Bill Hunter (actor)
Encyclopedia
William John "Bill" Hunter (27 February 194021 May 2011) was an Australian actor of film, stage and television. He appeared in more than 60 films and won two Australian Film Institute Awards
.
During his teens, Hunter was a champion swimmer, and briefly held a world record for the 100 yards freestyle until his record was broken by John Devitt
in the very next heat ten minutes later. Hunter had qualified for the Australian swimming team in the 1956 Summer Olympics
in Melbourne, but a bout of meningitis
ended his Olympic hopes.
saw him gain a job as an extra and swimming double in the Hollywood film On the Beach
which was filming in Melbourne. Hunter claimed that he was inspired to take up acting after watching one of the leads (variously claimed to be either Gregory Peck
or Fred Astaire
) do 27 takes of a scene, and thinking he could do better. He took an intensive drama course in Melbourne, and then won a two-year scholarship to the prestigious Northampton Repertory Company in England. In 1966, he made his television debut in an uncredited role in two episodes of the Doctor Who
serial The Ark
.
Returning to Australia in the 1960s, Hunter started out in Australian television
, and became a prolific performer in television and feature films, in which he often played the strong, opinionated, archetypal gruff Australian whose exterior belies a softer heart.
Some of his most notable movie roles include Newsfront
(1978), Gallipoli
(1981), Scales of Justice
(1983), Strictly Ballroom
(1992), Muriel's Wedding
(1994), The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
(1994) and Australia
(2008). In 2007, he reprised the role of Bob in the Australian touring stage production of Priscilla. He also provided the voice of the dentist in Finding Nemo
(2003) and the voice of Bubo in Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (2010). He portrayed United Nations Secretary General Spencer Chartwell in the American science fiction series Space: Above and Beyond
. His last film role was in The Cup.
Of acting, Hunter said, "As long as the director told me where to stand and what to say, I was happy. Anyone who says there's any more to it than that, is full of bullshit. "It's a job. It is a craft, but there's no art involved," Hunter added. "What you need is common sense and a reasonably rough head. You put on the makeup and the wardrobe, and that is half the performance. That upsets the purists, but never mind, they don't work as much as I do."
, in 1976. According to writer Bob Ellis
, the marriage was short-lived after Hunter ran off with their marriage celebrant. His third marriage was to artist and television presenter Rhoda Roberts from 1993 until their divorce in 1999.
after refusing to go to hospital. Surrounded by family and friends, he died of liver cancer on 21 May 2011, aged 71.
A memorial service for Hunter was held at Melbourne's Princess Theatre
on 26 May.
for Newsfront
, and the 1981 Best Supporting Actor
award for Gallipoli
.
In 2001, he was awarded the Centenary Medal
for service to acting.
A painting of Hunter by artist Jason Benjamin won the Packing Room Prize in conjunction with the 2005 Archibald Prize
.
Australian Film Institute Awards
The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...
.
Early life
Hunter was a son of William and Francie Hunter. He had a brother, John, and a sister, Marie Ann.During his teens, Hunter was a champion swimmer, and briefly held a world record for the 100 yards freestyle until his record was broken by John Devitt
John Devitt
John Thomas Devitt was an Australian sprint freestyle swimmer of the 1960s, who won a gold medal in the 100 m freestyle at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. He won in controversial circumstances, being awarded the gold medal despite the timekeepers recording a slower time than the silver medallist...
in the very next heat ten minutes later. Hunter had qualified for the Australian swimming team in the 1956 Summer Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
in Melbourne, but a bout of meningitis
Meningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs...
ended his Olympic hopes.
Career
Hunter made his film debut as an extra in 1957 film The Shiralee. An introduction to Ava GardnerAva Gardner
Ava Lavinia Gardner was an American actress.She was signed to a contract by MGM Studios in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew attention with her performance in The Killers . She became one of Hollywood's leading actresses, considered one of the most beautiful women of her day...
saw him gain a job as an extra and swimming double in the Hollywood film On the Beach
On the Beach (1959 film)
On the Beach is a post-apocalyptic drama film based on Nevil Shute's 1957 novel of the same name. The film features Gregory Peck , Ava Gardner , Fred Astaire and Anthony Perkins...
which was filming in Melbourne. Hunter claimed that he was inspired to take up acting after watching one of the leads (variously claimed to be either Gregory Peck
Gregory Peck
Eldred Gregory Peck was an American actor.One of 20th Century Fox's most popular film stars from the 1940s to the 1960s, Peck continued to play important roles well into the 1980s. His notable performances include that of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, for which he won an...
or Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
) do 27 takes of a scene, and thinking he could do better. He took an intensive drama course in Melbourne, and then won a two-year scholarship to the prestigious Northampton Repertory Company in England. In 1966, he made his television debut in an uncredited role in two episodes of the Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
serial The Ark
The Ark (Doctor Who)
The Ark is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 5 March to 26 March 1966...
.
Returning to Australia in the 1960s, Hunter started out in Australian television
Australian television
Television in Australia began experimentally as early as 1929 in Melbourne with stations 3DB and 3UZ using the Radiovision system by Gilbert Miles and Donal McDonald, and later from other locations, such as Brisbane in 1934....
, and became a prolific performer in television and feature films, in which he often played the strong, opinionated, archetypal gruff Australian whose exterior belies a softer heart.
Some of his most notable movie roles include Newsfront
Newsfront
Newsfront is a 1978 Australian drama film starring Bill Hunter, Wendy Hughes, and Bryan Brown, directed by Phillip Noyce. The screenplay is written by David Elfick, Bob Ellis, Philippe Mora, and Phillip Noyce. The original music score is composed by William Motzing...
(1978), Gallipoli
Gallipoli (1981 film)
Gallipoli is a 1981 Australian film, directed by Peter Weir and starring Mel Gibson and Mark Lee, about several young men from rural Western Australia who enlist in the Australian Army during the First World War. They are sent to Turkey, where they take part in the Gallipoli Campaign. During the...
(1981), Scales of Justice
Scales of Justice (TV miniseries)
Scales of Justice is a three-part Australian drama miniseries, made in 1983 by director Michael Jenkins. Scales of Justice was one of the most controversial Australian mini-series ever produced, examining corruption in all levels of law enforcement....
(1983), Strictly Ballroom
Strictly Ballroom
Strictly Ballroom is a 1992 Australian romantic comedy film directed and co-written by Baz Luhrmann and produced by M&A Productions. The film is the first installment in The Red Curtain Trilogy, Luhrmann's trilogy of theatre-motif-related films; the follow-ups were Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!...
(1992), Muriel's Wedding
Muriel's Wedding
Muriel's Wedding is a 1994 Australian-French romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by P. J. Hogan. The film, which stars actresses Toni Collette, Rachel Griffiths, Sophie Lee, and Bill Hunter, focuses on the socially awkward Muriel whose ambition is to have a glamorous wedding and improve...
(1994), The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is a 1994 Australian comedy-drama film written and directed by Stephan Elliott. The plot is based on the journey of three drag queens who travel across the Australian Outback from Sydney to Alice Springs in a tour bus that they have named...
(1994) and Australia
Australia (2008 film)
Australia is a 2008 epic historical romance film directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. It is the second-highest grossing Australian film of all time, behind Crocodile Dundee. The screenplay was written by Luhrmann and screenwriter Stuart Beattie, with Ronald Harwood...
(2008). In 2007, he reprised the role of Bob in the Australian touring stage production of Priscilla. He also provided the voice of the dentist in Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo is a 2003 American comi-drama animated film written by Andrew Stanton, directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich and produced by Pixar. It tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin who, along with a regal tang called Dory , searches for his abducted son Nemo...
(2003) and the voice of Bubo in Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (2010). He portrayed United Nations Secretary General Spencer Chartwell in the American science fiction series Space: Above and Beyond
Space: Above and Beyond
Space: Above and Beyond was a short-lived mid-90s American science fiction television show on the FOX Network, created and written by Glen Morgan and James Wong. Originally planned for five seasons, it ran only for the single 1995–1996 season. It was nominated for two Emmy Awards and one Saturn...
. His last film role was in The Cup.
Of acting, Hunter said, "As long as the director told me where to stand and what to say, I was happy. Anyone who says there's any more to it than that, is full of bullshit. "It's a job. It is a craft, but there's no art involved," Hunter added. "What you need is common sense and a reasonably rough head. You put on the makeup and the wardrobe, and that is half the performance. That upsets the purists, but never mind, they don't work as much as I do."
Personal life
Hunter's first marriage was to Robbie Anderson with whom he had a son. His next marriage was to actress Pat BishopPat Bishop
Pat Bishop was an actress noted for her performances in Australian theatre, film and television.She received an Australian Film Institute award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her representation of Jenny in the 1976 film Don's Party.Bishop also appeared frequently on television, with...
, in 1976. According to writer Bob Ellis
Bob Ellis
Bob Ellis is an Australian writer, journalist, film-maker and political commentator. He was a student at the University of Sydney at the same time as other notable Australians including Clive James, Germaine Greer, Les Murray, John Bell, Ken Horler, and Mungo McCallum...
, the marriage was short-lived after Hunter ran off with their marriage celebrant. His third marriage was to artist and television presenter Rhoda Roberts from 1993 until their divorce in 1999.
Death
On 15 May 2011, Hunter was admitted to Caritas Christi hospice in KewKew, Victoria
Kew is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara. At the 2006 Census, Kew had a population of 22,516....
after refusing to go to hospital. Surrounded by family and friends, he died of liver cancer on 21 May 2011, aged 71.
A memorial service for Hunter was held at Melbourne's Princess Theatre
Princess Theatre, Melbourne
The Princess Theatre is a 1488-seat theatre in Melbourne, Australia.It is listed by the National Trust of Australia and is on the Victorian Heritage Register.-History:...
on 26 May.
Selected filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Doctor Who Doctor Who Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior... – The Ark The Ark (Doctor Who) The Ark is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 5 March to 26 March 1966... |
Guardian | uncredited, episodes The Steel Sky and The Plague |
| 1970 | Ned Kelly Ned Kelly (1970 film) Ned Kelly is a 1970 British adventure film. It was the second Australian feature film version of the story of 19th century Australian bushranger Ned Kelly.... |
Officer | |
| 1974 | 27A 27A 27A is a 1974 Australian film directed by Esben Storm. At the AFI Awards it won in the Best Actor and Best Fiction categories.-Cast:*Robert McDarra as Billy Donald*Bill Hunter as Cornish*Graham Corry as Peter Newman... |
Cornish | |
| 1974 | Stone | Barman | |
| 1975 | Dragon Flies | Peterson | |
| 1976 | Eliza Fraser Eliza Fraser (film) Eliza Fraser is a 1976 Australian bawdy adventure drama film, directed by Tim Burstall and starring Susannah York, Trevor Howard, Noel Ferrier and John Castle. The screenplay was written by David Williamson.... |
Youlden | |
| 1976 | Mad Dog Morgan Mad Dog Morgan Mad Dog Morgan is a 1976 Australian bushranger film directed by Philippe Mora and starring Dennis Hopper, Jack Thompson and David Gulpilil. It is based upon the life of Dan Morgan... |
Sgt. Smith | |
| 1977 | Backroads Backroads (film) Backroads is a 1977 Australian film directed by Phillip Noyce. Two strangers – one white , one black – steal a car in western New South Wales and drive around the coast. The original characters came from a story by Adelaide writer John Emery, with whom Noyce had worked on a short film... |
Jack | |
| 1978 | In Search of Anna | Peter | |
| 1978 | Newsfront Newsfront Newsfront is a 1978 Australian drama film starring Bill Hunter, Wendy Hughes, and Bryan Brown, directed by Phillip Noyce. The screenplay is written by David Elfick, Bob Ellis, Philippe Mora, and Phillip Noyce. The original music score is composed by William Motzing... |
Len Maguire | Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role The AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role is an award in the annual AACTA Awards, presented by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts... |
| 1978 | Weekend of Shadows | Bosun | |
| 1980 | Dead Man's Float | Eddie Bell | |
| 1980 | Hard Knocks | Brady | |
| 1981 | Gallipoli Gallipoli (1981 film) Gallipoli is a 1981 Australian film, directed by Peter Weir and starring Mel Gibson and Mark Lee, about several young men from rural Western Australia who enlist in the Australian Army during the First World War. They are sent to Turkey, where they take part in the Gallipoli Campaign. During the... |
Major Barton | Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role The Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role is an award in the annual Australian Film Institute Awards. It has been awarded annually since 1974.-Previous winners:*1974: Barry Humphries – The Great McCarthy... |
| 1981 | ...Maybe This Time | Stephen | |
| 1982 | Heatwave Heatwave (film) Heatwave is a 1982 Australian film directed by Phillip Noyce. Around Christmas time a heatwave hits Sydney and an architect undertakes a controversial project.-Cast:*Judy Davis as Kate Dean*Richard Moir as Stephen West*Chris Haywood as Peter Houseman... |
Robert Duncan | |
| 1982 | Far East Far East (film) Far East is a 1982 Australian drama film directed by John Duigan and starring Bryan Brown, Helen Morse and John Bell. Far East is a remake of the 1942 classic Casablanca.... |
Walker | |
| 1983 | The Hit | Harry | |
| 1983 | The Return of Captain Invincible The Return Of Captain Invincible The Return of Captain Invincible is a 1983 Australian musical comedy and superhero film starring Alan Arkin and Christopher Lee.-Plot:The plot involves the Captain America/Superman inspired super-hero called "Captain Invincible" who is active during World War II and afterwards... |
Tupper / Coach | |
| 1984 | Street Hero Street Hero Street Hero is an AFI award winning, Australian film which stars Vince Colosimo, Sigrid Thornton, Sandy Gore, Bill Hunter and Ray Marshall. It is directed by Michael Pattinson.-Plot:... |
Detective Fitzpatrick | |
| 1985 | An Indecent Obsession | Colonel Chinstrap | |
| 1985 | Rebel | Browning | |
| 1986 | Death of a Soldier Death of a Soldier Death of a Soldier is a 1986 Australian film based on the life of American serial killer Eddie Leonski. The film was shot using locations around Melbourne, Victoria.The film is directed by Philippe Mora and stars James Coburn, Bill Hunter and Reb Brown.... |
Detective Sgt. Adams | |
| 1986 | Sky Pirates | O'Reilly | |
| 1988 | Rikky and Pete Rikky and Pete Rikky and Pete is a 1988 Australian film directed by Nadia Tass and written by David Parker starring Stephen Kearney and Nina Landis.Rikky Menzies and Pete Menzies are sister and brother. Rikky is an out-of-work geologist, and aspiring singer . Pete is a misfit who dreams up weird inventions... |
Whitstead | |
| 1989 | Cassidy | Charles Parnell Cassidy | television movie |
| 1989 | Fever Fever (1989 film) Fever is a 1989 Australian erotic thrillerfilm about an Australian policeman who finds a suitcase full of money, and the course of events which unfold when he decides to keep it. The film was directed by Craig Lahiff, and stars Bill Hunter, Gary Sweet, and Mary Regan.... |
Sgt. Jack Welles | |
| 1989 | Mull Mull (film) Mull is a 1988 Australian drama film directed by Don McLennan. The film is based on the popular 1986 book, Mullaway by Bronwen 'Bron' Nichols.-Plot:... |
Frank Mullens | |
| 1990 | Call Me Mr. Brown | McNeill | |
| 1991 | Deadly | Vernon Giles | |
| 1992 | The Last Days of Chez Nous The Last Days of Chez Nous The Last Days of Chez Nous is an Australian drama, directed by Gillian Armstrong and written by Helen Garner. Made in a style which emphasizes naturalism over melodrama, the film centres around what happens after Vicki arrives at the house of her older sister Beth, whose French husband falls for her... |
Beth's Father | |
| 1992 | The Leaving of Liverpool The Leaving of Liverpool The Leaving of Liverpool is a 1992 television mini-series, an Australian–British co-production between the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and British Broadcasting Corporation... |
Father O'Neill | television miniseries Miniseries A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term... |
| 1992 | Strictly Ballroom Strictly Ballroom Strictly Ballroom is a 1992 Australian romantic comedy film directed and co-written by Baz Luhrmann and produced by M&A Productions. The film is the first installment in The Red Curtain Trilogy, Luhrmann's trilogy of theatre-motif-related films; the follow-ups were Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!... |
Barry Fife | |
| 1993 | Broken Highway Broken Highway Broken Highway is a 1993 Australian drama film directed by Laurie McInnes. It was entered into the 1993 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Aden Young - Angel* David Field - Tatts* Bill Hunter - Wilson* Claudia Karvan - Catherine* Norman Kaye - Elias Kidd... |
Wilson | |
| 1993 | The Custodian | Managing Director | |
| 1993 | Shotgun Wedding | Police Commissioner Andrews | |
| 1993 | Stark Stark (TV miniseries) Stark is a 1993 British-Australian television miniseries, based on the bestselling novel Stark by comedian Ben Elton. The three-episode series, directed by Nadia Tass, was an international coproduction between the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Australian Broadcasting... |
Ocker Tyron | television miniseries Miniseries A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term... |
| 1994 | The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is a 1994 Australian comedy-drama film written and directed by Stephan Elliott. The plot is based on the journey of three drag queens who travel across the Australian Outback from Sydney to Alice Springs in a tour bus that they have named... |
Bob | |
| 1994 | Everynight ... Everynight Everynight ... Everynight Everynight ... Everynight is an Australian drama film directed by Alkinos Tsilimidos and released in 1994. Based on a play of the same name, written by Ray Mooney, the film details the early life of contract killer Christopher Dale Flannery and is set inside Melbourne's HM Prison Pentridge's... |
Berriman | |
| 1994 | Muriel's Wedding Muriel's Wedding Muriel's Wedding is a 1994 Australian-French romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by P. J. Hogan. The film, which stars actresses Toni Collette, Rachel Griffiths, Sophie Lee, and Bill Hunter, focuses on the socially awkward Muriel whose ambition is to have a glamorous wedding and improve... |
Bill Heslop | |
| 1995 | Blue Murder Blue Murder (mini-series) Blue Murder is a two-part Australian television miniseries produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 1995, and is based on true events. Given its confronting content, the DVD release was classified MA 15+... |
Angus McDonald | television miniseries Miniseries A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term... |
| 1996 | Cody: Fall from Grace | Sam Wolfe | television movie |
| 1996 | Race the Sun Race the Sun Race the Sun is a 1996 comedy-drama movie starring Halle Berry and James Belushi. The plot is loosely based on the true story of the Konawaena High School Solar Car Team, which finished 18th in the 1990 World Solar Challenge and first place among high school entries.-Plot:A new science teacher at... |
Commissioner Hawkes | |
| 1996 | River Street | Vincent Pierce | |
| 1997 | Road to Nhill Road to Nhill Road to Nhill is a 1997 Australian comedy-drama film directed by Sue Brooks. The film won the "Golden Alexander" for Best Feature-Length Film at The International Thessaloniki Film Festival .-Plot:... |
Bob | |
| 1998 | 15 Amore | Brendan's Voice | voice Voice acting Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called... |
| 1998 | A Difficult Woman | Paul Scanlon | television miniseries Miniseries A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term... |
| 1998 | The Echo of Thunder Echo of Thunder The Echo of Thunder is an Australian family drama movie, released for television in 1998. It is based on the novel Thunderwith by Australian children's author Libby Hathorn... |
Cooper | television movie; uncredited role |
| 2000 | On the Beach On the Beach (2000 film) On the Beach is an apocalyptic television movie released in 2000, airing originally on Showtime. It is a remake of the 1959 film, and is based on the 1957 novel by Nevil Shute. It starred Armand Assante, Bryan Brown, and Rachel Ward... |
Prime Minister Seaton | television movie |
| 2002 | Crackerjack | Stan Coombs | |
| 2003 | Finding Nemo Finding Nemo Finding Nemo is a 2003 American comi-drama animated film written by Andrew Stanton, directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich and produced by Pixar. It tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin who, along with a regal tang called Dory , searches for his abducted son Nemo... |
Dentist (Phillip Sherman) | voice Voice acting Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called... |
| 2003 | Bad Eggs Bad Eggs Bad Eggs is a 2003 Australian comedy movie, written and directed by Tony Martin. It stars Mick Molloy, Bob Franklin and Judith Lucy, with Alan Brough, Bill Hunter, Marshall Napier, Nicholas Bell, Steven Vidler, Shaun Micallef, Robyn Nevin, Brett Swain, Denis Moore and Pete Smith having supporting... |
Ted Pratt | |
| 2003 | Horseplay | Barry Coxhead | |
| 2003 | Kangaroo Jack Kangaroo Jack Kangaroo Jack is a 2003 American comedy film directed by David McNally, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, and starring Jerry O'Connell, Anthony Anderson, Christopher Walken, Estella Warren and Adam Garcia... |
Blue | |
| 2004 | Tom White | Malcolm | |
| 2008 | The Square The Square (2008 film) The Square is a neo-noir thriller film directed by Nash Edgerton, written by his brother Joel Edgerton and Matthew Dabner, and starring David Roberts and Claire van der Boom. Based upon an original idea by Joel, the project was written and then shelved by the actor because he felt it was not... |
Gil Hubbard | |
| 2008 | Australia Australia (2008 film) Australia is a 2008 epic historical romance film directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. It is the second-highest grossing Australian film of all time, behind Crocodile Dundee. The screenplay was written by Luhrmann and screenwriter Stuart Beattie, with Ronald Harwood... |
Skipper (Qantas Sloop) | |
| 2010 | The Pacific The Pacific (miniseries) The Pacific is a 2010 television series produced by HBO, Seven Network Australia, Sky Movies, Playtone and DreamWorks that premiered in the United States on March 14, 2010.... |
James | television miniseries Miniseries A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term... |
| 2010 | The Wedding Party | Priest | |
| 2010 | Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole | Bubo | voice Voice acting Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called... |
| 2011 | Red Dog Red Dog (film) Red Dog is a 2011 Australian family film directed by Kriv Stenders. The film is based on a true story from the novel Red Dog. At the 2011 Inside Film Awards Red Dog was nominated in nine categories and won seven, including Best Feature Film.-Cast:... |
||
| 2011 | The Cup The Cup (2011 film) The Cup is a 2011 biographical film about the 2002 Melbourne Cup horse race and is directed by Simon Wincer. It is about Damien Oliver's victory in the 2002 Melbourne Cup.-Cast:*Brendan Gleeson as Dermot Weld*Stephen Curry as Damien Oliver... |
Bart Cummings |
Awards and honours
Hunter won the 1978 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Leading RoleAustralian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
The AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role is an award in the annual AACTA Awards, presented by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts...
for Newsfront
Newsfront
Newsfront is a 1978 Australian drama film starring Bill Hunter, Wendy Hughes, and Bryan Brown, directed by Phillip Noyce. The screenplay is written by David Elfick, Bob Ellis, Philippe Mora, and Phillip Noyce. The original music score is composed by William Motzing...
, and the 1981 Best Supporting Actor
Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
The Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role is an award in the annual Australian Film Institute Awards. It has been awarded annually since 1974.-Previous winners:*1974: Barry Humphries – The Great McCarthy...
award for Gallipoli
Gallipoli (1981 film)
Gallipoli is a 1981 Australian film, directed by Peter Weir and starring Mel Gibson and Mark Lee, about several young men from rural Western Australia who enlist in the Australian Army during the First World War. They are sent to Turkey, where they take part in the Gallipoli Campaign. During the...
.
In 2001, he was awarded the Centenary Medal
Centenary Medal
The Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
for service to acting.
A painting of Hunter by artist Jason Benjamin won the Packing Room Prize in conjunction with the 2005 Archibald Prize
Archibald Prize
The Archibald Prize is regarded as the most important portraiture prize in Australia. It was first awarded in 1921 after a bequest from J. F. Archibald, the editor of The Bulletin who died in 1919...
.
External links
- "Bill Hunter's list of film and television credits". The Australian. Retrieved on 21 May 2011
- Bill Hunter on australianscreen