Marty Fields (born 18 December 1961) is an Australian comedian, host/mc, actor, writer, musician, singer, and radio presenter from Melbourne.
Early life The son of Australian actors Maurie Fields and Val Jellay, Fields trained for fifteen years at the Melba Conservatorium in piano, voice and theory.
Career
Screen Fields began his acting career at the age of seven in the ABC television series Bellbird, which lead to further roles as a child actor, including in Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police, The Sullivans and the 1973 miniseries A Taste for Blue Ribbons. He also had a lead role as Neil 'Stinker' Carter in drama series Marion in 1974.
He continued appearing in television series throughout his late teens and into adulthood including Skyways, Cop Shop, Carson's Law, The Flying Doctors, SeaChange and City Homicide. He made several appearances in Blue Heelers including a recurring role as Roy Holland.
His film credits include a small role in the 1988 film Evil Angels, alongside Meryl Streep and Sam Neill, based on the true story of the Azaria Chamberlain case. He later featured in 2006 arthouse film The Book of Revelation, 2007 superhero film Ghost Rider, alongside Nicolas Cage, 2011 Melbourne Cup biopic The Cup and 2018 comedy feature That's Not My Dog!.
Fields is particularly recognised from his comedic work on long-running variety show Hey Hey It's Saturday for four years, hosting the 'Great Aussie Joke' segment with his father, Maurie Fields. He continued his comic appearances on The Battle of the Sexes, Blankety Blanks and various other television shows.
Fields has also worked as a session vocalist for the ABC Network.
In 2005, he was inducted into the Australian Comedy Hall of Fame.
Stage At the age of 19, Fields was Musical Director for a three-year touring production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs playing every major Australian country town. He has since starred in over a dozen musicals including High Society and Crazy for You, receiving a Green Room Award for Best Actor in a Musical in the latter. In 2000, he performed in the sell-out season of Guys and Dolls and in 2001, he starred in Anything Goes at the State Theatre, Melbourne. In 2005, he was cast at the last minute as Alfie Doolittle in My Fair Lady at Melbourne's Comedy Theatre, replacing Jon English, who had succumbed to injury.
Fields has played in several rock groups and cover bands including Coup De Ville, Vintage Red, Battle of the Piano Men and The Thin Twins. He was a founding member of The Australian Rat Pack with Bob Valentine and Lisa Edwards.
Marty began his stand-up career in 1987, playing the comedy circuit in the hotels and clubs of Australia. He has also played sell-out shows at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
He has also performed extensively around the world as a piano bar performer, including shows at The Riviera (Las Vegas), The New York Comedy Club (NYC), and Howl at the Moon (Chicago) and a three year residency at Melbourne’s Crown Casino. He has worked alongside performers including Marina Prior, Jimeoin, and John Farnham.
Writer Fields has written two television comedy projects – The All Sports Show and Four Story Building, as well as short film screenplays. He is also the creator and composer of the Australian musical The Paradise.
As a composer, Fields has written radio jingles, musical scores for corporate events, and music and lyrics for the films Death of a Soldier (1986) and The Banjo Man. He has composed over three hundred songs, including "A Likeable Man" – a tribute to his father, Maurie Fields.
Fields has written many newspaper and magazine articles, including a column for the Herald Sun from 2011-2012 and a weekly comedy page in the Australasian Post magazine. He has written advertising copy for companies including Video City and Crown Casino.
He is also a best selling author of three comedy books, including "Dinkum Aussie Jokes", "Ripper Yarns" and "Takeaway Jokes", the latter being a collection of one-liners and short jokes, which went into two reprints and had international success.
Radio Fields has a regular national comedy radio show, syndicated by 105 stations. He has also been a regular presenter on 3AW, appearing on shows such as Nightline, where he has filled in for Bruce Mansfield and Philip Brady.
Personal life Fields is based in Melbourne, where he lives with his wife and daughter. He is a patron of the Lost Dogs Home, and an ambassador of the Melbourne Storm.
Awards and nominations Year Work Award Category Result High Society Green Room Awards Best Actor in a Musical 1992 Three Guys Naked from the Waist Down Green Room Awards Best Male Lead Actor in a Musical 1997 Crazy for You Green Room Awards Best Male Featured Artist in a Musical 1997 Marty Fields Mo Awards Best Stand Up Comedian 2005 Marty Fields Australian Comedy Hall of Fame Inductee
Filmography
Film
As performer Year Title Role Type 1977 Break of Day Bit part Feature film 1988 Evil Angels Commuter Feature film 2002 Signs of Life Feature film 2006 The Book of Revelation Charging Officer Feature film 2007 Ghost Rider Surveillance Guard Feature film 2011 The Cup Shearer Bookie Feature film 2018 That's Not My Dog! Marty Feature film 2018 Dying for a Laugh Marty Moore Short film
As writer Year Title Role Type 1986 Death of a Soldier Music and lyrics Feature film The Banjo Man Music and lyrics
Television
As performer Year Title Role Type 1969 Carols by Candelight Santa Claus TV special 1969, 1971 Bellbird 2 roles 1970 Homicide 1971 Division 4 1973 A Taste for Blue Ribbons Miniseries, 9 episodes 1974 Marion Neil 'Stinker' Carter 4 episodes 1974 Matlock Police 1977 The Sullivans 1979 Skyways 1979 Cop Shop 1982 Getting in Gear 1983 Carson's Law Terry 1 episode 1986 The Great Bookie Robbery Miniseries 1986–1991 The Flying Doctors Musician / Burns / Organist / Piano Player 4 episodes 1993–1996 Hey Hey It's Saturday Resident comic 1994–2004 Blue Heelers Sgt. Roy Holland / Des Blewitt / Steve Talmen / Geoff Wiley / Laurie Ratten 8 episodes 1995 Rainbow's End Reg Parker TV movie 1996 Blankety Blanks Resident comic 1998 Battle of the Sexes Comedian 2000 SeaChange Mitchell Chatham 1 episode 2006 Stand Up Australia Comedian TV special 2008 The Singing Bee Contestant 1 episode 2009 The Mutant Way Guest comedy panellist 1 episode 2009 City Homicide Zack Roberts 2 episodes 2011 Rush Ned Meribel 1 episode 2012 Planet Unearth Self 1 episode 2012 Woodley Eric 2 episodes 2013 Cliffy Ted TV movie 2016–2018 Carols by Candelight TV special The All Sports Show Bid on TV Host
As writer Year Title Role Type The All Sports Show Writer Four Story Building Writer 2022 The Roast of Paul Hogan Writer TV special 2024 The Roast of John Cleese Writer TV special
Radio Year Title Role Type Nightline with Bruce and Phil Presenter 3AW radio show Afternoons with Denis Walter Presenter 3AW radio show Sundays with Tom Elliot Presenter 3AW radio show
Stage
As performer Year Title Role Notes 1977–1983 Tikki & John's Theatre Restaurant 1992 Three Guys Naked from the Waist Down Universal Theatre Melbourne 1992–1993 High Society Mike Connor Playhouse Adelaide, Playhouse Melbourne, Suncorp Theatre, Brisbane, Canberra Theatre, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne 1996–1997 Crazy for You Lank Hawkins Theatre Royal, Sydney, State Theatre, Melbourne – Won Green Room Award for Best Actor in a Musical 2000 Guys and Dolls Nathan Detroit State Theatre, Melbourne 2001 Anything Goes Moonface Martin State Theatre, Melbourne 2003 South Pacific Luther Billis State Theatre, Melbourne 2003 Hats Off! Comedian National Theatre, Melbourne 2004 High Society Mike Connor State Theatre, Melbourne 2005 Kiss Me, Kate Gangster #1 State Theatre, Melbourne 2005 My Fair Lady Alfie Doolittle Comedy Theatre, Melbourne 2009–2010 Hats Off! Comedian / Soloist National Theatre, Melbourne
As writer / director Year Title Role Notes 1981 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Musical Director Theatre Royal, Hobart, Canberra Theatre The Paradise Creator Musical
References
External links Marty Fields Home Page Live performance clip: