Barry Quin
Encyclopedia
Barry Quin is a British-born Australian based stage and television actor, best known for his role in the original cast of Prisoner
playing Dr Greg Miller. He was married to his Prisoner co-star Peta Toppano
during the early 1980s, but they divorced after ten years.
in 1977, he had bit part
s on UK sitcom Two's Company
and US drama series Charlie's Angels
.
He was touring Australia as part of a stage production of Othello
when he met his future wife Peta Toppano
. While auditioning for Prisoner, Toppano suggested Quin for the role of Greg Miller when she learned the producer was looking for an actor to play a young prison doctor. Both their characters were introduced with the storyline of the two having had a prior relationship as old college sweethearts. Shortly after the series debuted, they were married in April 1979. The two remained on the series until the end of the 1979 season, when they were written out for their characters too, to be married.
In 1980, he would star in the television miniseries Lucinda Brayford
co-starring Wendy Hughes
and Sam Neill
and, the following year, in Sara Dane. He appeared in a number of television series including M.P.S.I.B. and Carson's Law
. Although having minor roles in I Can't Get Started
and Departure, he had moderate success as Lt. Zachariah Hicks in the 1987 television miniseries Captain James Cook followed by Emma: Queen of the South Seas (1987) and Cappuccino (1989) in which he was also credited as an associate producer.
After Darlings of the Gods (1989), Quin took a leave of absence from acting coinciding with his divorce from Peta Toppano
. He returned to acting three years later with a guest appearance on Police Rescue
and Mission Top Secret
. Before long, he began playing recurring characters on Big Sky and Mirror, Mirror II. He also made guest appearances on Murder Call
, Water Rats
, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World, The Secret Life of Us
, Love My Way
and All Saints
.
In April 2002, he also returned to the stage performing as Gordon in David Williamson
's Soulmates at the Sydney Opera House
. After a cameo appearance as a news anchorman in Superman Returns
(2006), Quin made several appearances as Geoff Olivetti in Home and Away
during 2006 and early-2007.
Prisoner (TV series)
Prisoner is an Australian television soap opera which was set in the Wentworth Detention Centre, a fictional women's prison. The series was produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation and ran on Network Ten for 692 episodes from 27 February 1979 to 11 December 1986.The series was inspired by the 1970s...
playing Dr Greg Miller. He was married to his Prisoner co-star Peta Toppano
Peta Toppano
Peta Toppano is an actress who found success in Australian television. She is best known for her roles in popular television series such as The Young Doctors, Prisoner, and Home & Away, as well as Return to Eden in which she played a "superbitch".-Early life:Toppano was born in Finsbury Park,...
during the early 1980s, but they divorced after ten years.
Biography
A graduate of the Central Drama School in London, Quin was primarily a stage actor in his early career. After a small role in the British television series Just WilliamJust William
Just William is the first book of children's short stories about the young school boy William Brown, written by Richmal Crompton, and published in 1922. The book was the first in the series of William Brown books which was the basis for numerous television series, films and radio adaptations...
in 1977, he had bit part
Bit part
A bit part is a supporting acting role with at least one line of dialogue . In British television, bit parts are referred to as under sixes...
s on UK sitcom Two's Company
Two's Company (TV series)
Two's Company was a British television situation comedy series that ran from 1975-79. Produced by London Weekend Television for the ITV Network, the programme starred Elaine Stritch and Donald Sinden.-Premise:...
and US drama series Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels is a television series about three women who work for a private investigation agency, and is one of the first shows to showcase women in roles traditionally reserved for men...
.
He was touring Australia as part of a stage production of Othello
Othello
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
when he met his future wife Peta Toppano
Peta Toppano
Peta Toppano is an actress who found success in Australian television. She is best known for her roles in popular television series such as The Young Doctors, Prisoner, and Home & Away, as well as Return to Eden in which she played a "superbitch".-Early life:Toppano was born in Finsbury Park,...
. While auditioning for Prisoner, Toppano suggested Quin for the role of Greg Miller when she learned the producer was looking for an actor to play a young prison doctor. Both their characters were introduced with the storyline of the two having had a prior relationship as old college sweethearts. Shortly after the series debuted, they were married in April 1979. The two remained on the series until the end of the 1979 season, when they were written out for their characters too, to be married.
In 1980, he would star in the television miniseries Lucinda Brayford
Lucinda Brayford
Lucinda Brayford is a novel by Australian author Martin Boyd.-Plot summary:Set mainly in Melbourne, Victoria and England between the early to middle parts of the Twentieth century.-Film adaptation:...
co-starring Wendy Hughes
Wendy Hughes
-Career:Hughes began her career on television in the early 1970s with appearances in Homicide, Number 96, Matlock Police and in 1976, ABC Mini-Series, Power Without Glory...
and Sam Neill
Sam Neill
Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill, DCNZM, OBE is a New Zealand actor. He is well known for his starring role as paleontologist Dr Alan Grant in Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III....
and, the following year, in Sara Dane. He appeared in a number of television series including M.P.S.I.B. and Carson's Law
Carson's Law
Carson's Law is an Australian television series made by Crawford Productions for the Ten Network between 1983 and 1984. The series was a period piece set in the 1920s and starred Lorraine Bayly as progressive solicitor Jennifer Carson...
. Although having minor roles in I Can't Get Started
I Can't Get Started
"I Can't Get Started" is a popular song, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin and music by Vernon Duke, that was first heard in the theatrical production Ziegfeld Follies of 1936 where it was sung by Bob Hope...
and Departure, he had moderate success as Lt. Zachariah Hicks in the 1987 television miniseries Captain James Cook followed by Emma: Queen of the South Seas (1987) and Cappuccino (1989) in which he was also credited as an associate producer.
After Darlings of the Gods (1989), Quin took a leave of absence from acting coinciding with his divorce from Peta Toppano
Peta Toppano
Peta Toppano is an actress who found success in Australian television. She is best known for her roles in popular television series such as The Young Doctors, Prisoner, and Home & Away, as well as Return to Eden in which she played a "superbitch".-Early life:Toppano was born in Finsbury Park,...
. He returned to acting three years later with a guest appearance on Police Rescue
Police Rescue
Police Rescue was an Australian television series which originally aired on ABC TV between 1989 and 1996. It was produced by ABC and Southern Star Xanadu in association with the BBC....
and Mission Top Secret
Mission Top Secret
Mission Top Secret is an Australian TV series aired between 1992 and 1995. The pilot for the series was a 1991 telemovie of the same name.-Cast:* Jennifer Hardy as Victoria Wiggins * Andrew Shephard as Albert Wiggins...
. Before long, he began playing recurring characters on Big Sky and Mirror, Mirror II. He also made guest appearances on Murder Call
Murder Call
Murder Call was an Australian television series, created by Hal McElroy for the Southern Star Entertainment and seen on the Nine Network between 1997 and 2000. The idea to the series was born by the books of Tessa Vance by Jennifer Rowe: Suspect/Deadline and Something Wicked...
, Water Rats
Water Rats (TV series)
Water Rats is an Australian TV police procedural broadcast on the Nine Network from 1996 to 2001. The series was based around the men and women of the Sydney Water Police who fight crime across Sydney Harbour and surrounding locales. The show was set on and around Goat Island in Sydney...
, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World, The Secret Life of Us
The Secret Life of Us
The Secret Life of Us was a television drama series set in the beachside suburb of St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia. The series was produced by Southern Star Entertainment and screened in Australia from 2001 to 2005 on Network Ten and on Channel 4 in the UK...
, Love My Way
Love My Way
Love My Way was a Logie Award winning and critically acclaimed Australian television drama series. It won the AFI award for Best Television Drama Series for each of its three seasons ....
and All Saints
All Saints (TV series)
All Saints is an Australian medical drama which first screened on the Seven Network. The series debuted on 24 February 1998 and concluded its run on 27 October 2009...
.
In April 2002, he also returned to the stage performing as Gordon in David Williamson
David Williamson
David Keith Williamson AO is one of Australia's best-known playwrights. He has also written screenplays and teleplays.-Biography:...
's Soulmates at the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
. After a cameo appearance as a news anchorman in Superman Returns
Superman Returns
Superman Returns is a 2006 superhero film directed by Bryan Singer. It is the fifth and final installment in the original Superman film series and serves as a alternate sequel to Superman and Superman II by ignoring the events of Superman III and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace .The film stars...
(2006), Quin made several appearances as Geoff Olivetti in Home and Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
during 2006 and early-2007.