Francis Bell (actor)
Encyclopedia
Francis Bell was a UK-born New Zealand resident actor who achieved international stardom playing the part of original character Max Ramsay
in the early years of the popular Australian soap opera, Neighbours
. during his career he also acted in Australian serials The Sullivans
and Sons and Daughters
. He appeared in 15 films from 1976 until his death. He died after falling from a building in 1994, at age 50.
Bell's Neighbours contract expired during his period of sick leave and he never returned to the series, meaning that Max never had a farewell scene.
and Sons and Daughters
.
Max Ramsay
Max Ramsay is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours played by Francis Bell. He made his first on-screen appearance in the show's pilot episode on 18 March 1985. Max was the patriarch of the Ramsay family and Ramsay Street is named after his grandfather...
in the early years of the popular Australian soap opera, Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
. during his career he also acted in Australian serials The Sullivans
The Sullivans
The Sullivans is an Australian drama television series produced by Crawford Productions which ran from 1976 until 1983. The series told the story of an average middle-classMelbourne family and the effect World War II had on their lives...
and Sons and Daughters
Sons and Daughters (Australian TV series)
Sons and Daughters was a Logie Award winning Australian soap opera created by Reg Watson and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation between 1981 and 1987. The first episode aired in December 1981, during the Christmas/New Year non-ratings period, and the official broadcast date of the final...
. He appeared in 15 films from 1976 until his death. He died after falling from a building in 1994, at age 50.
Career In Neighbours
Max was a key character for the show's first year. Soon after the serial switched to Channel Ten in early 1986, Bell went on sick leave. To accommodate this loss, the new character of Max's brother Tom was hastily introduced. In the story Tom arrived to take the reins of Max's plumbing business while Max was away; behind the scenes the scriptwriters went through the scripts replacing "Max" with "Tom", with Tom speaking the dialogue written for Max.Bell's Neighbours contract expired during his period of sick leave and he never returned to the series, meaning that Max never had a farewell scene.
Other roles
Prior to Neighbours, Bell had minor roles in The SullivansThe Sullivans
The Sullivans is an Australian drama television series produced by Crawford Productions which ran from 1976 until 1983. The series told the story of an average middle-classMelbourne family and the effect World War II had on their lives...
and Sons and Daughters
Sons and Daughters (Australian TV series)
Sons and Daughters was a Logie Award winning Australian soap opera created by Reg Watson and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation between 1981 and 1987. The first episode aired in December 1981, during the Christmas/New Year non-ratings period, and the official broadcast date of the final...
.
Filmography
- The SullivansThe SullivansThe Sullivans is an Australian drama television series produced by Crawford Productions which ran from 1976 until 1983. The series told the story of an average middle-classMelbourne family and the effect World War II had on their lives...
(TV series 1976) - Sons and DaughtersSons and Daughters (Australian TV series)Sons and Daughters was a Logie Award winning Australian soap opera created by Reg Watson and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation between 1981 and 1987. The first episode aired in December 1981, during the Christmas/New Year non-ratings period, and the official broadcast date of the final...
(TV series 1982) - Who Killed Baby Azaria?Who Killed Baby Azaria?Who Killed Baby Azaria? is a 1983 Australian TV docudrama about the disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain. It was written by Frank Moorhouse and directed by Michael Thornhill.-Plot introduction:...
(TV movie 1983) - Five Mile CreekFive Mile CreekFive Mile Creek is an Australian western series. The series starred Liz Burch, Louise Caire Clark, Rod Mullinar, Jay Kerr, Michael Caton, Peter Carroll, Gus Mercurio, Martin Lewis, Priscilla Weems and a young Nicole Kidman...
(TV series 1983) - Glass Babies (TV movie 1985)
- Rubbery FiguresRubbery figuresRubbery Figures was a satirical rubber puppet series that screened in Australia in various forms from 1984 to 1990. It appeared on TV comedies like The ABC's Rubbery Figures and Fast Forward...
(TV series 1986) - NeighboursNeighboursNeighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
(TV series 1985-1986) - Bushfire Moon (TV movie 1987)
- Against the Innocent (1989)
- The End of the Golden Weather (1991)
- Absent Without Leave (1992)
- Homeward Bound (TV series 1992)
- Alexander Graham Bell: The Sound and the Silence (TV movie 1992)
- Hercules: The Legendary Journeys - Hercules and the Lost Kingdom (TV movie 1994)
- Mrs. Piggle-WiggleMrs. Piggle-WiggleMrs. Piggle-Wiggle is the title of a series of books by Betty MacDonald. The first book in this series is called Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle , and sequels include, in publication order, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Magic, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle's Farm, Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, and Happy Birthday, Mrs....
(TV series 1994)