Ron Blanchard
Encyclopedia
Ron Blanchard is an Australian film and television actor. He is best known for his starring roles in five popular children's television series Breakfast-a-Go-Go
, The Lost Islands
, Alexander Bunyip's Billabong, Watch This Space
and Professor Poopsnagle's Steam Zeppelin
. A well-known character actor
, Blanchard has had numerous appearances in film and on television series from the 1970s up until the late 1990s, most especially, his recurring role as Norman Leonard "Lenny" Sawyer on A Country Practice
.
in 1969 as "Witless Wonder", the comedic sidekick of new host Sue Smith
. In 1972, he made his television acting debut as a guest star on the soap opera Number 96 and on the comedy series Snake Gully with Dad and Dave. He continued working on-and-off for the next several years and, in 1976, Blanchard landed the part of the villainous Quell on the children's adventure series The Lost Islands
. As one of the show's main antagonist
s, the series provided his breakout role.
As well as appearing on The Outsiders
, in the same year he also made his film debut with a supporting role in Caddie
. He followed this with appearances on The Garry McDonald Show
(1977), Alexander Bunyip's Billabong (1978), Doctor Down Under
(1979) and, most notably, co-starring with Paul Chubb
in the children's science fiction series Watch This Space
(1982). He began to work more regularly during the early 1980s and had parts in the television movie
Chase Through the Night (1983), television miniseries The Last Bastion
(1984) and films Silver City
(1984), Warming Up
(1985) and Burke & Wills
(1985).
In January 1986, he joined former co-star Paul Chubb and Perry Quinton in a children's pantomime
called Humpty Dumpty. It featured the fictional characters of the Harry and Ralph Show at the Footbridge Theatre. In the same year, he starred in yet another children's television series, the popular but short-lived Professor Poopsnagle's Steam Zeppelin
. After a supporting role in the thriller film Dark Age (1987), he returned to television acting with guest appearances in Mother and Son
(1988), True Believers (1988) and G.P. (1991). That same year, he also had a minor role in the action film Gotcha
(1991).
Beginning in 1992, Blanchard had a recurring role as Norman Leonard "Lenny" Sawyer on the television series A Country Practice
. His last regular acting role was in the film Country Life (1994), although he made appearances in the television movie Hart to Hart: Harts in High Season (1996) and the romance film
Oscar and Lucinda
(1997).
For the past 12 years he's been traveling the world playing the role of an English butler for the famous Swedish illusionist Joe Labero.
Good Morning!!! (Australian show)
Good Morning!!! was a TEN Channel 10 Australian television variety program, seen in New South Wales produced and presented by Rosemary Eather, with news, animal and trivia segments by Warwick Rankin. It was one of Australian television's first forays into the concept of weekday breakfast variety...
, The Lost Islands
The Lost Islands
The Lost Islands is an Australian television series. It first aired in Australia on 1 January 1976, and was later screened around the world, including the UK, France, Italy , as well as Israel, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada and the United States.-Plot:A hurricane nearly sinks the United World,...
, Alexander Bunyip's Billabong, Watch This Space
Watch This Space
Watch This Space was a short-lived Australian children's science fiction television series which ran on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from 7 April to 13 June 1982. The show starred Paul Chubb, in his first leading role on a television series, as a red skinned alien who arrives on Earth...
and Professor Poopsnagle's Steam Zeppelin
Professor Poopsnagle's Steam Zeppelin
Professor Poopsnagle's Steam Zeppelin was a popular Australian children's television series and a spin-off from the 1984 series Secret Valley...
. A well-known character actor
Character actor
A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...
, Blanchard has had numerous appearances in film and on television series from the 1970s up until the late 1990s, most especially, his recurring role as Norman Leonard "Lenny" Sawyer on A Country Practice
A Country Practice
A Country Practice is an Australian television drama series. One of the longest-running of its kind, produced by James Davern of JNP Productions, it ran on the Seven Network for 1,058 episodes from 18 November 1981 to 22 November 1993. It was produced in ATN-7's production facility at Epping,...
.
Biography
Blanchard got his first big break when he appeared on the children's variety show Breakfast-a-Go-GoGood Morning!!! (Australian show)
Good Morning!!! was a TEN Channel 10 Australian television variety program, seen in New South Wales produced and presented by Rosemary Eather, with news, animal and trivia segments by Warwick Rankin. It was one of Australian television's first forays into the concept of weekday breakfast variety...
in 1969 as "Witless Wonder", the comedic sidekick of new host Sue Smith
Sue Smith
The Honourable Susan Lynette "Sue" Smith is an independent member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council in the electoral division of Montgomery. She was first elected to the division of Leven in 1997 but the seat was abolished in 1999 and she transferred to the newly created seat of Montgomery. ...
. In 1972, he made his television acting debut as a guest star on the soap opera Number 96 and on the comedy series Snake Gully with Dad and Dave. He continued working on-and-off for the next several years and, in 1976, Blanchard landed the part of the villainous Quell on the children's adventure series The Lost Islands
The Lost Islands
The Lost Islands is an Australian television series. It first aired in Australia on 1 January 1976, and was later screened around the world, including the UK, France, Italy , as well as Israel, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada and the United States.-Plot:A hurricane nearly sinks the United World,...
. As one of the show's main antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
s, the series provided his breakout role.
As well as appearing on The Outsiders
The Outsiders (TV series)
The Outsiders is an American drama series that aired in 1990 on Fox. Based on the characters from the 1967 novel of the same title by S. E. Hinton, the series was executive produced by the 1983 film's director Francis Ford Coppola.-Synopsis:...
, in the same year he also made his film debut with a supporting role in Caddie
Caddie (film)
Caddie is an Australian film, directed by Donald Crombie, released in 1976, and belonging to the Australian film renaissance which occurred during that decade....
. He followed this with appearances on The Garry McDonald Show
Garry McDonald
Garry George McDonald, AO is an Australian stage and screen actor.-Early life and career:McDonald was born in Sydney and was educated at Cranbrook School and National Institute of Dramatic Art....
(1977), Alexander Bunyip's Billabong (1978), Doctor Down Under
Doctor Down Under
Doctor Down Under is a Australian television comedy series based on a set of books by Richard Gordon about the misadventures of a group of Doctors. The series follows directly from its predecessor Doctor on the Go, and was produced by the Seven Network in association with the Paul Dainty...
(1979) and, most notably, co-starring with Paul Chubb
Paul Chubb
Paul Chubb was an Australian film and television actor primarily in genres of comedy and drama. He was born Paul Dunford in Arncliffe, Sydney....
in the children's science fiction series Watch This Space
Watch This Space
Watch This Space was a short-lived Australian children's science fiction television series which ran on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from 7 April to 13 June 1982. The show starred Paul Chubb, in his first leading role on a television series, as a red skinned alien who arrives on Earth...
(1982). He began to work more regularly during the early 1980s and had parts in the television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
Chase Through the Night (1983), television miniseries The Last Bastion
The Last Bastion
The Last Bastion is a television mini-series which aired in Australia in November 1984. It tells the story of Australia's involvement in World War II, and its often strained relations with its two main allies, Great Britain and the United States.-Cast:...
(1984) and films Silver City
Silver City (1984 film)
Silver City is a 1984 Australian film about post-war Polish immigration to Australia, following World War II. "Silver City" is the nickname of the immigration hostel in Australia.-Cast:* Gosia Dobrowolska as "Nina"* Ivar Kants as "Julian"...
(1984), Warming Up
Warming up
A warm-up is usually performed before participating in technical sports or exercising. A warm-up generally consists of a gradual increase in intensity in physical activity , a joint mobility exercise, stretching and a sport related activity. For example, before running or playing an intense sport...
(1985) and Burke & Wills
Burke & Wills
Burke & Wills is a 1985 Australian adventure film directed by Graeme Clifford, starring Jack Thompson and Nigel Havers. The film is based on the true story of the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition across Australia....
(1985).
In January 1986, he joined former co-star Paul Chubb and Perry Quinton in a children's pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
called Humpty Dumpty. It featured the fictional characters of the Harry and Ralph Show at the Footbridge Theatre. In the same year, he starred in yet another children's television series, the popular but short-lived Professor Poopsnagle's Steam Zeppelin
Professor Poopsnagle's Steam Zeppelin
Professor Poopsnagle's Steam Zeppelin was a popular Australian children's television series and a spin-off from the 1984 series Secret Valley...
. After a supporting role in the thriller film Dark Age (1987), he returned to television acting with guest appearances in Mother and Son
Mother and Son
Mother and Son is a Logie Award-winning Australian television sitcom produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from 16 January 1984 until 21 March 1994. The show stars Ruth Cracknell, Garry McDonald, Henri Szeps and Judy Morris...
(1988), True Believers (1988) and G.P. (1991). That same year, he also had a minor role in the action film Gotcha
Gotcha
In programming, a gotcha is a feature of a system, a program or a programming language that works in the way it is documented but is counter-intuitive and almost invites mistakes because it is both enticingly easy to invoke and completely unexpected and/or unreasonable in its outcome.-Equality...
(1991).
Beginning in 1992, Blanchard had a recurring role as Norman Leonard "Lenny" Sawyer on the television series A Country Practice
A Country Practice
A Country Practice is an Australian television drama series. One of the longest-running of its kind, produced by James Davern of JNP Productions, it ran on the Seven Network for 1,058 episodes from 18 November 1981 to 22 November 1993. It was produced in ATN-7's production facility at Epping,...
. His last regular acting role was in the film Country Life (1994), although he made appearances in the television movie Hart to Hart: Harts in High Season (1996) and the romance film
Romance film
Romance films are love stories that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate involvement of the main characters and the journey that their love takes through courtship or marriage. Romance films make the love story or the search for love the main plot focus...
Oscar and Lucinda
Oscar and Lucinda
Oscar and Lucinda is a novel by Peter Carey which won the 1988 Booker Prize, the 1989 Miles Franklin Award, and was shortlisted for The Best of the Booker.-Plot introduction:...
(1997).
For the past 12 years he's been traveling the world playing the role of an English butler for the famous Swedish illusionist Joe Labero.