Frank Edward Wilson (11 April 1924 – 24 October 2005) was an Australian film, stage and television actor; musical comedy singer and director; and television game show and variety host.
Frank Wilson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Frank Edward Wilson 11 April 1924 Northcote, Victoria, Australia |
| Died | 24 October 2005 (aged 81) |
| Occupations |
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Early life edit
Frank Wilson was born in 1924 in the Melbourne suburb of Northcote. He left school at the age of 13. In 1943, he joined the Australian Army, where he served as a Signalman in Borneo and Papua New Guinea until his discharge in 1945.
He began acting in 1948, when he appeared at Melbourne's Tivoli Theatre.
Career edit
His best-known film appearances were in The Club (by David Williamson; a role that Wilson had created on stage), Crackerjack, Breaker Morant, Black Robe and Money Movers. On television he appeared in Changi (a mini-series written by John Doyle), SeaChange, Blue Heelers, Water Rats, Power Without Glory, A Country Practice, Bellbird, Doctor Down Under and other programs.
His stage work included Guys and Dolls, Wonderful Town, Lola Montez, Damn Yankees, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (which he directed), and as Falstaff in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 2.
David Williamson wrote the character of Frank in Travelling North for Wilson, having admired his interpretation of Jock Riley in The Club. However, after creating Frank on stage, Wilson was not given the role in the film adaptation — it went to Leo McKern instead. To television audiences, he was the well-known and encouraging compere for the influential amateur talent show New Faces throughout the 1960s to mid-70s.
Awards edit
He won a Logie Award for Best Compere in 1972 for New Faces.
His last role, in the short film The Chess Set (by Alexander Murawski) won the Best Actor award at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival. Wilson heard this news the day before he died.
Family edit
Wilson and his wife Beryl had 4 children: Amanda, Damien (dec), Matthew and Shauna. Matthew and Shauna went on to become child actors. He had 7 grandchildren.
Filmography edit
Film edit
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (aka Season of Passion) | TV movie | |
| 1962 | Lola Montez | Sam | TV movie |
| 1966 | Course for Collision | General Patrick | TV movie |
| 1968 | Cobwebs in Concrete | Kruger | TV movie |
| 1974 | The End Product | Fowler | TV movie |
| 1974 | Alvin Rides Again | House Detective | Feature film |
| 1975 | The Great Macarthy | Mayer | TV movie |
| 1976 | Kill Kaplan | Sumarian | TV movie |
| 1977 | The Importance of Keeping Perfectly Still | Short film | |
| 1978 | Patrick | Det Sgt Grant | Feature film |
| 1978 | Money Movers | Lionel Darcy | Feature film |
| 1979 | The Journalist | Vic Parsons | TV movie |
| 1980 | The Club | Jock Riley | Feature film |
| 1980 | Breaker Morant | Dr. Johnson | Feature film |
| 1980 | Fatty Finn | Lord Mayor | Feature film |
| 1986 | News Report on a Journey to a Bright Future | Film | |
| 1987 | Going Sane | Sir Colin Grant | Feature film |
| 1987 | Tudawali | Charles Chauvel | TV movie |
| 1988 | The Riddle of the Stinson | Robinson | TV movie |
| 1988 | Empire of Ash | Shepherd | Feature film |
| 1989 | Slow Burn | Captain Fahey | TV movie |
| 1991 | Ultimate Desires | Detective Southard | Film |
| 1991 | Black Robe | Father Jerome | Feature film |
| 1995 | Surrender | Gordon | Short film |
| 1997 | The Well | Francis Harper | Feature film |
| 2002 | Crackerjack | Len Johnson | Feature film |
| 2005 | The Chess Set | Karl | Short film |
Television edit
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | The Billy Rose Show | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1953 | Robert Montgomery Presents | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1967 | Bellbird | Howard Bates | TV series |
| 1969-74 | Division 4 | Ronald Davies, Inspector Tom Hogan, Robert Gibson, Curtis Moore, George Peck, Billy Mullens | TV series, 14 episodes |
| 1971-75 | Matlock Police | George Price, John Alexander, Hatcher, Dan Hall, Ted Jackson, Ted Mitchell, Fred Murray, Murray Dawes | TV series, 8 episodes |
| 1971-76 | Homicide | John Mason, Bennie Miller, Brooks, Inspector Green, David Cook, Paul Mason, Divisional District Inspector, Ian Taylor | TV series, 8 episodes |
| 1972 | New Faces | Compere | TV series |
| 1973-74 | Ryan | Bob Novak, Jack Hayes, Dr Thomas, Palmer | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 1974 | Marion | Publican | TV miniseries, 3 episodes |
| 1974 | And the Big Men Fly | J J Forbes | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 1976 | Power Without Glory | Tom Trumbleward | TV miniseries, 4 episode |
| 1976 | The Bluestone Boys | TV series | |
| 1976-79 | The Sullivans | Godfrey, Herman Wintzer | TV series, 7 episodes |
| 1977 | Bluey | Detective Sergeant Hennessy | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1977-80 | Cop Shop | Larry Page, Superintendent Ray Clarke, Inspector Mitchell | TV series, 5 episodes |
| 1978 | Glenview High | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1978 | The Truckies | Wally | TV series, 12 episodes |
| 1979 | Skyways | Defence Barrister, Frank Sefton | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1979-80 | Doctor Down Under | Dr. Beaumont | TV series |
| 1980 | Lawson's Mates | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 1981 | I Can Jump Puddles | Mr Fulsham | TV miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 1981 | Tickled Pink | Thrubb | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1981 | Prisoner | Mr Justice Myles | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1981-82 | Holiday Island | Banjo Patterson | TV series, 64 episodes |
| 1983 | Scales of Justice | Sir John Ritchie | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1984 | Carson's Law | Garrick Senior | TV series, 5 episodes |
| 1985 | Neighbours | Victor Armstrong | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1985 | Golden Pennies | Doc Slope | TV series, 7 episodes |
| 1986 | The Great Bookie Robbery | Winton Bathurst | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1982-87 | A Country Practice | Hank McCoy, Knuckles, Dr Rupert Clarke | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 1988 | Rafferty's Rules | David Morris | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1989 | The Flying Doctors | Karl Szalinski | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1989-92 | Dearest Enemy | Walter Tyler | TV series, 14 episodes |
| 1992 | Police Rescue | Mr Bridger | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1994 | G.P. | Eddie | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1997 | Big Sky | Sir Douglas Oglivie | TV series |
| 2001 | Changi | Old Gordon | TV miniseries |
| 1999-2000 | SeaChange | Len Connors | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 2000 | Blue Heelers | Maurie Lawson | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2000 | Water Rats | Billy Russell | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2003 | Welcher and Welcher | Judge | TV miniseries, 1 episode |