John Waters
Born: 1948-12-08 in London, England, UK
Known For: Acting
Biography
John Waters (born December 8, 1948) is one of Australia's most recognised and respected film and theatre actors. He was born in London England, the middle of five children of Scottish actor, Russell Waters. As a child John often hung around film studios while dad worked and even starred in a few young parts. He first faced a live audience as a singer and bass player with 60s R & R Band The Riots and appeared in Macbeth before travelling to Australia in 1968 with only a guitar and $90. He soon heard a US film called Adam's Woman, starring Beau Bridges, was being filmed in NSW so he managed to get himself cast in a small role. Fellow cast members recommended he try auditioning for a musical. He did, and landed the lead role of Claude in Sydney's 1969 production of the landmark rock musical, Hair. This was followed by the role of Judas in Godspell. This led to an acting career on stage, film and television that elevated him to his current status as Australia's most versatile leading man. From the brooding Sgt. McKellar Of ABC TV's Rush in 1974 which earned him a Logie Award for Best New Talent, through the Australian film boom that followed with films such as End Play, Summerfield, Breaker Morant, and on to the mini-series of the 80's, All The Rivers Run, Nancy Wake and Alice To Nowhere. Not to be forgotten was his ten year stint as host of childrens ABC program PlaySchool. John has always intrigued audiences with his diversity. Since collecting Australia's highest accolade as the Australian Film Institute's Best Actor Award in 1988 for the film Boulevard of Broken Dreams, John has re-embraced musical theatre as Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady, and They're Playing Our Song, and in productions of The Hunting of the Snark for Mike Batt, and A Little Night Music for the Sydney Theatre Company. He has also appeared in Love Letters at the Sydney Opera House and Children of a Lesser God. In 1995 he appeared in ReUnion a rock musical written and financed by himself and Stewart D'Arrietta. He won unanimous acclaim in the role of Pontius Pilate in the 1992 concert version of Jesus Christ Superstar with John Farnham, Kate Ceberano, Jon Stevens and Angry Anderson which successfully toured the nation. He has made guest appearances in various TV series, including Good Guys Bad Guys, The Man From Snowy River, All Together Now and Young Lions. John's self written one man show Looking Through a Glass Onion, based on the life of John Lennon, toured nationally and regularly since 1992 and also played six months in London's West End in 1995.
Filmography
2024
- Better Man as Michael Parkinson
- The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy as (voice)
- The Rooster as Norris
2022
- Blaze as Magistrate
- Darby and Joan as Ian Kirkhope
2020
- Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears as Professor Linnaeus
- The End as Henry
- Halifax: Retribution as Ryan
2018
- Mystery Road as Travis James
2017
- 2:22 as Bill
- Three Summers as Eamon
2014
- ANZAC Girls as Colonel Thomas Fiaschi
2013
- Mickey Mouse as (voice)
- The Doctor Blake Mysteries as Bernie Thompson
- Return to Nim's Island as Booker
2012
- The Mystery of a Hansom Cab as Mark Frettlby
2011
- Bubble Guppies as Baron von Bland (voice)
- Kapyong as Narrator
2010
- Offspring
- Centre Place as Jack Houghton
2009
- Celebrity Ghost Stories as Self
- Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation as Self - Contestant
2008
- Underbelly as John Hatton MP
- Not Quite Hollywood as Self
- Who Do You Think You Are? as Self
2007
- Ten Pound Poms as Narrator
2006
- Carnivore Reflux as Narrator
- The Bouncer as Dave
- Telling Schoolgirl Tales: The Making of 'The Getting of Wisdom’ as Self
2005
- Stealth as Black Ops Doctor
2004
- Fireflies as Perry Luscombe
- Wonders of Australia's National Parks as Narrator
2003
- Evil Never Dies as Professor Arkin
- Totally Gay! as Self
2002
- Young Lions as Senior Detective Bill Martin
1999
- The Lost World as Lento
- The Sugar Factory as Sam Lejeune
- Chameleon II: Death Match as Henry Kubica
1998
- All Saints as Mike Vlasek
- The Real Macaw as Dr. Lance Hagen
1997
- Good Guys, Bad Guys as Oscar Drake
1995
- Singapore Sling: Midnight Orchid as John Stamford
1994
- The Man from Snowy River as Damien Winters
- Singapore Sling as John Stamford
- Ebbtide as Michael Suresch
1992
- Jesus Christ Superstar as Pontius Pilate
1991
- Which Way Home as Steve Hannah
- Kelly as Mr. Nichols
1990
- Heaven Tonight as Johnny Dysart
- All The Rivers Run II as Brenton Edwards
- The Rivers Run as Brenton Edwards
1988
- Captain Johnno as Frank
- Grievous Bodily Harm as Morris Martin
- Boulevard of Broken Dreams as Tom Garfield
1987
- The Last of the Mohicans as Hawkeye Bumppo (voice)
- Passion Flower as Leslie Gaitland
- Nancy Wake as Henri Fiocca
- The Christmas Visitor as Patrick O'Day
- Going Sane as Martin Brown
1986
- Alice to Nowhere as Johnny Parson
1985
- The Perfectionist as Stuart Gunn
- I Can't Get Started
1984
- High Country as Ben Lomax
1983
- All the Rivers Run as Brenton Edwards
1982
- Attack Force Z as Ted King
1980
- Breaker Morant as Cpt. Alfred Taylor
1979
1978
- Cass as Mike
- The Scalp Merchant
- Weekend of Shadows as Rabbit
1977
- Summerfield as David Abbott
- The Getting of Wisdom as Rev. Shepherd
1976
- The Sullivans as Chris Merchant
- The Adventures of Eliza Fraser as David Bracefell
- The Haunting of Hewie Dowker as Hewie Dowker
- End Play as Mark Gifford
1974
- Rush as Sergeant Robert McKellar