Alister Smart

Smart started his career in local theatre in 1957, and continued working in stage drama throughout his life. His theatre roles include Shakespeare's Macbeth, King Henry V and a tour of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.

{{cite web|url=https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/225083/|title=Alister Smart|publisher=AusStage}}

In the early 1960s, Smart expanded his career to television in England, where he appeared in televised plays. He performed in anthology series including ITV Play of the Week and Comedy Playhouse, as well as serials like Emergency Ward 10. In the latter part of the 1960s he returned to Australia, where he appeared in guest roles in soap operas and made-for-television movies. His credits in Australia included You Can't See 'round Corners, Homicide. Division 4, The Sullivans and Cop Shop. Smart had a prominent role as a new character, journalist Duncan Hunter, in the film adaptation of Number 96.{{cite web|url=https://television.au.com/2014/04/number-96-movie-celebrates-its-40th.html|title=NUMBER 96 movie's 40th birthday bash}}. Smart later appeared in the original series the film was based on, playing Frank Hobson in Number 96 in 1976.

Smart pursued a career in directing both movies and TV series from the early 1970s until his retirement in 1994. His directorial work included notable projects such as Scattergood: Friend of All, Sons and Daughters, Richmond Hill, Prisoner and Blue Heelers.{{cite web |url=https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/p/alister-smart/20381/#ccTall |title=Alister Smart |author=|website=Screen Australia |publisher=Australian Government |access-date=30 June 2018}}{{cite web |url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba87ce511 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180701002042/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba87ce511 |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 July 2018 |title=Alister Smart |author=|website=BFI Film Forever|access-date=30 June 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://filmografie.osobnosti.cz/alister-2 |title=Alister Smart |author=|website=Osobnosti |publisher=Tiscali Media |language=Czech |access-date=30 June 2018}}

{{see also|Play School (Australian TV series)#List of former presenters|}}

Smart is known for his role as a presenter on the long-running children's TV program Play School, the Australian adaptation of the original British version of the same title. Smart made his first appearance in the debut episode in 1966, and continued in this role for 27 years until he retired in 1993. During his tenure, he hosted alongside other original cast members including Diane Dorgan (1966), Donald Mcdonald, Kerry Francis, Anne Haddy (1966-1969), and Lorraine Bayly (1966-1978).

Smart grew up in Nowra, New South Wales and was married to actress Margery Milne, whom he sometimes acted alongside. He currently resides in East Gippsland, Victoria.

{{cite magazine|work=TV-Times|title=Arabesque for Atoms|page=11}}

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• {{IMDb name|id=0806642|name=Alister Smart}}

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Category:Australian television directors

Category:Living people

Category:Australian children's television presenters

Category:Australian male television actors

Category:1935 births