Alistair Harvey-Sutton (OC 1950) pays tribute to his old friend Robert Atholl Fleming OC 1944-51 who passed away in London last February aged 87.

I met Robert soon after he came to Cranbrook in 1944 aged 11, as a boarder in Rawson House. I was of a similar age as Robert and had many of the same interests. One way and another we saw a good deal of each other.

Robert was born in England and came to Australia with his parents in 1939. His father Atholl Fleming, a professional West End actor, had met his mother Phyllis Best, an Australian actress, in 1932 when they were members of a theatrical tour in Australia featuring the famous Dame Sybil Thorndike and Sir Lewis Casson. They subsequently married and, at the end of the tour, returned to England. Robert was born on 19 July 1933 in London.

On the declaration of war in September 1939, his father, who had fought in World War One with the British Army in France and had been severely wounded, volunteered several times for military service. His repeated applications however, were rejected on the basis that he was unfit for service as his war wounds were still troubling him. Later that year, at the suggestion of his father-in-law, Sir Robert Best, he took his family to live permanently in Australia.  

Robert was also of interest to me as his father was the lead presenter in the ABC’s children’s session “The Argonauts Club” which was produced in Sydney and on air every weekday at 5.30pm. The session was very popular and I regularly listened to it. His father performed under the name “Mac”, which was a reference to his Scottish heritage. I was intrigued to know the son of the famous Mac.

I well remember when Robert suggested that we go after school to the ABC studio at 96 Market Street in the city to see a session being produced that afternoon. The studio was a big room with black curtains on the walls to mask noise with a control room on one wall. Mac, together with the two other presenters, known as Elizabeth and Joe, stood around a table with their printed parts in their hands as the session got underway with a microphone suspended above them. The music, songs and other background were interposed with the spoken parts in a smooth and skilful manner. It was very expertly and quietly done. Robert was obviously really interested in the whole production and mentioned to me that he quite often came in to see a session.

Robert’s later decision to develop a career in television, I believe, was influenced by his father’s commanding acting style and this early introduction to him of the production and direction of entertainment presented outside the theatre.

In his life at Cranbrook from 1944 to 1951 Robert made the most of his opportunities in the school year.  Academically he passed the Intermediate in 1948 and the Leaving in 1951. In this last year he was promoted to the Upper VI form. He did well in debating that year as a member of the School’s Debating Team, which held formal debates against neighbouring schools. The above photo of the team appears in the official School photo page for 1951 showing a tall Robert on the left, Danny Fewtrell in the centre and Michael Crouch on the right. Robert was also a Rawson House prefect in 1951 and a member of the Second XI cricket and XV rugby teams. In cricket he was an effective fast in-swing bowler, who bowled with intent and loved taking wickets. That year he was also Drum Major in the Cadets. His desire to help others was shown by his appointment as Assistant Librarian in 1948 and Tuck Shop Assistant in 1949-1950. He made many friends and always did his best to assist others.

When he left school, he, as with others of his age, was required to enter National Service. Robert chose to join the Royal Australian Navy and spent several years with them. He crewed in several ships in overseas voyages including one to Britain in 1954 when, at 21, he had his first opportunity to visit the land of his birth and be welcomed by his cousin’s family. The visit also gave him time in London to learn more about the production of modern TV programs. In 1956 the ABC launched Australia’s first TV channel in Sydney. This led to him returning to Australia in November, via the navy in the aircraft carrier Melbourne, to apply for employment with the ABC. His application was accepted and he was given a position with its TV channel. At 23 he was set for a career in television which proved to be in the development, production and direction of its material.

He worked hard at the ABC but he had enough time for a big social life as he had a great sense of humour, a warm outgoing personality, and a genuine affection for others. He was a great friend. In these years I saw a good deal of him as he joined me in playing with the Old Cranbrookians Cricket Club at Dangar Oval. He loved cricket and the club and was a real team man. A notable cricket connection of the OCCC was with the Stage and Radio Cricket Club, organised by his father for his actor friends. Robert was their opening bowler. On one match with them I had the misfortune of being given LBW to his inswinger. Never in my long cricket experience have I heard such a passionate and explosive appeal by a bowler for an LBW!

In 1959 he felt that he had the experience to make his career in the large and expanding television Industry in England and, in the December, he moved permanently to London to further his career and rejoin his extended family there.

He was soon employed in the production and direction of television programs, first in Wales and then in London. There he commenced working in light entertainment. He was the first director for “Ready Steady Go”, a new and successful pop music programme, and later he presented other programs of this genre including one featuring the famous London Music Hall songs of the past, sung by foremost stage professionals. This programme, though successful, was eventually terminated by Robert. I once asked him the reason for this decision and he said, “Look, there are just so many times you can reprise a song.”

He later found that light entertainment was not fulfilling and he moved from that form of programing to documentary-making across a range of subjects which he felt had    a greater value and interest for the public and himself. At Thames TV and thereafter, he produced award-winning documentary films such as “A Profile of Cardinal Hume”,  “The Bicentenary  of  the Times”, “The Big Bang in the City”, “The Great Houses of England”, “My Brother’s Keeper,” and “This Sporting Land”, a history of the social history of sport. A unique program was one featuring interviews with wounded and ageing “Battle of Britain” fighter pilots, highlighting their struggles to meet continuing health problems. Most of the wounds were burns to the face and hands as their damaged fighters burned in dog-fights in 1940. Robert greatly feared that the publicity these interviews would bring might harm these brave men but he found that they were, in fact, welcomed by them and gave comfort to them.

The awards he received and his high standing in the television industry in Britain arose from his deep interest in people and their relationship with the world as well as his ability to immerse himself in his subjects. This gave him an understanding of them and made for powerful TV.

As his career developed, he became a highly successful producer, director and documentary maker, the result of the breadth and variety of his interests. It was said during his career that he “danced to the music of the times”, constantly changing his focus and pioneering new genres. He was a great innovator. As a true Argonaut he was always looking for adventure!

His success at Thames TV led to him being invited in 1964 to make the opening programme for the new commercial TV Channel 10, in Sydney. He arrived in Sydney in October 1964 and worked for Channel 10 until April 1965, when he returned to London after a successful engagement.

On 27 February 1981, he had the good fortune to meet his true love Marion and, shortly after, marry her. He thought that it had been the best thing he had done. They had a long, loving and sparky life and remained a partnership to the end. Marion was a woman of parts including having the accolade of being appointed a Law Magistrate in London’s legal system. She was a great supporter of Robert professionally and she proved to be of great assistance to him in the planning, financing and production of his TV documentary career.

Together they set up a production company for this purpose called Argo Productions, the Argonauts name, and produced a number of documentary series focused on the London Police Murder and Flying Squads. For these series they used a pioneering “fly on the wall” technique which was then revolutionary and is now a mainstay of police documentaries. Robert told me that when filming these programmes, he had a car with crew and camera ready to accompany the police squads at speed when they were called out for emergency action. I think that he really enjoyed the drama and excitement involved and was proud of the success of Argo Productions in making these series. 

Robert retired in 1996 after a notable career in TV but, rather than relaxing, his vigorous and energetic nature led him to champion a charity called The Primary Club. This was a cricketers’ charity for the blind, whose remit was to provide sporting and recreational facilities for the blind and partially sighted throughout the United Kingdom. To qualify as a member/donor an applicant had to have been dismissed first ball at cricket, meaning they had scored a “primary”. Later all were welcomed as members.

The club relied on annual cash donations from its members so membership was always of importance to the executive. Robert, who was a member, was seen as a man who could, as an Hon Secretary, encourage membership and donations and generally further the aims of the club. He was accordingly offered that position. He accepted without hesitation.

Robert was motivated to assist the club by his belief that sport, in a broad sense, had the ability to change lives for the better, particularly for the disadvantaged. He thought that the club was a worthy charity and was prepared to work hard for its success. Apart from other advances for the club, he was notably successful in gaining support from sport and community leaders such as the former Prime Minister Sir John Major and Test cricketers Ritchie Benaud, Mike Brearley and Derek Underwood. Derek also became Patron of the club. Robert‘s work for The Primary Club was recognised when he was appointed its chairman between 2004 and 2008.

Robert had the advantage of having Marion assist him in his work which led to the trebling of donations, an increase in membership and an expansion in the scope of the club’s assistance to the visually impaired. The club was fortunate to have had their support.

Robert’s great commitment to the club was fully appreciated by its members as was made evident in The Primary Club Members Newsletter for 2021 which included this tribute:

“He was passionate about the ability of sport to change lives. Through his leadership, the range and quality of sporting opportunities for the vision impaired have dramatically expanded and improved. His sense of fun, friendship and support will be greatly missed.”

His work for the club was something of which he could be justly proud.

On retirement, Robert and Marion travelled the world including visiting Australia and Sydney several times and at home enjoying their various interests, their home and, best of all, the company of their family and friends.

Robert and I kept in contact through letters and emails over all the years that we were separated and when we met in England or in Sydney, each would make every effort to organise hospitality and special events for the other.  When Robert and Marion came to Sydney, they were welcomed by all their friends who were so pleased to see them. When Philippa and I went to England, we were similarly entertained and welcomed.

Robert, I believe, though English, had a very strong affection for Australia and, in particularly for Sydney and his old school, Cranbrook. He went out of his way to help in the setting-up of the tours of the OCCC to England which began in1975. He became friends with the players and came to as many of its fixtures on the tours as possible. When watching a match, he was vocal in support of the team! To me, he was always affectionately interested in Cranbrook and his old school friends and was, still at heart, an Old Cranbrookian and Sydneysider.  I think this feeling is shown in this excerpt from an email he sent to me in September 2009:

“You would have laughed if you had seen me watching the series on TV – wearing MCC socks and drinking coffee out of a Royal Australian Navy mug. The perfect balance I thought.”

Sadly, Robert became frail at 86 and, in 2020, became ill with the Covid-19 virus.  His health and vitality did not return and, despite the best efforts of all concerned, he slipped away in February 2021 to the great regret of us all.

I offer our most sincere condolences to Marion, whom Robert loved so much and who cared for him so well – they were a true partnership.

Cranbrook should be proud of having such an outstanding Old Cranbrookian.