# Gordon Boyd
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{{Short description|English actor (1922–2009)}}
{{about||the Scottish footballer|Gordon Boyd (footballer)|the Scottish rugby union player|Gordon Boyd (rugby union)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Gordon Boyd
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Gordon William Needham
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1922|12|26|df=y}}
| birth_place = [Sheerness](/source/Sheerness), [Isle of Sheppey](/source/Isle_of_Sheppey), Kent, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2009|10|8|1922|12|26|df=y}}
| death_place = [Wahroonga](/source/Wahroonga%2C_New_South_Wales), Sydney, Australia
| other_names =
| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|television presenter|singer}}
| years_active =
| spouse = Joan Welldon (1950–74), Kate Boyd.
| partner =
| website =
}}
'''Gordon William Needham''' (26 December 1922 – 8 October 2009)[[http://notices.smh.com.au/death/60882/notice.aspx Death Notice: Gordon William Boyd] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091016023637/http://notices.smh.com.au/death/60882/notice.aspx |date=16 October 2009 }}, ''[The Sydney Morning Herald](/source/The_Sydney_Morning_Herald)'', 12 October 2009.] credited as '''Gordon Boyd''', was an [English](/source/England) actor of film, television and musical theatre as well as a television host, and singer who hosted several television programmes in Australia during the 1960s. He worked in both his native Britain, and then in Australia after emigrating in 1964.
==Early life and military service==
Boyd was born '''Gordon William Needham''' at [Sheerness](/source/Sheerness) on the [Isle of Sheppey](/source/Isle_of_Sheppey), Kent, England. He attended [Faversham Grammar School](/source/Queen_Elizabeth's_Grammar_School%2C_Faversham), and studied a year of medicine with the intention of becoming a medical missionary for the [Methodist Church](/source/Methodism), but instead took up acting after joining the [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) in 1941, where he studied drama, performed and participated in radio broadcasts. After flight training in the United States, Boyd was posted to [Ceylon](/source/Sri_Lanka), where he flew [PBY Catalina](/source/PBY_Catalina) [flying boat](/source/flying_boat)s and served with several Australian military personnel.[Sheil, Pat: [http://www.smh.com.au/national/obituaries/debonair-showman-made-hearts-flutter-20091022-hbel.html Debonair showman made hearts flutter], ''[The Sydney Morning Herald](/source/The_Sydney_Morning_Herald)'', 23 October 2009.]
==Acting career==
After the end of World War II, Boyd landed a role in the operetta ''[Song of Norway](/source/Song_of_Norway)'', which ran for two years in London's West End. In 1953, he had a role in the West End production of ''[Guys and Dolls](/source/Guys_and_Dolls)'', and in 1959 he played an Australian character in the poorly received play ''Kookaburra'' at the [Prince's Theatre](/source/Shaftesbury_Theatre). In 1955, Boyd made his film debut in a minor role in ''[Richard III](/source/Richard_III_(1955_film))'', [Laurence Olivier](/source/Laurence_Olivier)'s adaptation of [the Shakespeare play](/source/Richard_III_(play)).