John Waters (actor)

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

John Waters
The Addams Family Rehearsal (8472720488).jpg
John Waters rehearsing in stage version of The Addams Family as Gomez
Born
John Russell Waters

(1948-12-08) 8 December 1948 (age 74)
London, England
Occupation
  • Actor (television and film)
  • musician
  • songwriter
  • playwright
  • theatre performer
  • TV presenter

John Russell Waters (born 8 December 1948) is an Australian film, theatre and television actor, singer, guitarist, songwriter and musician best known in Australia, where he moved to in 1968. He is the son of Scottish actor Russell Waters.[1] 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.[1]

Career[edit]

John Waters (7176133964).jpg

Music[edit]

Waters was born 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.[2]

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.[2][3] In 2014, it played 120 performances at the Union Square Theatre in Manhattan.[4]

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 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.[5]

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.[6][7]

In 2008, he played The Narrator in Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show at Star City Casino, Sydney.[8]

Waters has toured Australia in a critically acclaimed role alongside Brett Tucker in The Woman in Black.

In 2010 he starred in the Melbourne Theatre Company's production of The Swimming Club, a play by Australian author Hannie Rayson.[1]

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.[9][10]

In 2017, Waters played Ulysses in Music Theatre Melbourne's concert production of Paris.[11] He had previously played the role of Agamemnon on the musical's original concept album released in 1990.

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.[12]

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.[1]

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.[13]

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.[14] 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.[15][16]

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.[17]

In 2013, Waters starred in a local regional film production created by Luis Bayonas, called Adios.[18]

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".[19]

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'’All Together Now’'.[20]

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.[21]

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 that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
1994 Looking Through a Glass Onion Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album Nominated [22]

Personal life[edit]

Waters’ first marriage was to actress Jenny Cullen, a union that produced children Ivan and Rebecca Waters. His second marriage was to actress Sally Conabere. His third marriage, to Zoe Burton, was in January 2002, and they became parents to son Archie Waters in January 2003 and twins Gloria & Rusty Waters in September 2006. Waters lives in the Southern Highlands, NSW,[23] with Burton and their three children.

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.[24]

Filmography[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1972 Boney Const. Peter Lloyd TV series
Redheap Jerry Arnold TV series
1973 Certain Women TV series
Ryan Curt Valchek TV series
1974–1975 Division 4 Darcy Dash / Barry Fielding TV series; 2 episodes
1975 The Seven Ages of Man TV series
Quality of Mercy TV series
1976 End Play Mark Gifford
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 Haunting of Hewie Dowker Hewie Dowker TV movie
The Sullivans Chris Merchant TV series
The Rollicking Adventures of Eliza Fraser David Bracefell
1977 The Getting of Wisdom Rev. Shepherd
Summerfield David Abbott
The Trial of Ned Kelly Ned Kelly TV movie
1978 Weekend of Shadows Rabbit
Case for the Defence Steve Gray TV series
Cass Mike TV movie
The Scalp Merchant TV movie
1979 Demolition Peter Clarke TV movie
1980 Breaker Morant Capt. Alfred Taylor
Bedfellows TV movie
Slippery Slide David TV movie
1981 Attack Force Z Sub Lt. Ted "Kingo" Kong
1983 Five Mile Creek Cameron TV series
1984 High Country Ben Lomax TV movie
1985 I Can't Get Started Robert
1986 Passion Flower Leslie Gaitland TV movie
1986 Alice to Nowhere Johnny Parson TV miniseries
1987 Going Sane Martin Brown
1987 The Last of the Mohicans Hawkeye Bumppp TV movie; voice
1987 Bushfire Moon Patrick O'Day
1987 The Perfectionist Stuart Gunn
1987 Nancy Wake Henri Fiocca TV series
1988 Captain Johnno Frank TV movie
1988 Boulevard of Broken Dreams Tom Garfield
1988 Grievous Bodily Harm Morris Martin
1983–1990 All the Rivers Run Brenton Edwards TV series
1990 Heaven Tonight Johnny Dysart TV movie
1991 Which Way Home Steve Hannah TV movie
1991 All Together Now Lockie Burns TV series
1992 Kelly Mr. Nichols TV series
1993 Singapore Sling John Stamford TV movie
1994 Ebbtide Michael Suresch
1995 Asian Connection: Road to Mandalay John Stamford TV movie
1995 Asian Connection: Old Flames John Stamford TV movie
1995 Asian Connections: Midnight Orchid John Stamford TV movie
1996 Snowy River: The McGregor Saga Damien Winters TV series
1997 Good Guys, Bad Guys Oscar Drake TV series
1997 Fallen Angels Bob Tognetti TV series
1998 The Sugar Factory Sam Lejeune
1998 The Real Macaw Dr. Lance Hagen
1999 The Lost World Lento TV series
1999 The Chameleon II: Death Match Henry Kubica TV movie
2000 Tales of the South Seas Robert Frye TV series
2002 Young Lions Senior Det. Bill Martin TV series
2003 Evil Never Dies [it] Prof. Arkin TV movie
2004 Fireflies Perry Luscombe TV series
2005 Stealth Black Ops Doctor
2005 Late Shift Old Paul Bell Short film
2006 The Bouncer Dave
2006 Carnivale Reflux Narrator Short film; voice
2006–2009 All Saints Dr. Miklos Vlasek TV series
2010 Underbelly John Hatton TV series
2010 Sea Patrol Sergeant Booker TV series
2010 Centre Place Jack Houghton
2010 City Homicide William Clegg TV series
2011 Ragtime Dick Short film
2012 The Mystery of a Hansom Cab Mark Frettiby TV movie
2013 Return to Nim's Island Booker
2013 Worm Police Interviewer Short film
2010–2014 Offspring Darcy Proudman TV series
2014 ANZAC Girls Col. Thomas Fiaschi TV miniseries
2015 Killers and Thieves The Fence Short film
2016 Virtual Dogs and Loaded Guns Bank Customer
2016 Rake Edgar Thompson TV series
2016 The Faintest Clasp Short film; voice
2017 2:22 Bill
2017 Three Summers Eamon
2017 The Doctor Blake Mysteries Bernie Thompson TV series
2016–2018 Future-Worm! Manchovy TV series
2018 Mystery Road Travis James TV miniseries
2018 True Story with Hamish & Andy TV series
2020 Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears Prof. Linnaeus
2020 At Last Christopher Short film

References[edit]

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

External links[edit]

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