John Orcsik

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John Orcsik
Born (1946-05-03) 3 May 1946 (age 79)
Australia
Occupations
  • Actor
  • screenwriter
  • director
  • producer
Years active1967- present
Spouse
(m. 1982;div. 1998)

John Orcsik (born 3 May 1946), credited also variously as Jon Orcsik, John Orschik, John Orscik and John Crosik, is an Australian television and film actor, screenwriter, director and producer of Hungarian descent, [1] known for his television roles starting from the late 1960s, but also for the film version of the soap opera Number 96 . He was married to actress Paula Duncan.

Contents

Career

Orcsik, born in 1946 [2] made his debut appearing in the rural drama soap opera Bellbird , in 1967, subsequently he played various guest roles in the Crawford Productions police dramas Homicide , Division 4 and Matlock Police .

He had a role in serial Number 96 in 1972, and subsequently reprised that role in the feature-film version of the serial filmed in December 1973. He later reappeared in that series late in its run, briefly playing a different character and this time credited as John Crosik. He also appeared in the film Petersen (1974), and played a brief role in action film The Man from Hong Kong (1975).

After roles in other Crawford Productions programs Bluey (1976), and The Sullivans , and an appearance in Chopper Squad (1978), in 1978 he joined new Crawfords Productions police series Cop Shop early in its run as Det. Mike Georgiou, and quickly became one of the show's most popular cast members. He continued in the role until the end of the series in December 1983. He had married his Cop Shop co-star Paula Duncan in June 1982. They have since divorced although have subsequently worked together in fundraising activities, and later acted together in Paradise Beach .

After Cop Shop ended Orcsik worked as a television scriptwriter, contributing several scripts to the series Prisoner . He also continued acting and through the 1980s played several roles in television movies and miniseries, including Harvest of Hate (1979), The Hijacking of the Achille Lauro (1989), Displaced Persons (1984), Dadah Is Death (1988), Kokoda Crescent (1989). Other roles of the 1980s include an appearance in television series Mission: Impossible (1988), and the film The Edge of Power (1987). With his swarthy, Mediterranean appearance, Orcsik was cast as Middle Eastern characters in many of these productions.

He also had roles in such Australian television series such as The Zoo Family (1985), Home and Away (1992), Paradise Beach (1993), Lift Off (1995), Pacific Drive (1996), and Medivac (1997). He directed the TV movie Academy (1996).

Orcsik's more recent acting appearances include a cameo role as a doctor in miniseries The Day of the Roses (1998), a recurring role in serial Neighbours (1999–2002), roles in Stingers (2000), Blue Heelers (2002), MDA (2002), The Saddle Club (2003), Always Greener (2002 and 2003), Scooter: Secret Agent (2005) and Underbelly – The Man Who Got Away (TV Movie) (2011).

He played the gypsy leader Alexandru Draghici in "Sorrow Song", S5:E2 of The Doctor Blake Mysteries (2019).

After a request by industry professionals in Queensland, John started film and television acting studio The Australian Film & Television Academy (TAFTA) in 1994. He has since expanded to Melbourne and Sydney and continues to run classes online and in-person. [3]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleType
1972 The Man Who Shot the Albatross TV movie
1974 Petersen WalterFeature film
1974 Number 96' [4] Simon CarrFeature film
1975 The Man from Hong Kong CharlesFeature film
1976Secret DoorsTV movie
1976 The Trespassers CedricFeature film
1976 Murcheson Creek TV movie
1976 Do I Have to Kill My Child? FangTV movie
1978 The Death Train Truck DriverTV movie
1979 Harvest of Hate TerroristTV movie
1985 Displaced Persons MiklosTV movie
1988A Long Way from HomeBrian SpinnelTV movie
1989 The Edge of Power Alex CahillFeature film
1989 The Hijacking of the Achille Lauro Samir Al-quantariTV movie
1989 Kokoda Crescent VinceFeature film
1992AcademyThe StalkerTV movie
1998Casino ReefTV movie
2007The CondemnedBelarus Warden
2009RexJon/JohnTV movie
2011 Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away Ferdi ViganiTV movie
2015 Pawno Tony RobinsonFeature film
2015Crime and PunishmentSutherlandFeature film
2017 The Legend of Ben Hall John KellyFeature film
2018 The BBQ HectorFeature film

Television

YearTitleRoleType
1967 Bellbird TV series
1972 Number 96 Simon CarrTV series
1972 Behind the Legend TV series
1973 Boney Greg PampinoTV series
1972-74 Matlock Police 5 character rolesTV series
1972-75 Division 4 5 character rolesTV series
1974 Number 96 Simon CarrTV series
1974-76 Homicide 4 character rolesTV series
1975Ben HallJohnny GilbertTV miniseries
1976 Tandarra Pat DalyTV miniseries
1977 The Sullivans Father MulcahyTV series
1977 Bluey Dino RossiTV series, 1 episode
1978 Chopper Squad Dave EvansTV series
1984 Special Squad Ted RaffertyTV series
1978-84 Cop Shop Det. Mike GeorgiouTV series
1985 Five Mile Creek Frank MooreTV series
1985 Zoo Family Ken BennettTV series
1986 The Flying Doctors BevanTV series
1987 A Country Practice Sam VenutiTV series
1989 Mission: Impossible Prince ArcadiTV series
1991 Boys from the Bush AngelsTV series
1991 Acropolis Now TheoTV series
1991 Chances Rev. Dwayne RogersTV series
1992 Home and Away Les BagleyTV series
1993 Paradise Beach Mr. JeromeTV series
1994 Time Trax NickTV series
1993-95 G.P. 2 rolesTV series
1996 Pacific Drive Wes SandergardTV series
1997 Medivac Dr. Cliff HoughhanTV series
1998 Misery Guts Mr. GambasoTV series
1998 The Day of the Roses Erica's DoctorTV miniseries
2000 Stingers Hughie PapadakisTV series
2002 Pizza Agent SamTV series
2002 Blue Heelers Don CarsonTV series
2002 MDA Bret IntoshTV series
2003 The Saddle Club CawlinTV series
2003 Always Greener Mario LinguiniTV series
2005 Scooter: Secret Agent MastersTV series
2006 Nightmares and Dreamscapes Stan the CopTV series
2007 Kick BokorTV miniseries
2007 City Homicide Lyndon QuayleTV series
2008 All Saints WardenTV series
2008 Rush Dr. FreemanTV series
2009 Satisfaction EricTV series
2011 Killing Time Supreme Court JudgeTV miniseries
2013Australia on TrialJustice DowlingTV miniseries
2013 Better Man TV miniseries
2015PawnoTony Robinson
2015Crime and PunishmentSutherland
1996-2012 Neighbours VariousTV series
2017 The Doctor Blake Mysteries Alexandru DraghiciTV series
2021 Superwog 2 rolesTV series
2021 New Gold Mountain GregorTV miniseries
In productionBunchieAlfredo CoglioneTV series

References

  1. "Neighbours: The Perfect Blend | John Orcsik" . Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  2. "John Orcsik". National Film and Sound Archives.
  3. "The Australian Film & Television Academy". tafta.com.au. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  4. Giles, Nigel. NUMBER 96: AUSTRALIAN TV's MOST NOTORIOUS ADDRESS". Melbourne Books. ISBN   9781925556001.

Notes