Peter Whitford
Peter Whitford | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1939 (age 86–87) Adelaide, Australia |
| Education | National Institute of Dramatic Art (1963) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1950s–2010 |
| Known for | The Henderson Kids (1985) Strictly Ballroom (1992) |
Peter Whitford (born 1939) is an Australian former radio, theatre, television and film character actor known for numerous roles particularly as wealthy businessmen and members of the aristocracy.
Early life
[edit]Peter Whitford was born in Adelaide, South Australia. He studied at Sydney's National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), graduating in 1963 with a Diploma of Dramatic Art (Acting).[1]
Career
[edit]Whitford is an actor, playwright, director and singer, who started his career in radio roles and then in theatre, beginning in 1958.[2]
From the 1960s, Whitford then began appearing in film and television roles, which he continued up until 2010. When he graduated from NIDA in 1963, Whitford performed in ABC Radio play, King of Hearts.[3] He then played Jack Porter in the long-running radio serial Blue Hills.[4]
Whitford's theatre credits are numerous. His early stage roles were in university theatre at NIDA, in plays such as Julius Caesar, Hamlet, The Crucible, Waiting for Godot and The Cherry Orchard.[2] He went on to act in productions for Northside Theatre Company, STC, MTC, Queensland Theatre Company, Old Tote Theatre Company and Belvoir Street.[2] He also ventured into musical theatre with singing roles as the Governor in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Moonface Martin in Anything Goes and Sir John in Me and My Girl.[3]
Whitford had main roles in television beginning with the titular bachelor, Peter Prentice in Logie Award-winning ABC sitcom I've Married A Bachelor in 1968,[5] and followed by racing car driver and Vera Collins' husband, Guy Sutton in soap opera Number 96 in 1976.[6] Otherwise, he mostly took on guest roles in his early television career, in series including Ryan,[7] Division 4,[3] The Sullivans, Chopper Squad, Prisoner, Cop Shop, Kingswood Country,[8] A Country Practice and Mother and Son.[9]
Whitford had a recurring role in Carson's Law in 1983,[citation needed] and appeared in the 1984 Kennedy Miller Test cricket miniseries Bodyline, opposite Hugo Weaving and Gary Sweet.[10] He then played the regular role of ruthless businessman and would-be developer, Ashley Wheeler in 1985 children's series, The Henderson Kids, also starring Kylie Minogue, Ben Mendelsohn and Nadine Garner.[11][12]
During this time, Whitford also appeared in several films, including 1979 period drama My Brilliant Career starring Judy Davis and Sam Neill,[13] 1983 biopic Phar Lap about the famed racing horse[14] and 1986 Ozploitation film Dead End Drive-In.[15]
Whitford then featured alongside Rebecca Gibney and Kerry Armstrong in 1990 miniseries Come in Spinner, as Mr Sharlton.[16] He played a recurring role on Home and Away as Doctor Worthington from 1994 to 1995.[citation needed] He then had an ongoing role as retirement village resident Johnno Johnstone, in comedy series Bullpitt! from 1997 to 1998.[10] He had guest roles throughout the late 1980s and 1990s in Rafferty's Rules, The Flying Doctors, G.P., Police Rescue, E Street, Blue Heelers.[9]
Whitford starred as dancing official Les Kendall in Baz Luhrmann’s first film, the 1992 dance extravaganza Strictly Ballroom.[3] Other film roles of that time included Dad and Dave: On Our Selection (1995) opposite Geoffrey Rush and Noah Taylor,[17] and Oscar and Lucinda (1997) alongside Cate Blanchett and Ralph Fiennes.[9] He played the stage manager in another one of Baz Luhrmann’s films, the 2001 musical Moulin Rouge! alongside Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor.[18] That same year he had a part in comedy film The Man Who Sued God, opposite Judy Davis and Billy Connolly.[19] The following year he appeared in legal drama Black and White, alongside Robert Carlyle, Charles Dance, Colin Friels and Ben Mendelsohn.[20]
Television guest roles in the 2000s included Farscape, All Saints[9] and Rake, the latter of which, in 2010, was his most recent appearance.[3]
Whitford has also recorded audiobooks for the Vision Australia Information and Library Service, Louis Braille and the Royal Blind Society.[21]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | The Tichborne Affair | Cubitt | TV movie |
| 1978 | Cass | Frank | TV movie |
| 1979 | My Brilliant Career | Uncle Julius | |
| 1983 | Phar Lap | Bert Wolfe | |
| Careful, He Might Hear You | George | ||
| With Prejudice | Bodor | ||
| 1984 | Who Killed Hannah Jane? | James Gannon | TV movie |
| 1986 | Dead End Drive-In | Thompson | |
| 1987 | Running from the Guns | Terry | |
| 1988 | Warm Nights on a Slow Moving Train | Steward | |
| Computer Ghosts | Uncle Oscar | ||
| 1992 | Strictly Ballroom | Les Kendall | |
| The Time Game | Mr Green | TV movie | |
| 1993 | The Burning Piano: A Portrait of Patrick White | Self | |
| 1995 | Dad and Dave: On Our Selection | Mr Todd | |
| 1997 | Oscar and Lucinda | Mr Ahearn | |
| 1909 | Passion | Tour Manager | |
| The Three Stooges | Dell Henderson (Administrator) | TV movie | |
| 2001 | Moulin Rouge! | Stage Manager | |
| The Man Who Sued God | Moderator | ||
| 2002 | Black and White | Justice Windeyer | |
| 2006 | Unfolding Florence: The Many Lives of Florence Broadhurst | Voice | Docudrama |
| 2008 | Fool’s Gold | Judge |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 66 and All That | Self / Various | |
| 1967 | Australian Playhouse | Anthology series, 1 episode | |
| 1967–1968 | Contrabandits | Doorman / Waiter / Bingo | 2 episodes |
| 1968–1969 | I've Married A Bachelor | Peter Prentice | 14 episodes |
| 1968–1973 | Homicide | Ward / Johnny Tate | 2 episodes |
| 1970 | The Link Men | Seaman | 1 episode |
| The Rovers | Rogers | 1 episode | |
| Mrs. Finnegan | Clarrie Mooresfield | 1 episode | |
| 1970–1975 | Division 4 | Brian Doherty / Neil Henderson / Peter Johnson | 3 episodes |
| 1971 | The Godfathers | Dusty Rhodes | 1 episode |
| 1973 | Ryan | Billy Maxwell | 1 episode |
| 1975 | The Company Men | Miniseries, 1 episode | |
| 1976 | Number 96 | Guy Sutton | 40 episodes |
| 1977 | The Restless Years | Maurice Brown | |
| 1978 | Chopper Squad | Poof | 1 episode |
| Case for the Defence | Institution Director | 1 episode | |
| 1979 | Skyways | Nigel Forsythe | 1 episode |
| 1980 | Home Sweet Home | Mike Furnont | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| Water Under the Bridge | T.C. Shallicott | Miniseries, 3 episodes | |
| 1980; 1984 | Kingswood Country | Hayden De Witt / Bill the Salesman | 3 episodes |
| 1981 | Prisoner | Det Sgt Gordon | 1 episode |
| Cop Shop | Father Daniel Monahan | 2 episodes | |
| 1982; 1984 | A Country Practice | Roger McLean / Alwyn Watson | 8 episodes |
| 1983–1984 | Carson's Law | Don Randall / Inspector Hudson | 10 episodes |
| 1984 | Five Mile Creek | Mr Anderson | 1 episode |
| Sweet and Sour | Audition Director | 1 episode | |
| The Last Bastion | H. V. Evatt | Miniseries, 3 episodes | |
| Bodyline | Robertson | Miniseries, 2 episodes | |
| 1985 | Mother and Son | Minister | 1 episode |
| Butterfly Island | Fred | 6 episodes | |
| Winners | Mr Donaldson | 1 episode | |
| Special Squad | Stan | Episode 1: "Trojan Horses" | |
| The Henderson Kids | Ashley Wheeler | 22 episodes | |
| 1986 | Prime Time | Charles Garrett | 1 episode |
| 1987 | Flight into Hell | Miniseries | |
| 1987; 1989 | Rafferty's Rules | William Walker / Harmon | 2 episodes |
| 1988 | Australians | Mr Crosby | Miniseries, episode 6: "Lola Montez" |
| 1989; 1994–1995 | Home and Away | Mick O’Reilly / Doctor Worthington | 12 episodes |
| 1990 | The Flying Doctors | Robert Bell | 1 episode |
| Come In Spinner | Mr Sharlton | Miniseries, 4 episodes | |
| G.P. | James/Jane Kennedy | 1 episode | |
| 1992 | Police Rescue | Russell | Season 2, episode 6: "Stakeout" |
| 1993 | Under the Skin | 1 episode | |
| E Street | Dr John Halliday | 1 episode | |
| Blood Brothers | TV movie series | ||
| 1997 | Blue Heelers | Bernie Lochren | 1 episode |
| 1997–1998 | Bullpitt! | John Cazaley 'Johnno' Johnstone | 26 episodes |
| 1998 | Children's Hospital | Surgical Specialist | 1 episode |
| 1999; 2009 | All Saints | Walter Elliott / Russell Woods | 2 episodes |
| 2001 | Escape of the Artful Dodger | Father O’Brien | 1 episode |
| 2002 | Backberner | Henry Tinkwhistle | 1 episode |
| Farscape | Jabula, Clan Chieftain | 1 episode | |
| 2010 | Rake | Judge Keddie | 1 episode |
Radio
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | King of Hearts | ABC Radio play | [3] | |
| Blue Hills | Jack Porter | ABC Radio serial | ||
| 1970s | A Place in the Sun | 4BU Radio serial | [22] | |
| 1985 | The Club | Ted | ABC Radio play | [23] |
Stage
[edit]Source:[2]
As actor
[edit]As director
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Mrs Porter and the Angel | Musical Director | PACT Youth Theatre |
| 1971 | ERF: A Theatrical Cartoon | Director | Hole in the Wall Theatre, Perth, Playhouse, Canberra, Ensemble Theatre, Sydney |
| 1979 | The Murder Room | Director | Marian St Theatre, Sydney |
| The Chairman | Director | Marian St Theatre, Sydney | |
| 1980 | A Resounding Tinkle | Director | AMP Theatrette, Sydney with The Australian Repertory Company |
| 1981 | Trap for a Lonely Man | Director | Bondi Pavilion, Sydney with Players Theatre Company |
| Me 'n' Me Mate | Director | NSW regional tour with Arts Council of Australia | |
| 1991 | Sailor Beware! | Director | Marian St Theatre, Sydney |
References
[edit]- ^ "All Alumni". National Institute of Dramatic Art. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ a b c d "Peter Whitford". AusStage.
- ^ a b c d e f "'Be Like The Bluebird' – Veteran Actor, Peter Whitford". STAGES with Peter Eyers. 13 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ "Peter Whitford (Actor) – Guest Speaker on 28 July 2001". magnsw.org. Archived from the original on 4 August 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ "I've Married A Bachelor". nostalgiacentral.com. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ "The Characters of Number 96". nostalgiacentral.com. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ "Ryan: episode guide". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ "Kingswood Country: episode guide – Series 1". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ a b c d "Peter Whitford – Credits". TV Guide. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ a b "Bodyline". nostalgiacentral.com. Retrieved 17 April 2026. Cite error: The named reference "bodyline" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ "The Henderson Kids – Series 1 Episode 2 (1985)". Australian Screen. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ "The Henderson Kids I". Crawford Productions. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ "My Brilliant Career – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ "Phar Lap – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ "Dead End Drive-In – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ "Come in Spinner – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ "Dad and Dave: On Our Selection – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ "Moulin Rouge! – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ "The Man Who Sued God – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ "Black and White – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ "Peter Whitford". AustLit.
- ^ "Australian Radio Series (1930s–1970s)" (PDF). National Film & Sound Archive. 15 January 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
- ^ "David Williamson – The Club". Discogs. 19 August 1985.
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