▁which ▁was ▁sh el ved ▁upon ▁Han cock ' s ▁suic ide ▁and ▁later ▁released ▁as ▁a ▁TV ▁movie ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁ ▁With ▁his ▁c rag gy ▁features , ▁C ros by ▁was ▁often ▁compared ▁to ▁British ▁super star ▁Sir ▁John ▁M ills . ▁In ▁radio , ▁another ▁popular ▁role ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁long - running ▁G wen ▁Mer ed ith ▁drama ▁serial ▁Blue ▁Hills . ▁More ▁stage ▁roles ▁followed ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁celebrated ▁for ▁his ▁appearances ▁in ▁works ▁by ▁Ste ele ▁Rud d . ▁In ▁film , ▁his ▁cred its ▁include ▁News front , ▁Little ▁Boy ▁Lost , ▁The ▁Picture ▁Show ▁Man ▁and ▁the ▁ind igen ous ▁rights ▁film ▁The ▁Ch ant ▁of ▁J imm ie ▁Black sm ith . ▁His ▁later ▁television ▁work ▁included ▁roles ▁in ▁The ▁Young ▁Do ctors ▁and ▁A ▁Country ▁Pract ice . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁Australia ' s ▁most ▁distinguished ▁actors ▁and ▁radio ▁produ cers , ▁with ▁a ▁career ▁sp anning ▁all ▁gen res ▁including ▁stage , ▁film , ▁radio ▁and ▁television . ▁He ▁ur ged ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁Australian ▁actors ▁where ▁possible ▁and ▁spoke ▁out ▁against ▁cut s ▁in ▁ABC ▁fund ing . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁an ▁O AM , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁he ▁received ▁the ▁Australian ▁Film ▁Institute ' s ▁Long ford ▁Ly ell ▁Award ▁for ▁services ▁to ▁the ▁industry . ▁▁ ▁C ros by ▁served ▁for ▁a ▁time ▁as ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁The ▁Act ors '