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John Wood (actor, born 1946)

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John Wood
Born (1946-07-14) 14 July 1946 (age 78)
EducationNational Institute of Dramatic Art (BFA)
Occupation(s)Actor, scriptwriter
Years active1966 – present
Known forRafferty's Rules (TV series) as Michael Rafferty
Blue Heelers (TV series) as Tom Croydon
SpouseLeslie Wood
Children2

John Wood (born 14 July 1946) is an Australian television Gold Logie Award-winning actor and scriptwriter.

Wood has appeared in numerous theatre and TV productions, but is best known for his roles in the legal drama Rafferty's Rules as Stipendiary Magistrate Michael Rafferty and in the long-running police drama Blue Heelers, as Tom Croydon both for the Seven Network.

Biography

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Early career

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Wood began his acting career in 1966, attending National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) and doing a play called Eh? directed by Max Gillies and co-starring Tony Taylor. In 1970 he became a professional actor and worked for the Old Tote Theatre Company in a production of Death of a Salesman.

Career-Television

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His first professional TV role was in Minus Five with Ken James and Rowena Wallace which went to air with the title Barrier Reef.

A common misconception[citation needed] is that his first role was a guest role in Bellbird, an Australian television series. He then appeared in several Australian drama series and mini-series in minor roles. He played the co-lead role of Stokey in the ABC drama series The Truckies in 1978, writing an episode. John also wrote eleven episodes of the series Prisoner, and several episodes of Cop Shop. It wasn't until 1987 that John Wood became a well-known actor, taking the lead in Rafferty's Rules, as magistrate Michael Rafferty. Wood twice won a Logie for "Most Outstanding Actor" for his role in the show during its four seasons.

In 1993 Wood landed a leading role in Blue Heelers as Tom Croydon. This show became a big hit in Australia. As well as starring in the show, he also wrote several episodes. The show was cancelled in 2006, and Wood is one of only two actors (the other being Julie Nihill) to star in Blue Heelers from its beginning in 1993 to its end in 2006, although Wood's character is the only one to be seen in every single episode. Wood also wrote three episodes for the series.

In 2005 he hosted the mini-documentary series Made in Melbourne about 50 years of HSV7.

Wood was a contestant in the 2004 edition of the Australian Dancing with the Stars. In 2007, Wood appeared on Channel Ten's tele-movie, Joanne Lees: Murder in the Outback, where he played barrister Grant Algie. He currently hosts Channel Nine's travel series Wine Me, Dine Me.

In 2009, Wood appeared in the drama The Cut on ABC1, in the historical dramatised documentary Rogue Nation, also on ABC1, and in Channel Nine's drama-series Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities playing Murray Farquhar.

In 2010, Wood had a recurring role in Offspring. In June 2011, it was announced that Wood had joined the cast of Neighbours for a six-month guest role as Martin Chambers.[1] He made his first on screen appearance in September.[1]

In 2012, he appeared in Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, and had a recurring role in The Doctor Blake Mysteries. In 2013, Wood had a guest role on It's a Date (TV series).

Memoirs

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In August 2020 his memoir, How I Clawed My Way Back to the Middle, was published by Viking.[2]

Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref
2018 How to Stay Married Morrey 1 episode
Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell Unorganised Funerals Salesman 1 episode
2013-17 The Doctor Blake Mysteries Patrick Tyneman 23 episodes
2017 True Story with Hamish & Andy Principal Scott 1 episode
2015 Open Slather Special Guest 2 episodes
We Are Not Real People Guest Speaker 1 episode
2014 Fresh Blood: Aunty Donna Crooked Cop 1 episode
2013 It’s a Date Rex 1 episode [3]
Paper Giants: Magazine Wars Ken Crowley 2 episodes
2012 The Strange Calls Deputy Commissioner Banks 1 episode
Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Mr Jones 1 episode
2011-12 Neighbours Martin Chambers 5 episodes [4]
2011 Killing Time Allan Bond 1 episode [5]
2010 Sleuth 101 Bill 1 episode
Offspring Gareth 4 episodes
2009 The Cut Bill Telford 6 episodes [6]
Underbelly Murray 2 episodes
Rogue Nation Governor William Bligh 1 episode [7]
1994-06 Blue Heelers Tom Croydon 510 episodes
1993-94 Newlyweds Frank 4 episodes
1992 Dearest Enemy Anderson Morley 7 episodes
1991 All Together Now Detective Grant 1 episode
1987-91 Rafferty's Rules Michael Rafferty 86 episodes
1990 G.P. Hugh Daly 1 episode
1987-90 The Flying Doctors Frank O'Leary / Dennis Cleary 2 episodes
1986-87 The Challenge Alan Bond TV miniseries, 6 episodes
1985 One Summer Again Sir Walter Corry TV docudrama miniseries, 3 episodes
1984 Special Squad Barron / Crawley 2 episodes
The Last Bastion Robert Menzies TV miniseries, 3 episodes
1981 The Sullivans Army Surgeon 2 episodes
1978-80 Cop Shop Jack / John / John Harwood 7 episodes
1980 Lawson's Mates One Eyed Bogan 1 episode
1978 The Truckies Stokey 12 episodes
Catspaw Billo 1 episode
1977 Bellbird 2 episodes
1976-77 Bluey Cusack / Terry Carter 2 episodes
1976 Power Without Glory Sugar Renfrey 21 episodes
1972-75 Homicide Max Reed / John Hill 2 episodes
1973-75 Matlock Police Jacko / Cliff 2 episodes
1974 Out of Love TV anthology series, 1 episode
1972 Redheap George 3 episodes
Catwalk Ricky Novak 7 episodes
A Nice Day at the Office Brian 1 episode
1971 Barrier Reef Chris 1 episode
1970 Dynasty Danny Bernac 1 episode

Television (self appearances)

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Year Title Role Notes Ref
2021 Celebrity Mastermind Self [8][9]
2019 The New Full Monty Self [10]
2012 Who Do You Think You Are? Self 1 episode [11]

Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2023 Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism Detective Chambers
2022 Beat Dr. Mondon
2017 Bye Bye Baby Short film
2016 Brown Paper Bag School Principal Short film
2013 Backyard Ashes Merv
2011 Waiting for Robbo Eric Short film
2009 Remembering Nigel John Wood
2007 Joanne Lees: Murder in the Outback Grant Algie TV movie
2004 Hooked Sir Richard Short film
1987 The Bit Part John Bainbridge Feature film
Bullseye Bluey McGurk Feature film
1985 The Empty Beach Parker Feature film
1982 Ginger Meggs Constable Brady
1979 Burn the Butterfiles TV movie
1977 Blue Fire Lady Gus Feature film
1977 No Room for the Innocent TV movie
1973 The Taming of the Shrew Hortensio TV play
1972 The Office Picnic Clyde Feature film

As writer

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Year Title Role Notes
1995-97 Blue Heelers Writer 3 episodes
1989 Sugar and Spice Writer 2 episodes
1980-81 Cop Shop Writer 9 episodes
1979-80 Prisoner Writer 11 episodes
1978 Truckies Writer 1 episode
1974 Flash Nick from Jindavick Writer

Theatre

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Wood is also an experienced stage actor. Notable roles include: The Wizard in 'The Wizard Of Oz' Arena Specular (2019)The Club, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, ART, Born Yesterday, The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin, Cats, Chess , Love Letters, Blood Relations, The Real Inspector Hound, Strange Bedfellows: The Musical and Stephen Sewell's It Just Stopped (2006). [12] He played the Bishop of Basingstoke in the 25th anniversary concert of Jekyll & Hyde.[13]

Awards

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John Wood has won several TV Week Logie Awards over the years and has also been nominated for several.

In 1988 and 1989, Wood received the TV Week Logie Award for 'Most Outstanding Actor' for his work on Rafferty's Rules.[14][15] In 2006, he was nominated in the same category for his role in Blue Heelers.

Wood was nominated for the Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television every year from 1997 to 2007, for his role in Blue Heelers. After nine consecutive Gold Logie nominations without a win, he was awarded the prize in 2006.[16]

Wood has won the Most Popular Actor award twice (in 2005 and 2006) and has been nominated another eight consecutive times (1996–2003) for his role in Blue Heelers.

References

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  1. ^ a b Byrne, Fiona (4 June 2011). "John Wood heads to Ramsay Street as a doctor". Herald Sun.
  2. ^ Wood, John (2020). How I clawed my way to the middle. [S.l.]: Viking Australia. ISBN 978-0-14-379497-4. OCLC 1154340264.
  3. ^ "It's a Date: August 22 | TV Tonight". 22 August 2013.
  4. ^ "John Wood joins Neighbours | TV Tonight". 6 June 2011.
  5. ^ "John Wood is Alan Bond in Killing Time | TV Tonight". 7 December 2011.
  6. ^ "John Wood makes the Cut at ABC | TV Tonight". 25 June 2008.
  7. ^ "Gallery: Rogue Nation | TV Tonight". 8 March 2009.
  8. ^ "Returning: Celebrity Mastermind | TV Tonight". 3 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Celebrity Mastermind: Aug 28 | TV Tonight". 23 August 2021.
  10. ^ "Matty J, John Wood join new Full Monty cast. | TV Tonight". 26 March 2019.
  11. ^ Knox, David (22 April 2012). "Who do You Think You Are?: Apr 24 | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au.
  12. ^ "John Wood theatre credits".
  13. ^ Full Cast Announced for JEKYLL & HYDE
  14. ^ John Wood–1988 Logie Awards
  15. ^ John Wood–1989 Logie Awards [Archived 20 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ John Wood–Gold Logie Award–2006 Archived 20 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
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Awards and achievements
Preceded by Gold Logie Award
Most Popular Personality on Australian Television

2006
for Blue Heelers
Succeeded by