Mark Priestley
Encyclopedia
Mark Priestley was an Australia
n actor. Born in Perth
, Western Australia
, he graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art
(NIDA) with a degree in Performing Arts (acting) in 1999. His first big TV break was when he appeared in The Farm in 2000 and met director Kate Woods. She gave him a role in her mini-series Changi
in 2001.
and appeared in Blue Heelers
before his first on-air appearance in All Saints
in July 2004. Priestley was a long-time friend of Wil Traval
, his co-star on All Saints. The two were known to get up to countless pranks on set.
Priestley also had some notable theatre credits. He worked with the Bell Shakespeare Company
, playing Silvio in The Servant of Two Masters, as well as with The Sydney Theatre Company
in Major Barbara, both in 2003.
in Market Street, Sydney
, under the name 'Damien Barker'. He jumped from a window at the hotel at about 2PM. Police confirmed that his body was found in an awning. A police spokesperson said that the incident was not being treated as suspicious. The actor was believed to have been suffering from depression. Priestley continued to be seen posthumously in his All Saints role in pre-filmed material until November 18, 2008.
Priestley's funeral was held on 4 September 2008 at Perth's Holy Family Catholic Church in Como, with more than 500 people in attendance. Press and camera crews were allowed to enter the church at the permission of the family, under the condition that no details of the eulogy
be released in public. Priestley was privately cremated after the ceremony.
Priestley was rewarded for his acclaimed work on All Saints in April 2009, nominated for a posthumous Logie Award for Most Popular Male Actor on Television but lost out to Home and Away actor Todd Lasance
. It is also noted at the end of the Channel Seven Perth Telethon
2008 telecast as being in memory of him.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n actor. Born in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, he graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art
National Institute of Dramatic Art
The National Institute of Dramatic Art is an Australian national training institute for students of theatre, film, and television, based in the Sydney suburb of Kensington. It is supported by the federal Office for the Arts, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. NIDA is located adjacent...
(NIDA) with a degree in Performing Arts (acting) in 1999. His first big TV break was when he appeared in The Farm in 2000 and met director Kate Woods. She gave him a role in her mini-series Changi
Changi (television)
Changi is a critically acclaimed six-part Australian television miniseries broadcast by ABC TV in 2001. It originally aired from 14 October 2001 to 18 November 2001.-Overview:...
in 2001.
Career
Priestley played a semi-regular role in The Secret Life of UsThe 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...
and appeared in Blue Heelers
Blue Heelers
Blue Heelers is an Australian police drama series which depicted the lives of police officers stationed at the fictional Mount Thomas police station in a small town in Victoria.- Overview :...
before his first on-air appearance in 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 July 2004. Priestley was a long-time friend of Wil Traval
Wil Traval
William "Wil" Traval is an Australian actor most known for his work as Dr. Jack Quade on All Saints, an Australian hospital drama.Traval was born on a strawberry farm near Colac in country Victoria. He graduated from high school at the age of 16. His passion for acting began in high school when he...
, his co-star on All Saints. The two were known to get up to countless pranks on set.
Priestley also had some notable theatre credits. He worked with the Bell Shakespeare Company
Bell Shakespeare Company
Bell Shakespeare is an Australian theatre company specialising in the works of William Shakespeare. It was founded in 1990 by John Bell..Bell Shakespeare is Australia's only national touring theatre company. Its current practice is to tour three mainstage productions to each Australian state in...
, playing Silvio in The Servant of Two Masters, as well as with The Sydney Theatre Company
Sydney Theatre Company
The Sydney Theatre Company is one of Australia's best-known theatre companies operating from The Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre....
in Major Barbara, both in 2003.
Death
On the afternoon of 27 August 2008 Priestley checked into the SwissotelSwissôtel
Swissôtel Hotels and Resorts is a group of hotels pitched at the higher end of the hotel market. The chain currently includes 28 properties in 15 countries....
in Market Street, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, under the name 'Damien Barker'. He jumped from a window at the hotel at about 2PM. Police confirmed that his body was found in an awning. A police spokesperson said that the incident was not being treated as suspicious. The actor was believed to have been suffering from depression. Priestley continued to be seen posthumously in his All Saints role in pre-filmed material until November 18, 2008.
Priestley's funeral was held on 4 September 2008 at Perth's Holy Family Catholic Church in Como, with more than 500 people in attendance. Press and camera crews were allowed to enter the church at the permission of the family, under the condition that no details of the eulogy
Eulogy
A eulogy is a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially one recently deceased or retired. Eulogies may be given as part of funeral services. However, some denominations either discourage or do not permit eulogies at services to maintain respect for traditions...
be released in public. Priestley was privately cremated after the ceremony.
Priestley was rewarded for his acclaimed work on All Saints in April 2009, nominated for a posthumous Logie Award for Most Popular Male Actor on Television but lost out to Home and Away actor Todd Lasance
Todd Lasance
Todd James Lasance is an Australian actor and is best known for his role as Aden Jefferies in the Australian soap opera Home And Away.-Personal life:...
. It is also noted at the end of the Channel Seven Perth Telethon
Channel Seven Perth Telethon
The Channel Seven Perth Telethon, known simply as Telethon, is an annual telethon produced by TVW, a Seven Network owned television station in Perth, Western Australia for two main beneficiaries; Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, and the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, plus...
2008 telecast as being in memory of him.
Notable roles
- All SaintsAll 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...
(2004–2008) - Nurse Dan Goldman - The Secret Life of UsThe Secret Life of UsThe 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...
(2005) - Marcus Nelson - Loot (2004) - McLachlan
- BlurredBlurred (film)Blurred is a 2002 Australian film about groups of school leavers travelling to schoolies week on the Gold Coast. It was directed by Evan Clarry and written by Stephen Davis and Kier Shorey.-Cast:Matthew NewtonCraig HornerKristian SchmidVeronica Sywak...
(2002) - Calvin the Holden Boy - ChangiChangi (television)Changi is a critically acclaimed six-part Australian television miniseries broadcast by ABC TV in 2001. It originally aired from 14 October 2001 to 18 November 2001.-Overview:...
(2001) - John 'Curley' Foster - The FarmThe FarmThe Farm may refer to:In places:* The Farm , a government residence in Canada and home to the Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons* The Farm , a community center in California, U.S....
(2001) - Johnno McCormick - Better Than Sex (2000) - Guy A
- Warlords BattlecryWarlords BattlecryWarlords Battlecry was a real-time strategy computer game released in 1999. It was the first of new series of RTS games set in Steve Fawkner's successful, formerly turn-based, Warlords franchise....
(2000) (voice in videogame) - Water RatsWater 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...
(2000) - Luke Harris - Marriage Acts (2000) - Dan Hawkins