Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Saturday 20 November 1954, page 3


Peter Finch Wins

£87,500 Contract

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LONDON, Nov. 19 (A.A.P.). - Sydney actor Peter Finch has won a seven-year contract worth <£A87,S00 with the J. Arthur Rank film organisation, the "Evening Standard" says to-day.

. The newspaper quotes the production chief of the Rank organisation's Pinewood studios, Mr. Earl St. John, as saying: "We are going to build Finch into a.major British star. He will make

one picture a year for us."

. At present Finch, with Anthony Steele and young Brisbane actress Diane Cilento, is making "Passage Home" at Pinewood.

His contract with Sir Lau-rence Olivier - who "dis-covered" him in Australia five years ago-will expire at the end of this year and will not be renewed, the newspaper

says.

The "Evening Standard" describes Finch as "once a hobo in Australia with less than sixpence in his pocket," and tells of how he scored his first big British success when starred with Dame Edith

Evans in the play, "Daphne

Laureola."