For the American politician, see Paul W. Cronin

Paul W. Cronin

Paul William Cronin was a one-term congressman of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts.Cronin was born in Boston, Massachusetts on March 14, 1938 and graduated from Boston University in 1962 and the John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1969...

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Paul Cronin (born 8 July 1938) is an Australian actor who has played iconic roles in the Australian television series Matlock Police and The Sullivans.

Personal Life

Born the son of a farmer in South Australia, after leaving school Cronin become a farmer himself and learned to shear sheep. He later married his wife Helen, who bore him four daughters including twins and two other daughters.

After giving up farming in Adelaide, Cronin eventually found his way to Melbourne where he worked at an engineering company.It was at this time that he became a bit actor on various Crawford Productions

Crawford Productions

Crawford Productions is an Australian television production company founded by Hector Crawford; the present incarnation of the company, Crawfords Australia, is now a subsidiary of the WIN television corporation.-History:...

 including Division 4 and Homicide.

Professional Career

After numerous bit parts, Cronin went on to appear as motorcycle policeman Gary Hogan in the Crawford Productions

Crawford Productions

Crawford Productions is an Australian television production company founded by Hector Crawford; the present incarnation of the company, Crawfords Australia, is now a subsidiary of the WIN television corporation.-History:...

 drama Matlock Police

Matlock Police

Matlock Police was an Australian television police drama series made by Crawford Productions for the 0-10 Network between 1971 and 1975....

(1971–1975). After that series ended he continued the role in the spin-off Solo One

Solo One

Solo One is an Australian television series made by Crawford Productions for the Seven Network and screened in 1976. There were 13 half hour episodes....

(1976), a series continuing Hogan's motorcycle police officer exploits. The spin-off, which ran for just one 13-episode season, was aimed at children, so it eschewed the violence and serious crime of Matlock Police

Matlock Police

Matlock Police was an Australian television police drama series made by Crawford Productions for the 0-10 Network between 1971 and 1975....

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He followed this role with the central role of Dave Sullivan in the popular soap opera 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...

. The role as Dave Sullivan won him five Silver Logies. Cronin was crowned 1980 King of Moomba

Moomba

Moomba is Australia's largest free community festival and one of the longest running festivals in Australia. Held annually in the city of Melbourne, Australia, Moomba is celebrated during the Labour Day long weekend , and has been celebrated since 1955...

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In 1998 Cronin replaced Channel Nine Voice Over Man Pete Smith

Pete Smith (announcer)

Peter Philip Smith OAM is an Australian radio and television voice-over artist. He is primarily known for his work with GTV-9 Melbourne as their announcer, including being the announcer on the nationally screened Sale of the Century for twenty-one years.-Radio:Upon leaving school, Smith joined...

 as the replacement co host on radio 3AW

3AW

3AW is a talkback radio station in Melbourne, Australia on 693 kHz AM. It began transmission on 22 February 1932 as Melbourne's fifth commercial radio station.-History:...

's Nightline and Remember When programs. He remained in that position filling in when either of the shows regular hosts Bruce Mansfield

Bruce Mansfield

-Early career:Mansfield began in radio with stints on stations including 3UZ, 3KZ, 3AW and 3XY in the 1960s. He later moved to television appearing on The Graham Kennedy Show on GTV-9 in the early 1970s...

 or Philip Brady

Philip Brady (broadcaster)

Philip Brady is an Australian media personality.Born in Melbourne, Brady was involved in the early days of television. He left school at the age of 18 and started working as a booth announcer at Channel Nine in 1958....

 were away. Cronin formally co hosted Nightline on Fridays during the Non Football season. On 16 October 2008 he signed off at midnight as fill in host and Friday host (Non Football season) of 3AW

3AW

3AW is a talkback radio station in Melbourne, Australia on 693 kHz AM. It began transmission on 22 February 1932 as Melbourne's fifth commercial radio station.-History:...

's Nightline and Remember When, comedian Marty Fields

Marty Fields

Marty Fields is an Australian award-winning stand up comedian, host/mc, actor, writer, musician and radio presenter from Melbourne.The son of Australian comedy legends Maurie Fields and Val Jellay, Fields has had long running roles on Hey Hey It's Saturday, Blue Heelers, Blankety Blanks and various...

 replaced him.

In 2005, the retirement investment company that he and Dawn Fraser

Dawn Fraser

Dawn Fraser AO, MBE is an Australian champion swimmer. She is one of only two swimmers to win the same Olympic event three times – in her case the 100 meters freestyle....

 had been advertising on television for some years, collapsed and the directors fled, owing their investors millions of dollars. He and Fraser made a public apology for their unwitting contribution to the financial plight of many people.

He is the host of lifestyle program Discover Down Under that explores the caravan and camping industry in Australia. It was first aired on the Network Ten

Network Ten

Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...

, then the Nine Network

Nine Network

The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...

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Other Activities

In 1986 Cronin led a consortium with Christopher Skase

Christopher Skase

Christopher Charles Skase was an Australian businessman who later became one of his country's most wanted fugitives, after his business empire crashed spectacularly and he fled to Majorca in Spain.-Early life:...

 and was awarded the license to the Brisbane Bears

Brisbane Bears

The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...

 in the then-Victorian Football League. He was president of the club from 1987-1989.

Paul is a member of the Patrons Council of the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria

Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria

The Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria is an Australian charity that was formed by a group of concerned parents in May 1964 to provide support and information to all Victorians affected by epilepsy...

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