John Atkinson was an Australian actor.
Early life Atkinson was the older brother of actress Kate Atkinson. He was a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
Career Atkinson's first television role was in Channel 9's risqué soap opera Chances, when he took over the main role of Cal Lawrence from Gerry Sont in 1992. He then had a recurring guest role in critically-acclaimed and award-winning ABC legal drama series Janus in 1994. He also featured alongside Hugh Jackman in ABC drama Correlli in 1995, playing the recurring role of Officer Reid.
Atkinson made his breakthrough screen appearance in 1998, in Australian soap opera Breakers, playing the role of 28-year-old Steve Giordano, manager and youth mentor at homeless kids' agency, 'Against The Tide'. He appeared in the series until 1999, acting alongside Ada Nicodemou and James Stewart.
In 2002, Atkinson knocked back a role in a US movie to accept a role in 13-part SBS television drama TwentyfourSeven, playing one of the main roles of production editor and chief sub, Nick Kaldor. Set in the office of a weekly entertainment and information magazine, the series was the world's first interactive television drama, where viewers were able to vote on a choice of three storylines for the next episode – 'choose your own adventure'-style.
Atkinson portrayed producer Les Markowitz in the fictionalised 2005 American television movie / docudrama Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure, based on the creation and behind the scenes production of the 1980s prime time soap opera Dynasty. He also portrayed Roger McIvor in several episodes of the Australian television drama McLeod's Daughters between 2005 and 2007, and appeared twice on the Australian medical drama All Saints, in 2003 and 2007.
Atkinson played Detective Parks in the 2007 American miniseries The Starter Wife alongside Debra Messing. He then had an ongoing lead role as Stephen Mulroney in Australian soap opera Out of the Blue from 2008 to 2009, opposite Diane Craig, Zoe Carides, Ryan Johnson and Daniel Henshall. He next played boat owner and psychopathic killer Derrick Quaid in long-running soap opera Home and Away, from 2009 to 2010.
Atkinson had a role in 2010 feature film 33 Postcards opposite Guy Pearce and Claudia Karvan, also reuniting with his Out of the Blue co-star Clayton Watson.
Atkinson also appeared in an international television advertisement for Land Rover Discovery, playing the part of a guy who stripped off and grabbed a spear to go fishing.
Personal life Like his Breakers character Steve Giordano, Sydney-based Atkinson was working at a drop-in centre in the suburb of Pyrmont between acting roles in 2002, after meeting a youth worker at a pub in Glebe.
Filmography
Television Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1992 Chances Cal Lawrence 13 episodes 1994 Janus Nick 3 episodes 1994; 1996 Blue Heelers Sullo / George Yammouni 2 episodes 1995 Halifax f.p. Reporter 1 episode Correlli Officer Reid 3 episodes 1997 State Coroner Dylan McQuarie 1998–1999 Breakers Steve Giordano 396 episodes 2000 Chameleon 3: Dark Angel Grim the Rottweiler Dealer TV movie 2002 TwentyfourSeven Nick Kaldor Crash Palace Noddy 2 episodes Blood Crime (aka Hearts of Men) Redmond Sawyer TV movie 2003; 2007 All Saints Barry Mitchell / Sean Callahan 2 episodes 2005 Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure Les Markowitz TV movie 2005; 2007 McLeod's Daughters Roger McIvor 5 episodes 2006 Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America Ed Connolly TV movie 2007 One of the Lucky Ones Wendy's boyfriend TV movie The Starter Wife Detective Parkes Miniseries, 3 episodes 2008 Out of the Blue Stephen Mulroney 74 episodes 2009 Legend of the Seeker Captain Krimmel 1 episode 2009–2010; 2020–2021 Home and Away Derrick Quaid / Sergeant Cooper 17 episodes 2010 Cops L.A.C. Mr. Timochenko 1 episode 2011 Cloudstreet Banjo player Miniseries, 1 episode
Film Year Title Role Notes Ref. 2010 33 Postcards Chalmers Feature film
References
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