John Waters (actor)

Australian actor

For other people named John Waters, see John Waters (disambiguation).

John Waters

John Waters rehearsing in stage version of The Addams Family as Gomez

Born|

John Russell Waters

1948 (age 76-77)

London, England

Occupations|

* Actor
* musician
* songwriter
* playwright
* theatre performer
* TV presenter

Years active| 1967−present
Children| 5

John Waters (born 1948)[1] is an English-born Australian film, theatre and television actor, singer, guitarist, songwriter, and musician. He is the son of Scottish actor Russell Waters. John Waters has been in the industry for over 50 years, and was part of the Australian children's television series Play School for 18 years.

## Career

[edit]

### Music

[edit]

Waters was born in 1948[2] in London, England. He first faced a live audience as a singer and bass guitar player with 1960s London-based blues band The Riots before travelling to Australia, initially for an extended working holiday and then eventually settling there permanently.[3]

Waters is an accomplished musician, and since 1992 has toured many times with his one-man show Looking Through a Glass Onion. Co-written with friend and musician, Stewart D'Arrietta, the show is a tribute to John Lennon featuring numerous examples of Lennon's music, words and images. In addition to many Australian tours of this show it also played six months in the West End, London.[3][4] In 2014, it played 120 performances at the Union Square Theatre in Manhattan.[5]

Waters has released a number of CDs including The Story of Pilliga Pete and Clarrie the Cocky (2010), a family story and music CD written and narrated by Waters, Brel (2010) a live album sung in French and a tribute to the Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel, the double live album, John Waters Looking Through A Glass Onion (2011) and his debut originals album Cloudland (2011).

### Theatre

[edit]

Waters' first big break was in musicals, playing Claude in a Sydney production of Hair in 1969, then Judas in Godspell and Pontius Pilate in the Australian concert production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

He starred as Dracula in 1978 at the theatre in Quay St, Haymarket.

He was in the original Australian production of They're Playing Our Song, which opened on 23 August 1980 at the Theatre Royal in Sydney. It starred Waters and Jacki Weaver, with Rhonda Burchmore as one of the Inner Voices. An Australian cast recording of the show was later released by Festival Records.[6]

In 1991 he played the narrator role of Lewis Carroll in the Jackson-Mayo production of Mike Batt's The Hunting of the Snark at the Hills Centre, Castle Hill, and the State Theatre in Sydney. He starred alongside Phillip Quast, Jacki Love, Cameron Daddo and Doug Parkinson.

In 2000, Waters appeared in a production of The Sound of Music, in which he played the part of Captain von Trapp, alongside Lisa McCune as Maria.

In 2005, Waters starred in David Williamson's play Influence as shock jock Ziggi Blasko. The play was performed in Sydney during March/April 2005 and in Melbourne in June/July 2005.[7][8]

In 2008, he played The Narrator in Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show at Star City Casino, Sydney.[9]

In 2006–2007. Waters toured Australia, Hong Kong and New Zealand in a critically acclaimed role alongside Brett Tucker in The Woman in Black.[10]

In 2010 he starred in the Melbourne Theatre Company's production of The Swimming Club, a play by Australian author Hannie Rayson.[2]

In 2013 Waters starred in The Addams Family musical as Gomez Addams. The production premiered in Sydney on 24 March 2013 and closed on 9 June 2013.[11][12]

In 2017, Waters played Ulysses in Music Theatre Melbourne's concert production of Paris.[13] He had previously played the role of Agamemnon on the musical's original concept album released in 1990.

In 2024 Waters starred in a new Australian tour of The Woman in Black as Arthur Kipps.[14]

### Television

[edit]

Many Australians still remember Waters best from his nearly 20-year stint on the Australian children's series Play School, appearing from 1972 until 1991. During his tenure with Play School, he narrated various children's video trailers for ABC-TV.[15]

Among his best known television roles is that of the brooding Sergeant Robert McKellar in the 1974–76 television series Rush (revoiced and parodied by The D-Generation as The Olden Days on their comedy program The Late Show).

Waters also appeared in the 1983 Australian miniseries All the Rivers Run as Brenton Edwards.[2]

In 2002, he had a role in the short-lived drama Young Lions.

He played Perry Luscombe in Fireflies, which lasted for only one season, on ABC-TV in 2004.[16]

Waters joined the cast of All Saints in June 2006 as Mike Vlasek, the new head of surgery. He remained with the show until its cancellation in late 2009.

In 2010, Waters was a guest star in Sea Patrol as Sgt. Booker.

In 2010, Waters guest starred in City Homicide as William Clegg.

In 2012, Waters starred in the ABC TV mini-series The Mystery of a Hansom Cab, adapted from the novel by English writer Fergus Hume.[17] He appeared on the Logie-award-winning television series Offspring, which completed filming its third season in 2013 and was renewed for a further two seasons.[18][19]

From September 2015, Waters joined the cast of the fourth season of the ABC TV series Rake.

In 2018 Waters had a recurring role, as lawyer Travis James, on the ABC TV Series Mystery Road.

### Films

[edit]

Waters played Capt. Alfred Taylor in the 1980 film Breaker Morant which starred British actor Edward Woodward as Harry "Breaker" Morant.

In 1982, Waters appeared in the World War II film Attack Force Z alongside Mel Gibson, John Phillip Law and Sam Neill.[20]

In 2013, Waters starred in a local regional film production created by Luis Bayonas, called Adios.[21]

In 1990, film critic David Stratton, referring to the films, wrote that in his opinion Waters "has been in more bad films than most other actors around".[22]

### Other work

[edit]

He has starred in many television advertisements for various companies including Cinzano, Bird's Eye, Bankers Trust, MBF Health Fund, Sudafed, Uncle Tobys, Qantas, Telstra, MLC, Arnotts and Toyota Hybrid Camry. He has narrated programs such as Mind Games: Real Life Adventures, Nostradamus and Triple Zero Heroes and All Together Now.[23]

## Awards

[edit]

In 1975, Waters won the George Wallace Memorial Logie for Best New Talent at the Logie Awards for his role in Division 4.

In 1988, he won the AFI Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role as character Tom Garfield in the Frank Howson-written film Boulevard of Broken Dreams.[24]

He has been nominated for several other awards, including Best Lead Actor (in 1978 for Weekend of Shadows) and Best Supporting Actor in a Drama (in 2006 for All Saints) at the AFI Awards, and for Most Popular Actor in a Telemovie or Mini-Series (in 1992 for Which Way Home) at the Logie Awards.

### ARIA Music Awards

[edit]

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony held by the Australian Recording Industry Association. They commenced in 1987.

Year  | Nominee / work  | Award  | Result  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

1994 | Looking Through a Glass Onion | Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album | Nominated  | [25]

## Personal life

[edit]

Waters' first marriage was to actress Jenny Cullen, a union that produced two children. His second marriage was to actress Sally Conabere. His third marriage, to Zoe Burton, was in January 2002, and they became parents first to a son and later twins. Waters lives in the Southern Highlands, NSW, with Burton and their three children.[26]

## Community work

[edit]

Waters lends his support to various community events including DUETS 2012, a concert to assist The Australian Children's Music Foundation (ACMF) (founded by fellow Play School presenter Don Spencer) and Carols in the Domain 2012\. He is an ambassador for The Australian Children's Music Foundation.[27]

## Filmography

[edit]

### Film

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

1976  | End Play | Mark Gifford  | Feature film
The Haunting of Hewie Dowker | Hewie Dowker  | TV movie
The Rollicking Adventures of Eliza Fraser | David Bracefell  | Feature film
1977  | The Getting of Wisdom | Rev. Shepherd  | Feature film
Summerfield | David Abbott  | Feature film
Trial of Ned Kelly | Ned Kelly | TV movie
1978  | Weekend of Shadows | Rabbit  | Feature film
Cass | Mike  | TV movie
The Scalp Merchant | Cliff Rowan  | TV movie
1979  | Demolition | Peter Clarke  | TV movie
The Prophecies of Nostradamus | Narrator  | Documentary film
1980  | Breaker Morant | Capt. Alfred Taylor  | Feature film
Bedfellows |  | TV movie
Slippery Slide | David  | TV movie
1981  | Attack Force Z | Sub Lt. Ted "Kingo" Kong  | Feature film
1984  | High Country | Ben Lomax  | TV movie
1985  | I Can't Get Started | Robert  | Feature film
1986  | Passion Flower | Leslie Gaitland  | TV movie
1987  | The Last of the Mohicans | Hawkeye Bumppp (voice)  | TV movie
Bushfire Moon | Patrick O'Day  | Feature film
The Perfectionist | Stuart Gunn  | Film
Going Sane | Martin Brown  | Film
1988  | Captain Johnno | Frank  | TV movie
Boulevard of Broken Dreams | Tom Garfield  | Feature film
Grievous Bodily Harm | Morris Martin  | Feature film
1990  | Heaven Tonight | Johnny Dysart  | TV movie
1993  | Singapore Sling | John Stamford  | TV movie
1994  | Ebbtide | Michael Suresch  | Film
1995  | Asian Connection: Road to Mandalay | John Stamford  | TV movie
Asian Connection: Old Flames | John Stamford  | TV movie
Asian Connections: Midnight Orchid | John Stamford  | TV movie
1998  | The Sugar Factory | Sam Lejeune  | Film
The Real Macaw | Dr. Lance Hagen  | Feature film
1999  | Chameleon II: Death Match | Henry Kubica  | TV movie
2003  | Evil Never Dies [it] | Prof. Arkin  | TV movie
2005  | Stealth | Black Ops Doctor  | Feature film
Late Shift | Old Paul Bell  | Short film
2006  | The Bouncer | Dave  | Feature film
Carnivale Reflux | Narrator  | Short film
2010  | Centre Place | Jack Houghton  | Feature film
2011  | Ragtime | Dick  | Short film
2012  | The Mystery of a Hansom Cab | Mark Frettiby  | TV movie
2013  | Return to Nim's Island | Booker  | Feature film
Worm | Police Interviewer  | Short film
2015  | Killers and Thieves | The Fence  | Short film
2016  | Virtual Dogs and Loaded Guns | Bank Customer  | Feature film
2016  | The Faintest Clasp | Voice  | Short film
2017  | 2:22 | Bill  | Feature film
Three Summers | Eamon  | Feature film
2020  | At Last | Christopher  | Feature film
2022  | Blaze | Simon Baker  | Feature film
2023  | The Rooster | Norris  | Feature film

### Television

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

1972  | Boney | Const. Peter Lloyd  | TV series
Redheap | Jerry Arnold  | TV series
1972-91  | Playschool | Presenter  | TV series
1973  | Certain Women |  | TV series
Ryan | Curt Valchek  | TV series
1974  | The Box | Michael Brooks  | TV series; regular role
1974–1975  | Division 4 | Darcy Nash / Barry Fielding  | TV series; 2 episodes
1975  | The Seven Ages of Man |  | TV miniseries, 1 episode
Quality of Mercy |  | TV series, 1 episode
1973–1976  | Homicide | Eddie Hughes / Howard Nelson / Alan Guthrie  | TV series; 3 episodes
Matlock Police | Tim Ward / Const. Cook / Johno Johnson  | TV series; 3 episodes
1974–1976  | Rush | Sgt. Robert McKellar  | TV series
1976  | The Sullivans | Chris Merchant  | TV series
1978  | Case for the Defence | Steve Gray  | TV series
1983  | Five Mile Creek | Cameron  | TV series
1986  | Alice to Nowhere | Johnny Parson  | TV miniseries
1987  | Nancy Wake | Henri Fiocca  | TV miniseries
1989  | Dearest Enemy |  | TV series (pilot only)
1983–1990  | All the Rivers Run | Brenton Edwards  | TV series
1991  | Which Way Home | Steve Hannah  | TV miniseries
All Together Now | Lockie Burns  | TV series
1992  | Kelly | Mr. Nichols  | TV series
1996  | Snowy River: The McGregor Saga | Damien Winters  | TV series
1997  | Good Guys, Bad Guys | Oscar Drake  | TV series
Fallen Angels | Bob Tognetti  | TV series
1999  | The Lost World | Lento  | TV miniseries
2000  | Tales of the South Seas | Robert Frye  | TV series
2002  | Young Lions | Senior Det. Bill Martin  | TV series
2004  | Fireflies | Perry Luscombe  | TV series
2006–2009  | All Saints | Dr. Miklos Vlasek  | TV series
2009  | Triple Zero Heroes | Narrator  | TV series
2010  | Underbelly | John Hatton  | TV series
Sea Patrol | Sergeant Booker  | TV series
City Homicide | William Clegg  | TV series
2010–2014  | Offspring | Darcy Proudman  | TV series
2014  | ANZAC Girls | Col. Thomas Fiaschi  | TV miniseries
2016  | Rake | Edgar Thompson  | TV series
The Doctor Blake Mysteries | Bernie Thompson  | TV series
2016–2018  | Future-Worm! | Manchovy  | TV series
2018  | Mystery Road | Travis James  | TV miniseries
True Story with Hamish & Andy | Dr. Jeff  | TV series, 1 episode
2019  | The Commons | Herman  | TV miniseries, 7 episodes
2020  | Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears | Prof. Linnaeus  | TV series
The End | Henry  | TV series, 9 episodes
The Truth | Reverend Philip Brock  | Podcast series
Halifax: Retribution | Ryan  | TV miniseries, 1 episode
2021  | Doctor Doctor | Michael  | TV series, 5 episodes
2022  | Grey Nomads | Henry Keen  | TV series, 6 episodes
Darby and Joan | Ian Kirkhope / Rob Deacon  | TV series, 6 episodes
| Mind Games: Real Life Adventures | Narrator  | TV

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "John Waters".
2. ^ a b c Waters enjoying his "Peter Pan existence". The Age, 25 March 2010. Retrieved 12 April 2013]
3. ^ a b Profile: John Waters. The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 April 2008. Retrieved 12 April 2013]
4. ^ John Waters : Looking Through A Glass Onion. Beat website. Retrieved 14 April 2013]
5. ^ "Broadway dream comes true for John Waters" by Vatherine Lambert, The Sydney Morning Herald, 19 January 2015
6. ^ They're Playing Our Song. The Sydney Morning Herald, 17 January 2006. Retrieved 12 April 2013]
7. ^ Influence. The Sydney Morning Herald, 21 March 2005. Retrieved 13 April 2013]
8. ^ Influence. The Age, 27 June 2005. Retrieved 13 April 2013]
9. ^ John Waters Cast in Rocky Horror Show. Australian Stage, 22 August 2007. Retrieved 12 April 2013]
10. ^ Australian tour, 2006-07, at newtheatricals.com
11. ^ Sydney musical The Addams Family brings real heart and charm to the stage. The Telegraph, 24 March 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2013]
12. ^ End of The Addams Family, cast told. Herald Sun, 13 May 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013]
13. ^ "Paris - A Rock Odyssey with John Waters". 7 July 2017.
14. ^ 2024 Australian tour information
15. ^ Play Schooling for 45 years. Television.au. Retrieved 12 April 2013]
16. ^ John Waters talks about his new ABC TV series Fireflies. ABC Queensland. Retrieved 13 April 2013]
17. ^ The Mystery of a Hansom Cab. ABC television. Retrieved 12 April 2013]
18. ^ Offspring Cast. Network Ten. Retrieved 12 April 2013]
19. ^ Offspring renewed for two more seasons. Network Ten. Retrieved 12 April 2013]
20. ^ Attack Force Z. Archived 28 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine Melbourne Leader, 5 February 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2013]
21. ^ Local independent receives early acclaim. Archived 28 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine Surf Coast Times, 11 March 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2013]
22. ^ David Stratton, The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry, Pan MacMillan, 1990 p. 342
23. ^ John Waters. Archived 11 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine The Harbour Agency. Retrieved 14 April 2013]
24. ^ Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. Australian Film Institute. Retrieved 12 April 2013]
25. ^ ARIA Award previous winners. "History Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 12 July 2022.
26. ^ "Local Leo Shares the Love". Wingecarribee Today. No. 110\. Wingecarribee Shire Council. April 2020.
27. ^ Duets – Annual Gala Charity Concert.[usurped] Get Shot Magazine. Retrieved 13 April 2013]

## External links

[edit]

* John Waters at IMDb
* John Waters fan site

* v
* t
* e

AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role

1972–2000|

* Bruce Spence (1972)
* Robert McDarra (1973)
* Jack Thompson (1974)
* Martin Vaughan (1975)
* Simon Burke and Nick Tate (1976)
* John Meillon (1977)
* Bill Hunter (1978)
* Mel Gibson (1979)
* Jack Thompson (1980)
* Mel Gibson (1981)
* Ray Barrett (1982)
* Norman Kaye (1983)
* John Hargreaves (1984)
* Chris Haywood (1985)
* Colin Friels (1986)
* Leo McKern (1987)
* John Waters (1988)
* Sam Neill (1989)
* Max von Sydow (1990)
* Hugo Weaving (1991)
* Russell Crowe (1992)
* Harvey Keitel (1993)
* Nicholas Hope (1994)
* John Lynch (1995)
* Geoffrey Rush (1996)
* Richard Roxburgh (1997)
* Hugo Weaving (1998)
* Russell Dykstra (1999)
* Eric Bana (2000)

2001–present|

* Anthony LaPaglia (2001)
* David Gulpilil (2002)
* David Wenham (2003)
* Sam Worthington (2004)
* Hugo Weaving (2005)
* Shane Jacobson (2006)
* Eric Bana (2007)
* William McInnes (2008)
* Anthony LaPaglia (2009)
* Ben Mendelsohn (2010)
* Daniel Henshall (2011)
* Chris O'Dowd (2012)
* Leonardo DiCaprio (2013)
* David Gulpilil (2014)
* Michael Caton (2015)
* Andrew Garfield (2016)
* Sunny Pawar (2017)
* Hamilton Morris (2018)
* Damon Herriman (2019)
* Toby Wallace (2020)
* Caleb Landry Jones (2021)
* Austin Butler (2022)
* Aswan Reid (2023)
* Jonno Davies (2024)

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