nettlefold St, Belconnen. A Masonic tribute will be given. Craft regalia, bright colours and tartan will be welcomed by the family.

William Hector  McMillan MBE 21 February 1919 – 16 January 2015.