Alexander Francis Marinos (1 February 194913 September 2024) was an Australian actor and television director, radio personality and voice artist. He was most notable for his role as Bruno, in the 1980s television series Kingswood Country.
Early life Marinos was born on 1 February 1949 in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, the son of a Greek immigrant father, Fotios ('Frank') Marinopoulos and Greek-Australian mother, Anne Karofilis, who was the daughter of Adonis ('Tony') Karofilis, a Greek migrant from Kasos, Greece and Minnie Matheson, an Australian of Scottish and English origin, with descent going back to Marinos's maternal great-great-great-grandparents, Samuel Bradley, a convict, and Marian Mortimer, a free emigrant, who arrived in Hobart, Tasmania, in the 19th century.
Marinos' maternal grandparents, Adonis and Minnie, owned Greek cafés in towns across the Riverina region of New South Wales, including Wagga Wagga and The Rock, and also in the town of Bogan Gate. Marinos moved to Sydney where he attended North Sydney Boys High School. He graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Arts degree with honours in Drama. He also studied with renowned American acting teacher, Stella Adler.
Career In the early 1970's Lex appeared as a Gunman in NUMBER 96 series, 1974 episode 599.
In the late 1970s, Marinos began presenting on the ABC youth radio station 2JJ, later becoming a presenter on ABC Local Radio, including the show Late Night Legends on ABC2. With Ted Robinson, he was also a presenter on radio station 2JJ (Double Jay), now Triple J, in the late 1970s. He has since worked as a radio presenter on various ABC and commercial networks.
In 1980, Marinos was cast as Bruno, the Italian son-in-law of Ted Bullpitt in the 1980s television comedy series, Kingswood Country, the role for which he is most famous. He had recurring roles in television series City West (1984), Embassy (1991–1982), miniseries The Slap (2011) and Fighting Season (2018). He also appeared in several films including Cathy's Child (1979), Hoodwink (1981), Goodbye Paradise (1983), Pandemonium (1988), The Last Days of Chez Nous (1992) and Backyard Ashes (2013).
Marinos acted in theatre productions with Nimrod, the APG, Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Company B, Big hART.
He also directed numerous stage productions, including a 1980 tour of No Room for Dreamers across Australia, England, Scotland and Ireland. He co-founded the King O'Malley Theatre Company. He was also a member of the creative and production team for the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympics, directing the segment 'Arrivals' about immigrants arriving in Australia. He was the director of 'Carnivale', NSW’s multicultural arts festival, from 1996 to 1999. He was executive producer of the Yeperenye Federation Festival, for the Centenary of Federation Celebrations in Alice Springs.
He director credits also extended to film, including An Indecent Obsession (1985) and Boundaries of the Heart (1988), and the television series Bodyline (1984) and Embassy (1990).
Marinos was a former Deputy Chair of the Australia Council and the Community Cultural Development Fund of the Australia Council. from www.celebrityspeakers.com.au He was a frequent speaker and writer on arts and cultural diversity. In 2008, he delivered the tenth annual Tom Brock Lecture, on the history of Australian immigration and rugby league. He was also guest tutor at several theatre and screen colleges.
Marinos's book "Blood and Circuses: an irresponsible memoir" was published by Allen & Unwin. He has also written for film, television, radio, and stage, as well as the publications The Bulletin, The Weekend Australian, and the Good Weekend. He was a proud member of Actors Equity since 1970.
Honours and awards Marinos was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1994 for "service to the performing arts as an actor, director and writer." He was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001.
In 2012, the cast of The Slap, including Marinos, received the Equity Award for Most Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Television Movie or Mini-Series.
Personal life and death Marinos died in Sydney on 13 September 2024, aged 75, after a two-decade battle with leukemia. His family announced on social media that he died "peacefully... at home, at a moment of his choosing, surrounded by family and the sounds of Bob Dylan."
Filmography
As actor
Film Year Title Role Notes 1971 Three to Go Man at Dance Anthology film, segment: "Toula" 1979 Cathy's Child Con Havros 1981 Hoodwink Detective 2 1983 Goodbye Paradise Con 1988 Pandemonium Detective Sergeant Dick Dickerson 1992 The Last Days of Chez Nous Angelo 1993 Bedevil Dimitri 2005 Lunchtime Narrator Short film 2006 Flights of Angels David Johnson Short film 2009 Bonfire Stavros Short film 2012 Mother's Day Deli Owner Short film 2013 Backyard Ashes Mac 2015 All About E Joseph Malouf 2022 Dancing with My Mother The Husband Short film 2024 The Gift That Gives Lawrence Drakos 2025 It's Our Time Ken Lykos
Television Year Title Role Notes 1970 The Rovers Roberto Servijano 1 episode 1972 Switched On Set Presenter 1972–1973 The Aunty Jack Show 2nd Aunty Jack 3 episodes1974 Certain Women 1 episode Flash Nick from Jindavick Sparrow 1 episode 1975 Scattergood: Friend of All 1 episode Matlock Police Kevin Hanson 1 episode 1975–1976 King's Men Victor Korellis 2 episodes 1976 Alvin Purple Bruno 1 episode 1978 Chopper Squad Hoaxer 1 episode 1979 Cop Shop Salvatore Rossi 1 episode Love Thy Neighbour in Australia Kitty 1 episode 1980–1984 Kingswood Country Bruno Bertolucci 71 episodes1981 Home Sweet Home Radio Announcer 1 episode Tickled Pink 1 episode 1982 Spring & Fall Pete 1 episode 1984 City West Tim Pappas 7 episodes 1991–1992 Embassy Tariq Abdullah 15 episodes 1993 A Country Practice Dr Stephen Marques 2 episodes 1995 G.P. Theo 1 episode 1996 Water Rats Bellamy 2 episodes 2000; 2007 Pizza Habib's Judge / Sleek's Lawyer 2 episodes 2005 Lunchtime Narrator Late Night Legends Host 2009–2010 Histrionics Lord High Chancellor / Judge 2 episodes 2011 The Slap Manolis Miniseries, 8 episodes 2014 Rake Spiro 1 episode 2017 Bent 101 Spiro Agius Glitch Steve Tripidakis 3 episodes 2018 Fighting Season Hanny Aboud Miniseries, 4 episodes 2022 The Twelve Nikolaos Menelaus Miniseries, episode 2023 Mother and Son Kenneth 1 episode NCIS: Sydney Dimi 1 episode
As director / writer
Film Year Title Role Notes1985 An Indecent Obsession Director Remember Me Director TV movie 1987 Perhaps Love Director TV movie1988 Boundaries of the Heart Director Hard Knuckle Director TV movie 1989 The Delinquents Writer 1992 Anchor, Cross & Heart: The Story of Kastellorizo Director Direct-to-video
Television Year Title Role Notes1984 Bodyline Writer Miniseries, 7 episodes Director Miniseries, 2 episodes 1992 Gillies and Company Director 1994 A Country Practice Director 1 episode
Theatre
As actor Year Title Role Notes 1967 Saint Joan Union Hall, Adelaide with The University of Sydney Dramatic Society 1969 The Serpent New Theatre, Sydney 1970 Norm and Ahmed Ahmed Playbox Theatre, Sydney 1971 The Recruiting Officer Southern Highlands Festival Theatre 1971 Emil and the Detectives Southern Highlands Festival Theatre 1971 Doctor Faustus Southern Highlands Festival Theatre 1971 Hamlet on Ice Nimrod, Sydney 1972 Bigotry V.C. Nimrod, Sydney 1972 Housey Nimrod, Sydney 1973 The Tooth of Crime Nimrod, Sydney 1973 Kaspar Nimrod, Sydney 1974 On Yer Marx Chico Marx Pram Factory, Melbourne with APG 1975 Black Eyed Susan Bondi Pavilion, Sydney 1976 Travesties Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1976 Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been? Ring Lardner Jr / Louis Mandel / Jose Ferrer / Elia Kazan / Martin Berkeley Nimrod, Sydney 1976 Arden Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1977 The Game of Love and Chance Arlequin St Martins Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1977 Wild Oats Twitch Seymour Centre, Sydney with Old Tote Theatre Company 1977 Any Fool Can Dr Arond Bondi Pavilion, Sydney with Australian National Playwrights Conference 1977 Richard III Chorus Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC 1978 The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Givola Melbourne Athenaeum with MTC 1980 The Merry Wives of Windsor Dr Caius Sydney Opera House with STC 1982 The Fields of Heaven Rome Bodera Playhouse Theatre, Perth, Sydney Opera House with National Theatre Inc 1993 Duet for One Dr Feldmann Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with HIT Productions 1994 Flesh and Blood National Maritime Museum, Sydney with Theatre South for Sydney Festival 1994 Comedy Festival Debate: That Sex has Killed Romance Comedian Dallas Brooks Hall, Melbourne with MICF 1994 Girl / Pandora Slams the Lid Playhouse, Canberra with National Festival of Australian Theatre & Rip and Tear 1995 Shorts Programme 1: Ned / The Flying Doctor / The Bear / Out at Sea Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC 1995 Shorts Programme 2: This Property is Condemned / Love / Family Running for Mr Whippy / Like Whiskey on the Breath of a Drunk You Love Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC 2006–2012 Ngapartji Ngapartji Various Fairfax Studio, Melbourne, Playhouse, Perth, Belvoir, Sydney, Canberra Theatre Centre with Big hART 2008 Ruben Guthrie Peter Belvoir, Sydney 2009 This is Living Rob Tasmanian tour with 10 Days on the Island & Big hART 2009 Beyond the Neck Tour guide Belvoir, Sydney with Bambina Borracha Productions & B Sharp 2013; 2014 Hipbone Sticking Out Pluto, King of the Underworld (narrator) Canberra Theatre Centre, Playhouse, Melbourne with Big hART 2018 The Sugar House Sidney Belvoir, Sydney 2019 Omar and Dawn Darren Kings Cross Theatre, Sydney with Green Door Theatre Company, Apocalypse Theatre Company & bAKEHOUSE Theatre 2019 Sunset Strip Ray Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga with Critical Stages & HotHouse Theatre 2020 Macbeth - The Installation Duncan / Scottish Doctor Online with Barestage Theatre 2022 The Marriage Agency Bill Kings Cross Theatre, Sydney with Kwento
As director Year Title Role Notes 1979 The Hypothetical End of Bert Brecht Director Russell St Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1980 No Room for Dreamers Director England, Scotland & Ireland tour, Stables Theatre, Sydney, Newcastle Civic Theatre, Ensemble Theatre, Sydney with AETT 1980 Errol Flynn's Great Big Adventure Book for Boys Director Stables Theatre, Sydney with The King O'Malley Theatre Company & NSW Theatre of the Deaf 1980 The Siege of Frank Sinatra Director Stables Theatre, Sydney with The King O'Malley Theatre Company 1980; 1981 Porn: No Rape Trigger Director Stables Theatre, Sydney with The King O'Malley Theatre Company & STC 1981 Drums Along the Diamantina Director Stables Theatre, Sydney with The King O'Malley Theatre Company & STC 1984 Belly Busters Director Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company 1985 Wet Dreams Director Cell Block Theatre, Sydney for Sydney Festival 1986 A Coupla White Chicks Director University of Sydney with The Gordon Frost Organisation 1988 Starkers Director Canberra Theatre 1988; 1989 Living in the Seventies Director Seymour Centre, Sydney, Studio Theatre, Melbourne for Sydney Festival 1990 Dynamite! Director University of Sydney with David Atkins Enterprises 1990 Fish Wednesday Director Belvoir, Sydney 1992 Stool Pigeon Director Seymour Centre, Sydney with Sydney Festival 1992 Dancin' Dynamite Director Hills Centre, Sydney 1992 A Slice of Life Director Hills Centre, Sydney 1993 Return to the Forbidden Planet Director Lyric Theatre, Brisbane 1994 On Tidy Endings Director Lookout Theatre for Sydney Festival 1994 A Slice of Saturday Night Director Hills Centre, Sydney 1999 The Wound Devisor / Director Enmore Theatre, Sydney with Sidetrack Performance Group 2000 2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony Director (Arrivals) Sydney Olympic Park 2014 Legend! Slips Cordon - A Safe Pair of Hands Director Old Fitzroy Theatre, Sydney with Sydney Independent Theatre Company & Decorum
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