Mark Hadlow

{{Infobox person

| name = Mark Hadlow

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM|size=100%}}

| image = File:Mark Hadlow ONZM (cropped).jpg

| alt =

| caption = Hadlow in 2018

| birth_name = Mark Selwyn Hadlow

| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1957}}

| birth_place = Walgett, New South Wales, Australia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| other_names =

| occupation = Actor

| years_active = 1979–present

| known_for =

| notable_works =

}}

Mark Selwyn Hadlow {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM}} (born 1957) is a New Zealand actor and comedian, perhaps best known internationally for playing the roles of Harry in King Kong and Dori, a dwarf, in The Hobbit series.{{cite web |url=http://www.accesshollywood.com/peter-jackson-announces-hobbit-cast-former-uk-office-star-to-play-bilbo_article_38676 |title=Peter Jackson Announces 'Hobbit' Cast |author=Associated Press |date=21 October 2010 |publisher=accesshollywood.com |accessdate=22 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101024184449/http://www.accesshollywood.com/peter-jackson-announces-hobbit-cast-former-uk-office-star-to-play-bilbo_article_38676 |archive-date=24 October 2010 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}

Early life

Hadlow was born in Australia, in the New South Wales town of Walgett, the son of a New Zealand-born vicar and an Australian mother. They moved to Perth, and then spent three years in Chennai, before moving to New Zealand when Hadlow was nine years old. They lived in Wellington and Christchurch, and Hadlow attended boarding school.{{cite web |url=https://www.nzonscreen.com/person/mark-hadlow/biography |title=Mark Hadlow |date= |website=NZOnScreen |publisher= |accessdate=7 June 2017}}

Career

File:Gulls_with_Mark_Hadlow_01.jpg (1988)]]

Hadlow's early film appearances were in serious roles, such as in Beyond Reasonable Doubt, but he is perhaps better known in New Zealand for his comedy roles, particularly in the television sitcom Willy Nilly, and some of the voices for the 1989 Peter Jackson puppet film, Meet the Feebles (including Heidi the hippo and Robert the hedgehog). He also starred alongside New Zealand Māori comedian, Billy T James in "The Billy T James Show".

Hadlow has also released an audio CD called "Tall Tales". It consists of classic children's stories narrated and performed with a Kiwi twist.

Between films and television, Hadlow works in Christchurch's Court Theatre, where he has directed, produced, and acted in many plays. Hadlow is known for interacting with the audience whenever possible. This was made easy in the theatre's intimate, 200-seat setting, where the audience was literally next to the stage.

In 2009, Hadlow campaigned for the historic Odeon Theatre in Christchurch to be turned into an arts complex for an estimated NZ$60m.{{cite news |last=Gates |first=Charlie |title=Hadlow wants to turn Odeon into NoeDo |url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/our-communities/3184268/Hadlow-wants-to-turn-Odeon-into-NoeDo |accessdate=7 February 2013 |newspaper=The Press |date=22 December 2012}} The earthquake-prone building was severely damaged in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, and later in 2012, the rear of the building was demolished.{{cite news |last=Cairns |first=Lois |title=Powerless to stop heritage demolition |url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/8014704/Powerless-to-stop-heritage-demolition |accessdate=7 February 2013 |newspaper=The Press |date=29 November 2012}}

While appearing in a one-man play, he met his ex-wife. They met in the audience before the start of the play because Hadlow always started off in the audience. In his wife's words, "this nice man who I didn't recognise sat next to me and we started chatting. Within minutes he knew a lot about me. Suddenly he got up and started acting in the play."

In 2021 he appeared on TV as Brian in "The Garotte and the Vinkelbraun", an episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries, Series 7 No 25.

File:LTCDR Mark Hadlow.jpgIn addition to his acting career, Hadlow is a commissioned lieutenant commander in the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve.{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/christchurch-life/avenues/features/8008960/Mark-Hadlow-as-himself-and-Dori|title=Mark Hadlow as himself, and Dori|last=Preece|first=Kate|date=29 November 2012|accessdate=18 March 2014|newspaper=The Press}}

In the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours, Hadlow was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the arts.{{cite web | url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/lists/qb2017-list | title=Queen's Birthday honours list 2017 | date=5 June 2017 | publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | accessdate=5 June 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170610034121/http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/lists/qb2017-list | archive-date=10 June 2017 | url-status=live | df=dmy-all }}

In 2022 he was presented with a Scroll of Honour from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand for his contribution to New Zealand entertainment.

Filmography

=Films=

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
Year ! Film ! Role
1980 \| Beyond Reasonable Doubt \| Bruce Roddick
1981 \| Strange Behavior \| Dancer at Party
rowspan="2" \|1982 \| Battletruck \| Orrin
Klynham Summer \| Sam Finn
1983 \| Nate and Hayes \| Gun Operator
1984 \| Constance \| Errol's Friend
1988 \| Just Me and Mario \| Kevin Stiles
1989 \| Meet the Feebles \| Heidi the Hippo, Robert the Hedgehog, Barry the Bulldog (voices)
1992 \| Absent Without Leave \| Prison Corporal
1995 \| Bonjour Timothy \| Rugby's Coach
2005 \| King Kong \| Harry
2006 \| The Waimate Conspiracy \| Mr. Glue QC
2008 \| Last of the Living \| Dad
2009 \| No Petrol, No Diesel! \| Mr. Bligh
2010 \| The Holy Roller \| Wally
2012 \| The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey \| Dori Bert (voice)
2013 \| The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug \| Dori
2014 \| The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies \| Dori
2018 \| Mortal Engines \| Orme Wreyland
2023 \| Darkest Light \| David King

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"

Year

! Film

! Role

1980

| Beyond Reasonable Doubt

| Bruce Roddick

1981

| Strange Behavior

| Dancer at Party

rowspan="2" |1982

| Battletruck