Peter Vere-Jones

New Zealand actor (1939–2021)

Peter Vere-Jones

ONZM

Born| (1939-10-21)21 October 1939

Bucklow, Cheshire, England

Died| 26 January 2021(2021-01-26) (aged 81)

Waikanae, New Zealand

Nationality| New Zealand
Occupation| Actor
Years active| 1969–2013
Spouse| Sue Vere-Jones
Children| 2
Relatives| David Vere-Jones (brother)[1]

Peter Vere-Jones ONZM (21 October 1939 – 26 January 2021) was an English-born-New Zealand actor. He was known for his collaborations with director Peter Jackson, appearing in four of his films. He was also known for starring in the New Zealand television series Shortland Street.[2]

## Personal life

[edit]

Vere-Jones was born in Cheshire, England, on 21 October 1939,[3] the son of Isabel (née Wyllie) and Noel Vere-Jones, a biochemist and chemical engineer.[4][5][6] The family emigrated to New Zealand in 1949, settling in the Wellington area.[4][5]

Vere-Jones lived with his wife Sue and his two children, Benjamin and Emma. In 1989, he was diagnosed with bowel cancer, which was documented in a television documentary called Crisis: One Man's Fight. He later made a full recovery.[7] He died in Waikanae on 26 January 2021.[8][9]

## Honours

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In the 2002 Queen's Birthday and Golden Jubilee Honours, Vere-Jones was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to writing and acting.[10]

## Filmography

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

1969  | The Alpha Plan | Edward Harris  | Television series
1970  | The Crown in New Zealand | Narrator  | Documentary
1971  | The Killing of Kane | Kimble Bent  | Television film
1972  | Rangi's Catch | Mr. Murray  |
1972  | Pukemanu | Mark Gold  | Television series
6 episodes
1974  | The Hum | Narrator  | Documentary
1977  | The Mackenzie Affair | Highlander  | Television mini-series
1979  | Children of Fire Mountain | James Gregory  | Television mini-series
1981  | Pictures | Walter Burton  |
1982  | Bad Blood | Mr. Ogier  |
1982  | Casualties of Peace | Bill  | Television film
1983  | Nate and Hayes | Gunboat Captain  |
1984  | Mortimer's Patch | Lionel Foster  | Television series
1 episode
1985  | Roche | Jim Donaldson  | Television series
1 episode
1986  | Dangerous Orphans | Handesman  |
1987  | Bad Taste | Lord Crumb  | Voice
1988  | Good Taste Made Bad Taste | Narrator  | Documentary
1989  | Meet the Feebles | Bletch/Arthur/Various  | Voice
1989  | Crisis: One Man's Fight | Himself  | Documentary
1990  | The Grasscutter | Kepple  | Television film
1992  | Shortland Street | Laurence Buchanan  | Television series
1992  | Braindead | Undertaker  |
1992  | Secrets | Jock  | Television film
1993  | Typhon's People | Bank manager  | Television film
1995  | Fallout | Gerald Hensley  | Television mini-series
1996  | Xena: Warrior Princess | King Silvus  | Television series
1 episode
1997  | Hercules: The Legendary Journeys | Zeus  | Television series
1 episode
1997  | Duggan | Arthur Jamieson  | Television series
1 episode
1997  | The Enid Blyton Secret Series | Uncle Henry  | Television series
1 episode
1998  | The Adventures of Swiss Family Robinson | Captain Blacker  | Television series
3 episodes
1998  | The Legend of William Tell | The Master  | Television series
1 episode
1999  | A Twist in the Tale | Grandad  | Television series
1 episode
2000  | Dark Knight | Abbot Goodwin  | Television series
1 episode
2002  | Revelations – The Initial Journey | Buchanan  | Television series
2002  | Der Liebe entgegen | Anwalt Alan Smith  | Television series
1 episode
2005  | The Knock | Psychiatrist  | Short film
Uncredited
2010  | Legend of the Seeker | Carraticus Zorander  | Television series
1 episode
2013  | The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug | Spider  | Voice

## References

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1. ^ "Professor David Vere-Jones" (PDF). New Zealand Mathematical Society. 1982. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
2. ^ "Peter Vere-Jones". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 23 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
3. ^ "UK and Ireland, incoming passenger lists, 1878–1960". Ancestry.com Operations. 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
4. ^ a b "UK and Ireland, outward passenger lists, 1890–1960". Ancestry.com Operations. 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
5. ^ a b Kennedy, Miles (2010). "Early days of chemical engineering in New Zealand" (PDF). IChemE. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
6. ^ "England & Wales, civil registration birth index, 1916–2007". Ancestry.com Operations. 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
7. ^ "Crisis: One Man's Fight". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
8. ^ "Actor Peter Vere-Jones dies aged 82". Radio New Zealand. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
9. ^ "Peter Vere-Jones death notice". New Zealand Herald. 30 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
10. ^ "Queen's Birthday and Golden Jubilee honours list 2002". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 3 June 2002. Retrieved 25 June 2020.

## External links

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* Peter Vere-Jones at IMDb