Chard Hayward (born Roy Hayward, 1949) is a Welsh-born Australian-American television actor, director and producer, he is best known for his long-running role of camp barman Dudley Butterfield in the 1970s television soap opera Number 96, he had previously appeared in a small role as a hippie in earlier episodes. Since the early 90s he has been based in the US.

Chard Hayward
Born
Roy Hayward

1949 (age 74–75)
Swansea, Wales
Occupation(s)Actor, director, producer
Known forNumber 96
Children2

Biography

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Early life

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Born as Roy Hayward in Swansea, Wales, he initially pursued a career in the military, and at 19 become a commissioned as an officer in the engineers, but decided it was not for him. After jobs as an actuary and part-time work in catering, Hayward heard about the National Institute of Dramatic Art, auditioned, and was accepted. However, he left NIDA after only 12 months to join the Pageant Theatre Company, which toured schools throughout New South Wales. He eventually worked at both directing and producing plays for the company.

Career

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Hayward's role of high-camp gay caterer and old-movie fan Dudley Butterfield in Number 96 began in late 1973 and quickly became one of the show's most popular and recognised characters. Dudley was involved in a long-running gay relationship with Don Finlayson (Joe Hasham) in the show. Dudley was later revealed as a bisexual and embarked on relationships with women, Dudley opened a hairdressing salon and then a disco, briefly became a television star, and then was shot to death in June 1977 after Hayward decided to leave the series.

His career continued steadily with roles in Australian feature films, drama series and miniseries through the 1980s. In the 1990s he acted on US television with a role in soap opera Santa Barbara. More recent appearances include Babylon 5, Lost and, in 2007, as a surprise guest for the Number 96 reunion on Australia's Where Are They Now?.

Personal life

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A legacy of his army years was the nickname Chard - the surname of a famous British Army officer - which he would use as his official stage name throughout his subsequent acting career.

Chard Hayward has two sons, Adam with his first wife, former Miss Australia Sarah Gray, and Sean with one-time US actor Cynthia Killion.

Filmography (selected)

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Film

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Year Title Role Type
1971 Homedale Man at Bar (uncredited)
1974 Number 96 Dudley Butterfield TV movie
1979 The Journalist Barry Feature film
1979 Thank You Early Mason Short film
1981 Lady Stay Dead Gordon Mason Feature film
1982 Brothers Adam Wild TV movie
1987 Crackdown Alex Murdock
1988 The Killing Game Max
1988 The Tourist Abu Gassam TV movie
1988 Outback Bound David TV movie
1988 Violent Zone Norman McCloskey
2007 Metamorphosis Narrator (voice)
2009 2084 Professor
2010 Play On Finlay Kilgour

Television

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Year Title Role Type
1967 Bellbird TV series
1971 Homicide Johnny Parsons TV series
1972 Lane End Wentworth TV series
1972–77 Number 96 Hippy / Dudley Butterfield TV series, 209 episodes
1983 The Thorn Birds Arne Swenson TV miniseries
1984 Carson's Law Randolph Seaton TV series
1991 Hunter Titus Hall TV series
1991 Santa Barbara Richard Sedgewick TV series
1997 Babylon 5 Religious #2 TV series
2000 Days of Our Lives Barry TV series
2005 Lost Australian Official TV series
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