Max Cryer


The career of Max Cryer is hard to summarise given that his work spanned across television, radio, the stage, and the printed word. Cryer, who died in 2021 aged 86, was well-known as the author of a wide range of non-fiction books. Often overlooked were his achievements as a musical performer, who released many Max Cryer and the Children albums, performed in countless musical productions, and toured repeatedly through the US.

Max Cryer got started in music at a young age, first with piano lessons and then a spell as a double- bass player in an orchestra. “I started playing piano when I was five – first by ear and then I learned to read music,” he told AudioCulture in 2017. “Singing came quite naturally after that and although I’d never thought seriously about taking it up, it was discovered that I had good pitch and a wide range. So I took lessons and won a scholarship for singing training.”

Ray Columbus and Max Cryer - A Girl To Watch Music By (1969)
Max Cryer - Funny As interview, 2019
Max Cryer and the Children's 1968 single, 'Talk to the Animals', from the film musical Dr Doolittle. 
Max Cryer, 1960s.
Superpop '70, a concert held at Western Springs, Auckland, featured local performers including The Chicks, Bunny Walters, and Reg Ruka. Produced by Max Cryer, the event was broadcast live and attended by Prince Charles and Princess Anne, who were visiting New Zealand with their parents.
Photo credit: Judy Donaldson collection
Max Cryer with Bogdan (Mr Lee Grant) Kominowski and Rob Guest.
Photo credit: Simon Grigg collection
Max Cryer and the Children's single 'Rubber Duckie', arranged by Garth Young, from the Philips LP Merry-Go-Max, 1971. 
Max Cryer, 1965.
Photo credit: Auckland Libraries
Max Cryer in a Tip-Top Trumpet ice cream advertisement, 1964.
Photo credit: Max Cryer collection
Max Cryer - Do Re Max! (Zodiac, 1966)
Max Cryer, Dinah Lee and Millie Small advertise Aywon stretch slacks in Playdate magazine, 1966.
Max Cryer and the Children - Pop Goes Max (PolyGram, 1974)
Photo credit: RNZ collection
Three stalwarts of New Zealand entertainment after receiving their royal honours in 1995: from left, Robin Scholes, Max Cryer, and Suzanne Prentice.
Max Cryer and the Children - Pop Goes Max (PolyGram, 1974). The album, produced by Julian Lee, featured songs such as 'Yellow Submarine' and 'Feelin' Groovy'. 
Photo credit: RNZ collection
Max Cryer and the Children - Town Cryer (Zodiac, 1966). The cover photograph is taken on Mt Eden, Auckland. 
Photo credit: RNZ collection
Max Cryer at the 1976 Apra Silver Scroll, Auckland. 
Max Cryer's Ted Talk on the evolution of the English language, 2015
Max Cryer as the King of Siam in 'The King and I'.
Photo credit: Max Cryer collection
Max Cryer and the Children, 1972.
Photo credit: Max Cryer collection
Eliza Keil with Max Cryer in Camelot.
Photo credit: Eliza Keil collection
The very first performance of Max Cryer and the Children on New Zealand television, 1966
Photo credit: Max Cryer collection
Max Cryer and the Children - Town Cryer (Zodiac, 1966)
Photo credit: RNZ collection
Max Cryer, 2018.
Phil Warren with entertainer Max Cryer in 1990
1976: Ray Columbus, Bob Hughes (Australian Writer Director on the APRA board), Max Cryer and Pat Bell
Prince Charles meets Max Cryer, Miss New Zealand (Carol Robinson), Corben Simpson and Bunny Walters at Superpop 70 in Auckland
Photo credit: Corben Simpson Collection
Max Cryer and the Children - Uncle Max (PolyGram, 1974)
Photo credit: RNZ collection
Eliza Keil with Max Cryer in Camelot.
Photo credit: Eliza Keil collection
Las Vegas, 1971: Frankie Stevens, John Rowles and Max Cryer get together while all three were performing simultaneously in the city. 
Photo credit: Frankie Stevens collection
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PolyGram


Philips

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