Alex Papps

{{Infobox person

| name = Alex Papps

| image = PlaySchoolRockyAlex.jpg

| caption = Papps in 2015

| years_active = 1985−present

| birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1969|02|11}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|television host|writer|singer}}

| known_for = {{bulleted|Home and Away as Frank Morgan|Presenter on Play School||The Flying Doctors|The Henderson Kids}}

| awards = Logie Award for Most Popular New Talent (1988)

}}

Alex Papps (born 11 February 1969) is an Australian actor, television host, writer and singer.

Early life

Papps was born in Melbourne in 1969, to Apollo Papps who, though identifying as Greek, was born in Cairo, and a mother of English and Jewish descent. Both his parents were teachers and later amateur theatre directors.Oram, James "Home and Away: Behind the Scenes" p.45, Angus and Robertson, 1989 He attended Belgrave Kindergarten, Upwey South Primary School, Tecoma Primary, and Upwey High School. Papps performed in a number of theatre productions prior to leaving school.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} Papps studied drama and media at Box Hill College of TAFE in Melbourne.

Career

In 1987, Papps guested in TV serial Neighbours as arsonist Greg Davis.{{cite magazine|date=18 July 1987|title=Leader of the pack!|magazine=TV Week|pages=64–65}} He went on to secure his first major television role in children's series The Henderson Kids II, which aired on Network Ten. He attended an open audition for the show and after a couple of screen tests, he was cast as Vinnie Cerantino, the leader of the Brown Street Boys gang.

Papps became better known for his role in Home and Away as original character Frank Morgan.{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/cast-and-fans-of-home-and-away-well-on-the-way-to-belonging-forever-and-ever-20090208-ge7o72.html|title=Cast and fans of Home and Away well on the way to belonging forever and ever|first=Melissa|last=Kent|date=8 February 2009|website=The Age}} He was also a host of music program The Factory.

Since 2005 he has been a presenter on the ABC's children's show Play School, alongside his former Home and Away co-star Justine Clarke who played his girlfriend Roo Stewart, with whom he also appears in the ABC drama The Time of Our Lives. He has released an album of children's songs, called "Let's Put the Beat in Our Feet".

In 1988 he won the Logie Award for Most Popular New Talent, and later graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/dont-bet-on-it-20030505-gdgpo9.html|title=Don't bet on it|date=5 May 2003|website=The Sydney Morning Herald}} In 2018, he returned to Summer Bay, alongside co-star Nicolle Dickson, who played his foster sister and later wife to celebrate the Home and Away 30th-anniversary commemoration.{{cite web|url=https://www.thewest.com.au/entertainment/tv/bad-girl-bobby-returns-to-home-and-away-ng-b88895511z|title=Bad girl Bobby returns to Home and Away|date=17 July 2018 }}