Nash, John

Born in Louisiana and raised in Texas, John has travelled all over the world. After four years in the United States Navy, he moved west to Hollywood and took a screen test at the Universal International studios. He then went to an actors’ school (with Tony Curtis) for a short time before returning to Texas where he took a job with a local radio station as a “disc jockey.” He then moved to New York where he acted in a number of television films. In 1960, he read about proposals for television in New Zealand, and although he was not assured of a job, decided to take “the risk" and “go down under.” However, he need not have worried, for John was only in the country two weeks before he was working with Channel 1 in Auckland. He was transferred to Christchurch shortly after Channel 3 opened in 1961.

Remembered for the Judy Anne and the Fang Family programme, one of the most popular children’s features the channel had produced. American-born, Nash wrote the scripts which made Ferguson Fang so famous; his inclusion in it of jokes and asides aimed at older people had the parents watching with their children. 

Source: Press, 15 August 1963 and 1 June 1971