John Waters
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Dec 8, 1948 (age 77)
- Place of birth
- London, England, UK
- Credits
- 78
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.
Known for
Filmography
Better Man
2024Movie
Michael Parkinson
The Rooster
2024Movie
Norris
The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy
2024TV
(voice)
Blaze
2022Movie
Magistrate
Darby and Joan
2022TV
Ian Kirkhope
Halifax: Retribution
2020TV
Ryan
Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears
2020Movie
Professor Linnaeus
The End
2020TV
Henry
Mystery Road
2018TV
Travis James
Three Summers
2017Movie
Eamon
2:22
2017Movie
Bill
ANZAC Girls
2014TV
Colonel Thomas Fiaschi
Mickey Mouse
2013TV
(voice)
Return to Nim's Island
2013Movie
Booker
The Doctor Blake Mysteries
2013TV
Bernie Thompson
The Mystery of a Hansom Cab
2012Movie
Mark Frettlby
Kapyong
2011Movie
Narrator
Bubble Guppies
2011TV
Baron von Bland (voice)
Offspring
2010TV
Centre Place
2010Movie
Jack Houghton
Celebrity Ghost Stories
2009TV
Self
Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation
2009TV
Self - Contestant
Not Quite Hollywood
2008Movie
Self
Underbelly
2008TV
John Hatton MP
Who Do You Think You Are?
2008TV
Self
Ten Pound Poms
2007Movie
Narrator
Telling Schoolgirl Tales: The Making of 'The Getting of Wisdom’
2006Movie
Self
The Bouncer
2006Movie
Dave
Carnivore Reflux
2006Movie
Narrator
Stealth
2005Movie
Black Ops Doctor
Fireflies
2004TV
Perry Luscombe
Wonders of Australia's National Parks
2004TV
Narrator
Totally Gay!
2003Movie
Self
Evil Never Dies
2003Movie
Professor Arkin
Young Lions
2002TV
Senior Detective Bill Martin
The Lost World
1999TV
Lento
The Sugar Factory
1999Movie
Sam Lejeune
Chameleon II: Death Match
1999Movie
Henry Kubica
The Real Macaw
1998Movie
Dr. Lance Hagen
All Saints
1998TV
Mike Vlasek
Good Guys, Bad Guys
1997TV
Oscar Drake
Singapore Sling: Midnight Orchid
1995Movie
John Stamford
The Man from Snowy River
1994TV
Damien Winters
Singapore Sling
1994Movie
John Stamford
Ebbtide
1994Movie
Michael Suresch
Jesus Christ Superstar
1992Movie
Pontius Pilate
Kelly
1991TV
Mr. Nichols
Which Way Home
1991Movie
Steve Hannah
Heaven Tonight
1990Movie
Johnny Dysart
All The Rivers Run II
1990TV
Brenton Edwards
Grievous Bodily Harm
1988Movie
Morris Martin
Boulevard of Broken Dreams
1988Movie
Tom Garfield
Captain Johnno
1988Movie
Frank
The Christmas Visitor
1987Movie
Patrick O'Day
Nancy Wake
1987TV
Henri Fiocca
The Last of the Mohicans
1987Movie
Hawkeye Bumppo (voice)
Going Sane
1987Movie
Martin Brown
Passion Flower
1987Movie
Leslie Gaitland
Alice to Nowhere
1986TV
Johnny Parson
The Perfectionist
1985Movie
Stuart Gunn
I Can't Get Started
1985Movie
High Country
1984Movie
Ben Lomax
All the Rivers Run
1983TV
Brenton Edwards
Attack Force Z
1982Movie
Ted King
Breaker Morant
1980Movie
Cpt. Alfred Taylor
Demolition
1979Movie
The Prophecies of Nostradamus
1979Movie
Host
Cass
1978Movie
Mike
Weekend of Shadows
1978Movie
Rabbit
The Scalp Merchant
1978Movie
Summerfield
1977Movie
David Abbott
The Getting of Wisdom
1977Movie
Rev. Shepherd
The Adventures of Eliza Fraser
1976Movie
David Bracefell
The Sullivans
1976TV
Chris Merchant
The Haunting of Hewie Dowker
1976Movie
Hewie Dowker
End Play
1976Movie
Mark Gifford
Rush
1974TV
Sergeant Robert McKellar
Nothing, Number 2
Movie
Cameron Kerr