Frank Wilson (Australian actor)
{{Short description|Australian actor (1924–2005)}}
{{Other people|Frank Wilson}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Frank Wilson
|image =
|imagesize =
|caption =
|birth_date = Frank Edward Wilson
11 April 1924
|birth_place = Northcote, Victoria, Australia
|death_date = {{death date and age|2005|10|24|1924|4|11|df=y}}
|death_place =
|occupation = {{hlist|Actor|singer|director|television presenter}}
}}
Frank Edward Wilson (11 April 1924 – 24 October 2005) was an Australian film, stage and television actor; musical comedy singer and director; and television game show and variety host.
Early life
Frank Wilson was born in 1924 in the Melbourne suburb of Northcote. He left school at the age of 13. In 1943, he joined the Australian Army, where he served as a Signalman in Borneo and Papua New Guinea until his discharge in 1945.
Career
He began acting in 1947, when he appeared at Melbourne's Tivoli Theatre.
Wilson had a small role as a cane cutter in Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (1959).{{cite magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|date=27 February 2025|access-date=27 February 2025|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/wrecking-australian-stories-summer-of-the-seventeenth-doll/?fbclid=IwY2xjawItNeFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHdfjoDKKNPRwIUw_CpwHxvsx-Nwe0Ux0vs54ici1NORlcxM0tGnZAIlpIg_aem_B57Gkzk7qzqgKn0YaklBwA|title=Wrecking Australian stories: Summer of the Seventeenth Doll}}
His best-known film appearances were in The Club (by David Williamson; a role that Wilson had created on stage), Crackerjack, Breaker Morant, Black Robe and Money Movers. He also appeared in the 1957 Charlie Chaplin film A King in New York. On television he appeared in Changi (a mini-series written by John Doyle), SeaChange, Blue Heelers, Water Rats, Power Without Glory, A Country Practice, Bellbird, Doctor Down Under and other programs.
His stage work included Guys and Dolls, Wonderful Town, Lola Montez, Damn Yankees, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (which he directed), and as Falstaff in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 2.{{cite web|url=https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/2566|title=Erank Wilson|work=AusStage}}
David Williamson wrote the character of Frank in Travelling North for Wilson, having admired his interpretation of Jock Riley in The Club. However, after creating Frank on stage, Wilson was not given the role in the film adaptation — it went to Leo McKern instead. To television audiences, he was the well-known and encouraging compere for the influential amateur talent show New Faces throughout the 1960s to mid-70s.
Awards
He won a Logie Award for Best Compere in 1972 for New Faces.
His last role, in the short film The Chess Set (by Alexander Murawski) won the Best Actor award at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival. Wilson heard this news the day before he died.
Family
Wilson and his wife Beryl had 4 children: Amanda, Damian (dec), Matthew and Shauna. Matthew and Shauna went on to become child actors. He had 7 grandchildren.
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Type |
|---|
| 1957
| | Feature film |
| 1959
| Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (aka Season of Passion) | | TV movie |
| 1962
| Sam | TV movie |
| 1966
| General Patrick | TV movie |
| 1968
| Kruger | TV movie |
| 1974
| Fowler | TV movie |
| 1974
| House Detective | Feature film |
| 1975
| Mayer | TV movie |
| 1976
| Kill Kaplan | Sumarian | TV movie |
| 1977
| The Importance of Keeping Perfectly Still | | Short film |
| 1978
| Patrick | Det Sgt Grant | Feature film |
| 1978
| Lionel Darcy | Feature film |
| 1979
| Vic Parsons | TV movie |
| 1980
| The Club | Jock Riley | Feature film |
| 1980
| Dr. Johnson | Feature film |
| 1980
| Lord Mayor | Feature film |
| 1986
| News Report on a Journey to a Bright Future | | Film |
| 1987
| Sir Colin Grant | Feature film |
| 1987
| Tudawali | Charles Chauvel | TV movie |
| 1988
| Robinson | TV movie |
| 1988
| Shepherd | Feature film |
| 1989
| Captain Fahey | TV movie |
| 1991
| Ultimate Desires | Detective Southard | Film |
| 1991
| Father Jerome | Feature film |
| 1995
| Surrender | Gordon | Short film |
| 1997
| The Well | Francis Harper | Feature film |
| 2002
| Len Johnson | Feature film |
| 2005
| The Chess Set | Karl | Short film |
=Television=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Type |
|---|
| 1950
| | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1953
| | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1967
| Bellbird | Howard Bates | TV series |
| 1969-74
| Ronald Davies, Inspector Tom Hogan, Robert Gibson, Curtis Moore, George Peck, Billy Mullens | TV series, 14 episodes |
| 1971-75
| George Price, John Alexander, Hatcher, Dan Hall, Ted Jackson, Ted Mitchell, Fred Murray, Murray Dawes | TV series, 8 episodes |
| 1971-76
| Homicide | John Mason, Bennie Miller, Brooks, Inspector Green, David Cook, Paul Mason, Divisional District Inspector, Ian Taylor | TV series, 8 episodes |
| 1972
| Compere | TV series |
| 1973-74
| Ryan | Bob Novak, Jack Hayes, Dr Thomas, Palmer | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 1974
| Marion | Publican | TV miniseries, 3 episodes |
| 1974
| J J Forbes | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 1976
| Tom Trumbleward | TV miniseries, 4 episode |
| 1976
| | TV series |
| 1976-79
| Godfrey, Herman Wintzer | TV series, 7 episodes |
| 1977
| Bluey | Detective Sergeant Hennessy | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1977-80
| Cop Shop | Larry Page, Superintendent Ray Clarke, Inspector Mitchell | TV series, 5 episodes |
| 1978
| | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1978
| Wally | TV series, 12 episodes |
| 1979
| Skyways | Defence Barrister, Frank Sefton | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1979-80
| Dr. Beaumont | TV series |
| 1980
| | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1981
| Mr Fulsham | TV miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 1981
| Tickled Pink | Thrubb | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1981
| Prisoner | Mr Justice Myles | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1981-82
| Banjo Patterson | TV series, 64 episodes |
| 1983
| Sir John Ritchie | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1984
| Garrick Senior | TV series, 5 episodes |
| 1985
| Victor Armstrong | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1985
| Doc Slope | TV series, 7 episodes |
| 1986
| Winton Bathurst | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1982-87
| Hank McCoy, Knuckles, Dr Rupert Clarke | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 1988
| David Morris | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1989
| Karl Szalinski | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1989-92
| Walter Tyler | TV series, 14 episodes |
| 1992
| Mr Bridger | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1994
| G.P. | Eddie | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1997
| Big Sky | Sir Douglas Oglivie | TV series |
| 2001
| Changi | Old Gordon | TV miniseries |
| 1999-2000
| Len Connors | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 2000
| Maurie Lawson | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2000
| Billy Russell | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2003
| Judge | TV miniseries, 1 episode |
References
{{Reflist}}
- {{IMDb name|0933407|Frank Wilson}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110524102812/http://www.filmbug.co.uk/db/338662 Frank Wilson at Filmbug]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Frank}}
Category:Diabetes-related deaths
Category:Australian male film actors
Category:Australian game show hosts
Category:Australian male stage actors
Category:Australian male television actors
Category:Australian Army personnel of World War II
Category:Australian Army soldiers
Category:Male actors from Melbourne
Category:People from Northcote, Victoria