Anthony Wager

Anthony A. "Tony" Wager (24 June 1932 – 23 December 1990) was an English actor and television writer. Wager is best known for portraying the role of the young "Pip" in David Lean's 1946 film of Great Expectations.

Anthony Wager
Born	24 June 1932 Willesden, London, England
Died	23 December 1990 (aged 58) Bali, Indonesia
Nationality	English
Other names	Tony Wager
Education	Christ's College, Finchley
Occupation	Actor, television writer
Years active	1946–1988

Early life and career

Wager was born in Willesden, north London and grew up in Mill Hill and Hendon. Wager's father was a plumber and decorator.[1] He studied at Christ's College, Finchley. In 1945, Wager auditioned for the role of young 'Pip' in the film Great Expectations. Wager won the role and was praised by critics for his performance. He won a Film Daily Critics Award for Best Performance For a Juvenile for his role in the film.[2]

After appearing in Great Expectations, Wager continued working in films and television in England. He often lived with the director Brian Desmond Hurst.[3] In the late 1950s, Wager moved to Sydney, Australia where he continued his career in both film and television but occasionally returned to England for acting jobs.[4] He made his final onscreen appearance in the 1988 Australian television movie The Boardroom. Wager then moved to Bali, Indonesia for health reasons.

Death

On 23 December 1990, Wager died at age of 58 in Bali. He was given a Balinese funeral and his ashes were scattered at a lake.

Partial filmography

• Great Expectations (1946) – Young Pip
• Hungry Hill (1947) – Young Wild Johnnie
• Fame Is the Spur (1947) – The Boy Hamer
• The Guinea Pig (1948) – Bert
• The Secret Tunnel (1948) – Roger Henderson
• No Place for Jennifer (1950) – Ted
• Scrooge (1951) – Fezziwig's Lad (uncredited)
• Above Us the Waves (1955) – George
• The Battle of the River Plate (1956) – Lookout, HMS Ajax (uncredited)
• The Wind Cannot Read (1958) – Moss
• The Captain's Table (1959) – Tony Millington (uncredited)
• Night of the Prowler (1962) – Det. Sgt. Baker
• Shadow of Fear (1963) – Jack Carter
• The Hi-Jackers (1963) – Smithy
• Be My Guest (1965) – Artie Clough
• Two Left Feet (1965) – Master of Ceremonies (uncredited)
• The Little Ones (1965) – (uncredited)
• Night Caller from Outer Space (1965) – Pvt. Higgins
• Stir (1980) – Visiting Justice
• Daisy and Simon (1989) – Cuthbert (final film role)

References

1. Holstrom, John (1996). The Moving Picture Boy: An International Encyclopaedia From 1895 To 1995. p. 180.
2. "Critics Award Acting Honors". The Spokesman-Review. 26 October 1948. p. 2. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
3. "A Tribute to Anthony Wager".
4. "English Actor Returning To Film Role". The Age. 1 August 1957. p. 1. Retrieved 2 April 2014.

External links

• Anthony Wager at IMDb
• A Tribute to Anthony Wager by Wager's great nephew and sister