Paul Paddick
Encyclopedia
Paul Paddick is an Australian actor. Paddick is best known for his portrayal of Captain Feathersword, "the friendly pirate," a character associated with the children's band The Wiggles
.
Paddick earned a Bachelor of Music from Adelaide University, studying classical opera
for three years. He also studied drama at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
(WAAPA), at the same time as Hugh Jackman
. He has stated that even during his training as a performer, he "much preferred to be the comic second than the actual lead because it was much more fun and a lot less pressure. You got to get all the laughs and subtly steal part of the show".
Paddick met Anthony Field
, a founding member of The Wiggles
, in 1993. By that time, Paddick had appeared in over fifteen major productions, including Victorian State Opera's "Don Quixote" and a two-year tour of "West Side Story". Field needed a hernia operation, so he asked Paddick to temporarily take over for him; for that tour, he not only stepped in for Field as the Blue Wiggle, Dorothy the Dinosaur, and Captain Feathersword, he also played Wags the Dog, who was performed by Murray Cook
, the Red Wiggle. A job that was supposed to end in five weeks resulted in Paddick touring and appearing with The Wiggles full-time since 1995. He also appears in all of their Australian-produced television programs. Paddick has become so closely associated with the band that he is sometimes referred to as the "Fifth Wiggle," a name also given to Phillip Wilcher
.
Paddick serves as "the adult relief" in The Wiggles' concerts; his vocal impersonations of singers such as Mick Jagger
, Cher
, Placido Domingo
, and James Hetfield
, have been called "the high point of The Wiggles stage show." Field states that Paddick is "as funny offstage as on".
Paddick married dancer Charmaine Martin in 2004; they have one child. Martin was a part of The Wiggles touring company; she played Pirate Charlie, Henry the Octopus, and Dorothy the Dinosaur. Paddick's nickname is "Paddy."
The Wiggles
The Wiggles are a children's group formed in Sydney, Australia in 1991. Their original members were Anthony Field, Phillip Wilcher, Murray Cook, Greg Page, and Jeff Fatt. Wilcher left the group after their first album...
.
Paddick earned a Bachelor of Music from Adelaide University, studying classical opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
for three years. He also studied drama at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts , Edith Cowan University was established in 1980 to provide performing arts tuition comparable to the highest calibre of national and international training benchmarks to be able to meet industry needs around the globe.The school is located in the...
(WAAPA), at the same time as Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman
Hugh Michael Jackman is an Australian actor and producer who is involved in film, musical theatre, and television.Jackman has won international recognition for his roles in major films, notably as action/superhero, period and romance characters...
. He has stated that even during his training as a performer, he "much preferred to be the comic second than the actual lead because it was much more fun and a lot less pressure. You got to get all the laughs and subtly steal part of the show".
Paddick met Anthony Field
Anthony Field
Anthony Donald Field AM is an Australian musician and actor. He is best known as a member of the children's group The Wiggles and the 1980s and 90s band The Cockroaches with his brothers, Paul and John and another future Wiggle, Jeff Fatt.Field was the youngest of seven children, and grew up in...
, a founding member of The Wiggles
The Wiggles
The Wiggles are a children's group formed in Sydney, Australia in 1991. Their original members were Anthony Field, Phillip Wilcher, Murray Cook, Greg Page, and Jeff Fatt. Wilcher left the group after their first album...
, in 1993. By that time, Paddick had appeared in over fifteen major productions, including Victorian State Opera's "Don Quixote" and a two-year tour of "West Side Story". Field needed a hernia operation, so he asked Paddick to temporarily take over for him; for that tour, he not only stepped in for Field as the Blue Wiggle, Dorothy the Dinosaur, and Captain Feathersword, he also played Wags the Dog, who was performed by Murray Cook
Murray Cook
Murray James Cook AM is an Australian vocalist, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known as one of the founding members of the children's band The Wiggles...
, the Red Wiggle. A job that was supposed to end in five weeks resulted in Paddick touring and appearing with The Wiggles full-time since 1995. He also appears in all of their Australian-produced television programs. Paddick has become so closely associated with the band that he is sometimes referred to as the "Fifth Wiggle," a name also given to Phillip Wilcher
Phillip Wilcher
Phillip Wilcher is an Australian pianist and composer, also known as the Fifth Wiggle, since he was one of the founding members of the Wiggles, Australia's richest entertainers, who left the group after the group's debut album in 1991....
.
Paddick serves as "the adult relief" in The Wiggles' concerts; his vocal impersonations of singers such as Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
, Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
, Placido Domingo
Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo KBE , born José Plácido Domingo Embil, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range...
, and James Hetfield
James Hetfield
James Alan Hetfield is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler,...
, have been called "the high point of The Wiggles stage show." Field states that Paddick is "as funny offstage as on".
Paddick married dancer Charmaine Martin in 2004; they have one child. Martin was a part of The Wiggles touring company; she played Pirate Charlie, Henry the Octopus, and Dorothy the Dinosaur. Paddick's nickname is "Paddy."