in 1959 wharton adopted the name murray and moved into an acting career with the theatre workshop company in stratford, east london, under the direction of the theatre director joan littlewood. he appeared in the first production of "fings ain't wot they used t'be" before transferring to london's west end theatre, wyndam's, as understudy to alfred lynch in the title role of "the hostage". he played a small role in the arnold wesker one-act play "last day in dreamland" at the lyric hammersmith, and interspersed acting in minor film roles ("never let go" - 1960), tv parts and commercials with solo record releases on decca.