A Hawke's Bay native, Hawthorne became a member of the country’s first major professional theatre company, the New Zealand Players, in 1955. Soon after, he was granted a bursary to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He spent several years in England, moving from acting to directing, before coming home to Auckland 1971 and joining Mercury Theatre. Hawthorne founded Theatre Corporate in 1974, giving many of the city’s young actors their professional start.
He was appointed director of Mercury Theatre in 1985, where he worked for seven years. He was also heavily involved in the Auckland Theatre Company, Opera New Zealand, and was head of Unitec’s School of Performing and Screen Arts.
An Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to theatre, Hawthorne was married to actress Elizabeth Hawthorne: daughters Emmeline and the late Sophia acted. Raymond Hawthorne died on April 5 aged 88.
