Obituaries Australia

Mr. Erle H. Cox ("The Chiel"), one of Australia's best known and best loved film critics since 1929, died at his home in Elsternwick yesterday morning after a long illness. He was 77. 

For 32 years he was a leading figure in Melbourne journalism, and for 17 of those years he wrote, in a style he made his own, pungent criticisms of motion pictures for The Argus and The Australasian. 

For the past four years he had been film critic of the Age.

As a reviewer of films Mr. Cox was noted for his sincerity and humor, and his ideals were high; and members of the film industry, recognising the honesty that underlay his most withering criticisms, remained his friends. 

Yesterday representatives of the trade paid high tribute to the way he had consistently "boosted" British talkies during the early, lean years, when they attracted a limited public. 

Mr. Cox was first appointed to The Argus following contributions to "The Passing Show" column, signed "Oriel." He continued to write topical verse and humorous items for that column for a number of years. 

He wrote three novels; the first of which, Out of the Silence, was popular as a serial story in The Argus in 1919, and later in book form. 

Mr. Cox leaves a widow, two daughters (Mrs. Alfred Wallaston and Miss Kathleen Cox), and a son, Mr. Harold Cox, representative of the Herald at Canberra.

A memorial service will be held at Sleight's funeral home, St. Kilda Rd., commencing at 10 a.m. tomorrow, after which there will be a private cremation at Springvale.