Brian Sergent

For the New Zealand international football (soccer) player, see Brian Sergent (footballer). For the New Zealand cricketer, see Brian Sergent (cricketer).

Brian Sergent (born 29 December 1959) is a comedian, writer and actor born and based in Wellington, New Zealand. ^[1]

Background

Sergent's acting career began at age 15 playing Lionel in the soap opera, Close to Home . ^[2]

In television Sergent is known for playing Eric Grady on Outrageous Fortune , the New Zealand Prime Minister on Flight of the Conchords , and Harold in The Lost Children . One of his most popular characters, cabin steward Gavin Soper, appeared on the Pulp Comedy television series. ^[2]

Sergent has a strong association with Circa Theatre in Wellington. He performed in The Duchess of Malfi (1982), Travels with My Aunt (1997) and Take a Chance on Me (2001). ^{[3] [4]}

Sergent's film credits include Peter Jackson's Meet the Feebles , Braindead and Lord of the Rings , Absent Without Leave, Via Satellite, the lead role as Marty in The Shirt and Jonah in Eagle vs. Shark .

Radio listeners are quite familiar with Sergent's reading of short stories, novels and radio plays on Radio New Zealand where he is still actively involved.

Sergent has won multiple Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards for acting and writing. In 1992 he won Male Actor of the Year for his performances as Lenny in The Homecoming at the Circa Theatre and Alfredo Traps in A Dangerous Game at the BATS Theatre. In 1994, he won Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance of Gary Peter Lefkowitz in I Hate Hamlet at the Circa. In 2004, Prior to the opening of his first play, the New Zealand Listener described Sergent as ''New Zealand's greatest comic actor'' He won the award for Outstanding New Playwright of the Year for his play The Love of Humankind. ^[5] In 2008 Radio New Zealand broadcast for the first of many times, Sergent's first radio play, ''Madness You Can Trust.''

After taking a break from the show for nearly three years, Sergent returned to Outrageous Fortune as Eric in the second to last episode of the fifth season.

Sergent has been a stand-up Comedian and sketch writer since his debut in 1979.

Filmography

Film

It's your child Norman Allenby	1979	Psycho Boyfriend	International year of the Child. T.V.NZ.
The Person Next Door	1981	Passerby	Gaylene Preston's first film.
Carry Me Back	1982	Andy
Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale	1987	Spit Murphy (voice)
Meet the Feebles	1989	Wynyard the Frog / Trevor the Rat / F.W. Fly / Jim the Frog / Chuck the Frog / The Spider / Vietnamese Gophers (voice)
Braindead	1992	Vet	Film called Dead Alive in North America
Absent Without Leave		Dick
Chicken	1996	Newsagent
Via Satellite	1998	Brian
The Shirt	2000	Marty	Short film
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring	2001	Ted Sandyman	Extended edition
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King	2008	Additional character voices
Eagle vs Shark	2007	Jonah
John Quincy Adams		Adams	Short film
Moon over Mercedes			Short film
The Killers	2008	Killer one	Student film
Blessed	2002
Tuffy	2012	Father	Short film
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug	2013	Mirkwood Spider (voice)
Slow West	2015	Peyote Joe

Television

Title	Year		Role	Notes
Lynn of Tawa	1980	University Student / Policeman	Television comedy special
Rock Around the Clock	1981	Bodgie	Groper	Six episodes
Rock around the Clock	1982	Bodgie	Groper	Six episodes/Wrote
Lynn of Tawa Show	1982		Jock Strapp	First episode
Pioneer Women	1983		Eddie	Episode: "Ettie Rout"
Cuckoo Land	1985		Utmoor	Episode: "The Neighbour"
Worzel Gummidge Down Under	1987–1989		Dagnation Take It / Terence	2 episodes
Public Eye	1988–1989		Various roles
The Ray Bradbury Theater	1990–1992		Larson / Boltz	2 episodes
Married	1992		Roy	Television film
Skitz	1993		Various roles
Lynn of Tawa - In Search of the Great New Zealand Male	1994		Himself	Television comedy special
Pulp Comedy	1995–2003		Various roles
Telly Laughs	1996		Various roles
The Semisis			Gary Belton	Episode: "1.1"
The Person Next Door		Self	Presenter	Mental health awareness film
Mirror, Mirror II	1998		Henry	Episode: "Elephant Boy"
The Legend of William Tell			Zark	Episode: "The Spirit of Kale"
The Adventures of Swiss Family Robinson			Sidney Thomas	3 episodes
The Dark Knight	2000–2001		Card Gambler #1 / Phillipe de Mere	2 episodes
Shortland Street	2001		Rich Fortune	1 episode
Atlantis High	2001–2002		Mr. Quentin / Q	Recurring role; 10 episodes
Revelations: The Initial Journey	2002		Lysias	Episode: "And Judas Had a Brother"
Oscar & Friends			Dog / Opossum	Episode: "Oscar Takes Off"
The Strip	2002–2003		Ian "Dogwood" Douglas	6 episodes
The Tribe	2003		Dad	Episode: "5.33"
The Insiders Guide to Happiness	2004		Father of the Bride	Episode: "Is Happiness an Accident?"
From Len Lye to Gollum: New Zealand Animators			Mr. Pencil / Narrator	Television documentary
Outrageous Fortune	2005–2010		Eric Grady	Recurring role; 42 episodes
The Lost Children	2006		Harold	Main role; 12 episodes
Flight of the Conchords	2009		Brian, Prime Minister of New Zealand	2 episodes

Theatre

Year 1979	Title How the Other Half Loves	Role William Featherston	Venue Four Seasons Theatre First Stand-Up gig Upper Hutt	Notes
1980	The Lion in Winter	John	Fortune Theatre
1981	Gimme Shelter	Chris, Teacher	BATS
1983	Crimes of the Heart	Barnette Lloyd	Circa Theatre
	The Hangman	Prisoner Hurst	New Depot
	Hot Water	Clive Palmer [8]	Downstage Theatre
1984	Election Revue	Various	Circa Theatre
1985	Charley's Aunt	Lord Fancourt Babberley	Downstage
1986	Unsuitable For Adults	Nick	Downstage
1987	The Happy Witch	Darfus	Circa Theatre
1988	Legal Revue	Various	Circa Theatre
1989	Ladies' Night	Gavin	James Cabaret
1990	Weed	Hugh Riorden	Circa
	Elizabeth: Almost by Chance a Woman	Dame Grosslady	BATS Theatre
1992	The Homecoming	Lenny	Circa	Won Chapman Tripp Award for Male Actor of the Year
	A Dangerous Game	Alfredo Traps	BATS
1993	Arsenic and Old Lace	Dr. Herman Einstein	Downstage
	Summer of the Seventeenth Doll	Barney Ibbot	Downstage
	Ladies' Night 2: Raging On	Gavin	Downstage
1994	I Hate Hamlet	Gary Peter Lefkowitz	Circa	Won Chapman Tripp Award for Male Actor in a Supporting Role
1995	Moonlight	Jake	Circa
1996	Market Forces	Nick	Circa
	Uncle Vanya	Telegin	Herald Theatre
1997	Travels with My Aunt		Circa
	Lady Windermere's Fan		Circa
	Four Cities	Wojtek Milosz	Circa
1998	The Big Picture	Guy	Circa
	Closer	Larry	Circa
1999	This Train I'm On	Billy	Circa
	Shear Madness		No 5 Cable St Theatreplace
2000	Speaking in Tongues	Multiple roles	Circa
2001	The Country Wife	Sparkish	Circa
	Othello	Iago	Court Theatre
	Take a Chance on Me	Eric	Circa
2002	Shake The Bard	Petruchio, Macbeth, various	Tour
2002	Meltdown	Jim Harrison	Circa
2004	The Love of Humankind	Playwright / Rodney Pump	Circa	Won Chapman Tripp Award for Outstanding New Playwright of the Year
2005	A Midsummer Night's Dream	Hippolyta	Circa
2006	Dinner	Mike	Circa
2008	Mr Paradise	Mr Paradise	Salem State Theatre
	The Tempest	Prospero	Salem State Theatre
2009	Five short plays of Harold Pinter	Prisoner Lover Doctor Dispatcher	Five points theatre Boston
2010	Boxed in	Frank	Firehouse theatre	Massachusetts
	Heidi	Grandfather	Newburyport theatre	'' '' '''''''''''' ''
2012	The Truth Game	Rafe	Circa Theatre
2012	Zombie Appocalypse	Stranger	Christmas flood aftermath play, touring
2014	Revue	Sir Robert Muldoon	BATS

References

1. Smythe, John (2005). Downstage Upfront: A 40th Anniversary Biography of New Zealand's Longest Running Professional Theatre. Victoria University Press. p. 484. ISBN   9780864734891.
2. "Brian Sergent". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
3. Circa, 1996-2016 : and a celebration of forty years. Wellington. 2016. ISBN   978-0-9941302-3-5. OCLC   951440720.
4. Circa 1976-1996. John Reid, Ruth Jeffrey, Council of Circa Theatre. Wellington [N.Z.]: The Council of Circa Theatre. 1996. ISBN   0-473-04155-3. OCLC   37434951.
5. "Messageboard". Archived from the original on 29 July 2005. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
8. "Brian Sergent, Downstage Theatre production of Hot Water". Downstage Theatre (Wellington): Photographs of productions. 1969-1970, 1976-1999. Downstage Theatre Company Ltd. 1983. Retrieved 10 October 2022.