John Waters (born 8 December 1948) is an English-born Australian film, theatre and television actor, creator, devisor, director, presenter, playwright, producer, singer, songwriter, musician, voice artist and writer.
He is the son of British actor Russell Waters. John Waters was part of the Australian children's television series Play School for 18 years.
Early life Waters was born on 8 December 1948Waters enjoying his "Peter Pan existence". The Age, 25 March 2010. Retrieved 12 April 2013] in London, England. He grew up in Teddington.
Career Music He first faced a live audience as a singer and bass guitar player with 1960s London-based blues band The Riots before travelling to Australia, initially for an extended working holiday and then eventually settling there permanently.Profile: John Waters. The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 April 2008. Retrieved 12 April 2013]
Since 1992 Waters has performed with a one-man show Looking Through a Glass Onion co-written with Stewart D'Arrietta, a tribute to John Lennon featuring Lennon's music, words and images. In addition to many Australian tours of the show he also played six months in the West End, London.John Waters : Looking Through A Glass Onion. Beat website. Retrieved 14 April 2013] In 2014 he played 120 performances at the Union Square Theatre in Manhattan."Broadway dream comes true for John Waters" by Vatherine Lambert, The Sydney Morning Herald, 19 January 2015
Waters has released of CDs including The Story of Pilliga Pete and Clarrie the Cocky (2010), a family story and music CD written and narrated by Waters, Brel (2010) a live album sung in French and a tribute to the Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel, the double live album, John Waters Looking Through A Glass Onion (2011) and his debut originals album Cloudland (2011).
Theatre
He appeared in a production of Hair in 1969/1971, Godspell and Dracula.
He was in the original Australian production of They're Playing Our Song, which opened on 23 August 1980 at the Theatre Royal in Sydney. It starred Waters and Jacki Weaver, with Rhonda Burchmore as one of the Inner Voices. An Australian cast recording of the show was later released by Festival Records.They're Playing Our Song. The Sydney Morning Herald, 17 January 2006. Retrieved 12 April 2013]
Waters appeared as Pontius Pilate in the concert version of Tim Rice musical Jesus Christ Superstar with John Farnham, Kate Ceberano, Jon Stevens and Angry Anderson in 1992
In 2005, Waters starred in David Williamson's play Influence as shock jock Ziggi Blasko. The play was performed in Sydney during March/April 2005 and in Melbourne in June/July 2005.Influence. The Sydney Morning Herald, 21 March 2005. Retrieved 13 April 2013]Influence. The Age, 27 June 2005. Retrieved 13 April 2013]
In 2008, he played The Narrator in Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show at Star City Casino, Sydney.John Waters Cast in Rocky Horror Show. Australian Stage, 22 August 2007. Retrieved 12 April 2013]
In 2006–2007. Waters toured Australia, Hong Kong and New Zealand in a critically acclaimed role alongside Brett Tucker in The Woman in Black.Australian tour, 2006–07, at newtheatricals.com
In 2010 he starred in the Melbourne Theatre Company's production of The Swimming Club, a play by Australian author Hannie Rayson.
In 2013 Waters starred in The Addams Family musical as Gomez Addams. The production premiered in Sydney on 24 March 2013 and closed on 9 June 2013.Sydney musical The Addams Family brings real heart and charm to the stage. The Telegraph, 24 March 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2013]End of The Addams Family, cast told. Herald Sun, 13 May 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013]
In 2017, Waters played Ulysses in Music Theatre Melbourne's concert production of Paris. He had previously played the role of Agamemnon on the musical's original concept album released in 1990.
In 2024 Waters starred in a new Australian tour of The Woman in Black as Arthur Kipps.2024 Australian tour information
Television Many Australians still remember Waters best from his nearly 20-year stint on the Australian children's series Play School, appearing from 1972 until 1991. During his tenure with Play School, he narrated various children's video trailers for ABC-TV.Play Schooling for 45 years. Television.au. Retrieved 12 April 2013]
Among his best known television roles is that of the brooding Sergeant Robert McKellar in the 1974–76 television series Rush (revoiced and parodied by The D-Generation as The Olden Days on their comedy program The Late Show). Waters also appeared in the 1983 Australian miniseries All the Rivers Run as Brenton Edwards.
He played Perry Luscombe in Fireflies, which lasted for only one season, on ABC TV in 2004.John Waters talks about his new ABC TV series Fireflies. ABC Queensland. Retrieved 13 April 2013]
Waters joined the cast of All Saints in June 2006 as Mike Vlasek, the new head of surgery. He remained with the show until its cancellation in late 2009.
In 2012, Waters starred in the ABC TV mini-series The Mystery of a Hansom Cab, adapted from the novel by English writer Fergus Hume.The Mystery of a Hansom Cab. ABC television. Retrieved 12 April 2013] He appeared on the Logie-award-winning television series Offspring, which completed filming its third season in 2013 and was renewed for a further two seasons.Offspring Cast. Network Ten. Retrieved 12 April 2013]Offspring renewed for two more seasons. Network Ten. Retrieved 12 April 2013]
In 2018, Waters had a recurring role, as lawyer Travis James, on the ABC TV Series Mystery Road.
Films Waters played Capt. Alfred Taylor in the 1980 film Breaker Morant which starred British actor Edward Woodward as Harry "Breaker" Morant.
In 1982, Waters appeared in the World War II film Attack Force Z alongside Mel Gibson, John Phillip Law and Sam Neill.Attack Force Z. Melbourne Leader, 5 February 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2013]
In 2013, Waters starred in a local regional film production created by Luis Bayonas, called Adios.Local independent receives early acclaim. Surf Coast Times, 11 March 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2013]
In 1990, film critic David Stratton, referring to the films, wrote that in his opinion Waters "has been in more bad films than most other actors around".David Stratton, The Avocado Plantation: Boom and Bust in the Australian Film Industry, Pan MacMillan, 1990 p. 342
Other work He has starred in many television advertisements for various companies including Cinzano, Bird's Eye, Bankers Trust, MBF Health Fund, Sudafed, Uncle Tobys, Qantas, Telstra, MLC, Arnotts and Toyota Hybrid Camry. He has narrated programs such as Mind Games: Real Life Adventures, Nostradamus and Triple Zero Heroes and All Together Now.John Waters. The Harbour Agency. Retrieved 14 April 2013]
Awards In 1975, Waters won the George Wallace Memorial Logie for Best New Talent at the Logie Awards for his role in Division 4.
In 1988, he won the AFI Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role as character Tom Garfield in the Frank Howson-written film Boulevard of Broken Dreams.Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. Australian Film Institute. Retrieved 12 April 2013]
He has been nominated for several other awards, including Best Lead Actor (in 1978 for Weekend of Shadows) and Best Supporting Actor in a Drama (in 2006 for All Saints) at the AFI Awards, and for Most Popular Actor in a Telemovie or Mini-Series (in 1992 for Which Way Home) at the Logie Awards.
ARIA Music Awards The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony held by the Australian Recording Industry Association. They commenced in 1987.
! |- | 1994 | Looking Through a Glass Onion | Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album | | ARIA Award previous winners.
Personal life Waters' first marriage was to actress Jenny Cullen; they had two children
His second marriage was to actress Sally Conabere. They had no children.
His third marriage, to Zoe Burton, was in January 2002; they live in the Southern Highlands, NSW, with their three children.
Children's music Waters supports DUETS 2012, a concert to assist The Australian Children's Music Foundation (ACMF) (founded by fellow Play School presenter Don Spencer) and Carols in the Domain 2012. He is an ambassador for The Australian Children's Music Foundation. Get Shot Magazine. Retrieved 13 April 2013]
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes 1976 End Play Mark Gifford Feature film The Haunting of Hewie Dowker Hewie Dowker TV movie The Rollicking Adventures of Eliza Fraser David Bracefell Feature film 1977 The Getting of Wisdom Rev. Shepherd Feature film Summerfield David Abbott Feature film Trial of Ned Kelly Ned Kelly TV movie 1978 Weekend of Shadows Rabbit Feature film Cass Mike TV movie The Scalp Merchant Cliff Rowan TV movie 1979 Demolition Peter Clarke TV movie The Prophecies of Nostradamus Narrator Documentary film 1980 Breaker Morant Capt. Alfred Taylor Feature film Bedfellows TV movie Slippery Slide David TV movie1981 Attack Force Z Sub Lt. Ted "Kingo" Kong Feature film 1984 High Country Ben Lomax TV movie1985 I Can't Get Started Robert Feature film 1986 Passion Flower Leslie Gaitland TV movie1987 The Last of the Mohicans Hawkeye Bumppp (voice) TV movie Bushfire Moon Patrick O'Day Feature film The Perfectionist Stuart Gunn Film Going Sane Martin Brown Film1988 Captain Johnno Frank TV movie Boulevard of Broken Dreams Tom Garfield Feature film Grievous Bodily Harm Morris Martin Feature film 1990 Heaven Tonight Johnny Dysart TV movie1994 Singapore Sling John Stamford TV movie1994 Ebbtide Michael Suresch Film1995 Singapore Sling: Road to Mandalay John Stamford TV movie Singapore Sling: Old Flames John Stamford TV movie Singapore Sling: Midnight Orchid John Stamford TV movie1998 The Sugar Factory Sam Lejeune Film The Real Macaw Dr. Lance Hagen Feature film 1999 Chameleon II: Death Match Henry Kubica TV movie2003 Prof. Arkin TV movie2005 Stealth Black Ops Doctor Feature film Late Shift Old Paul Bell Short film2006 The Bouncer Dave Feature film Carnivale Reflux Narrator Short film 2010 Centre Place Jack Houghton Feature film 2011 Ragtime Dick Short film2012 The Mystery of a Hansom Cab Mark Frettiby TV movie2013 Return to Nim's Island Booker Feature film Worm Police Interviewer Short film2015 Killers and Thieves The Fence Short film 2016 Virtual Dogs and Loaded Guns Bank Customer Feature film 2016 The Faintest Clasp Voice Short film2017 2:22 Bill Feature film Three Summers Eamon Feature film 2020 At Last Christopher Feature film2022 Blaze Simon Baker Feature film 2023 The Rooster Norris Feature film
Television