Darius Perkins

Perkins had no formal acting training. While in Year Six at primary school, he appeared in a production of The Happy Prince. His drama teacher was actress Val Lehman.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-greening-of-two-actors/135607281/|title=Greening of two actors|last=Morris|first=Jill|date=6 May 1982|work=The Age|access-date=22 November 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}} His first television role was "naughty schoolboy" Jim Bullock in an episode of Lawson's Mates in 1980.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-when-school-is-a-bark-hut/135608913/|title=When school is a bark hut|last=Morris|first=Jill|date=21 February 1980|work=The Age|access-date=22 November 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}} Perkins attended Swinburne Senior Secondary College and told Jill Morris of The Age that he wanted to be both an actor and artist. He played Charlie Reeves in the six-part period drama All the Green Year, which is based on the novel by Don Charlwood. The series was shot on the Mornington Peninsula and Perkins admitted that the hardest part of filming was learning to ride a camel. Perkins later worked with his All the Green Year co-star Greg Stroud on an episode of Cop Shop. He also appeared in 28 episodes of The Sullivans. Perkins also had guest roles in Cop Shop, Prisoner, A Country Practice, and Carson's Law.{{cite web|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2019/01/vale-darius-perkins.html|title=Vale: Darius Perkins|last=Knox|first=David|date=6 January 2019|publisher=TV Tonight|access-date=6 January 2019}}

Perkins played Ben in the HBO miniseries All the Rivers Run in 1983, which earned him the Logie Award for Best Juvenile Performance.{{cite web|url=https://au.tv.yahoo.com/the-logie-awards/winners/article/-/5399015/1984/|title=1984 – The Logie Awards|publisher=Yahoo!7|access-date=5 January 2019|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128153827/https://au.tv.yahoo.com/the-logie-awards/winners/article/-/5399015/1984/ |archivedate=28 January 2015|url-status=dead}} In 1984, he played Stephen Caine in the television film Matthew and Son, alongside Paul Cronin as Stephen's father Matthew. The film was based on the life of Victoria police surgeon Dr John Birrell.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-police-crusade/135610420/|title=Police crusader|last=Lamont|first=Leonie|date=21 October 1984|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=22 November 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}} When Matthew and Son was not picked up for a series, Perkins joined new Seven Network soap opera Neighbours as Scott Robinson.{{cite magazine|last=Fidgeon|first=Patrice|date=23 February 1985|title=Another door opens for Darius|magazine=TV Week|pages=82–83}} His father Robbie Perkins was a freelance set designer, who helped create the original Neighbours sets. His brother Martin became a dresser on the serial.{{cite magazine|last=Fidgeon|first=Patrice|date=24 May 1986|title=Fallen idol fights back|magazine=TV Week|pages=8–9}} Perkins only appeared as Scott for the show's first year. When the series moved to Network Ten at the start of 1986, Perkins was sacked from the role due to alleged problems with his behaviour on the set, including lateness. He would later state, however, that his contract simply expired and he was not under obligation with Network Ten, after the series had moved from Network Seven.{{cite news|url=http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/entertainment/a/-/entertainment/7767267/neighbours-where-are-they-now/|title=Neighbours: Where are they now?|last=Richards|first=Holly|date=16 August 2010|work=The West Australian|access-date=27 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718140601/http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/entertainment/a/-/entertainment/7767267/neighbours-where-are-they-now/|archive-date=18 July 2011|url-status=dead}} Jason Donovan took over the role and the character remained in the show until 1989.

After leaving Neighbours, Perkins guested in a 1987 episode of The Flying Doctors as Glen Reid, a young man who takes a romantic interest in Dr. Chris Randall (Liz Burch).{{cite magazine|last=Zachariah|first=Amanda|date=16 May 1987|title='I blew it!'|magazine=TV Week|pages=8–9}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sydney-morning-herald-the-guide-tele/109679742/|title=The Guide Television – Thursday September 10|date=7 September 1987|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=22 November 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}} The following year, he took on the recurring role of Gary Samuels in Home and Away. Perkins was contracted for seven weeks and he felt challenged by the role, describing his character as a "psychotic sociopath".{{cite magazine|last=Reinhold|first=Leigh|date=22 October 1988|title=Darius slams drug rumors|magazine=TV Week|page=33}} In 1991, Perkins appeared in the two-part miniseries Ratbag Hero.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-green-guide-sunday-10-march/135615458/|title=Green guide Sunday 10 March|date=7 March 1991|work=The Age|access-date=22 November 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}} In 1994, he appeared once again in A Country Practice as Graham Irving, Jess Morrison's (Jane Hall) former boyfriend.{{cite magazine|date=4 September 1994|title=Comings goings|magazine=TV Soap|page=7}} He also worked behind the scenes, most notably in the art department for the TV series Crashburn. On 10 July 2013, it was announced that Perkins would be returning to Neighbours in the guest role playing Paul Robinson's shady business associate Marty Kranic.{{cite web|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2013/07/original-neighbours-cast-member-to-return.html|title=Original Neighbours cast member to return|last=Knox|first=David|date=10 July 2013|publisher=TV Tonight|access-date=9 July 2013}}

In 1992, Perkins was arrested after being involved in a collision with his former partner's car. He was convicted for drink-driving after he was found to have a blood alcohol level of .110. At the hearing in the Prahran Magistrates' Court, Perkins had his license cancelled and he was disqualified from driving for 11 months. He was later removed from a television advertisement for the Transport Accident Commission when they learned of the conviction.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-drink-drive-ad-dropped-over-drin/135615965/|title=Drink-drive ad dropped over drink-drive actor|last=Catalano|first=Antony|date=14 September 1993|work=The Age|access-date=22 November 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

In addition to his acting career, Perkins was also a singer with the Melbourne rock 'n' roll band Genius.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-pub-rock-another-case-of-tatts/135617918/|title=Pub rock – another case of Tatts me out of here|last=Hewitt|first=Sue|date=30 March 1997|work=The Age|access-date=22 November 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}

Perkins died from cancer on 2 January 2019, aged 54.{{cite news|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/fiona-byrne/beloved-neighbours-actor-darius-perkins-dies-after-cancer-battle/news-story/a81594f216511d02c19894383e5940ec|title=Beloved Neighbours actor Darius Perkins dies after cancer battle|last=Byrne|first=Fiona|date=5 January 2019|work=Herald Sun|access-date=5 January 2019}} Tributes came from his former Neighbours co-star David Clencie (Danny Ramsay) who said, "I am so sad, really devastated to lose my mate. We had this incredible bond. We were mates to the very end." Jason Donovan later stated, "Never met Darius but always had great respect both personally and professionally."{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/neighbours/a25762991/neighbours-jason-donovan-darius-perkins-death-scott-robinson-stefan-dennis/|title=Former Neighbours star Jason Donovan pays tribute to Scott Robinson actor Darius Perkins|last=McCreesh|first=Louise|date=6 January 2019|work=Digital Spy|access-date=10 January 2019}} Stefan Dennis who played Perkins' former on-screen brother, and Neighbours executive producer Jason Herbison also paid tribute to him.

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Category:1964 births

Category:2019 deaths

Category:Australian male soap opera actors

Category:Deaths from cancer

Category:Logie Award winners

Category:20th-century Australian actors

Category:Australian male television actors