 |
John Orcsik | |
|---|---|
| Born | 3 May 1946 Australia |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1967- present |
| Spouse | |
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.
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]
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | The Man Who Shot the Albatross | TV movie | |
| 1974 | Petersen | Walter | Feature film |
| 1975 | The Man from Hong Kong | Charles | Feature film |
| 1976 | Secret Doors | TV movie | |
| 1976 | The Trespassers | Cedric | Feature film |
| 1976 | Murcheson Creek | TV movie | |
| 1976 | Do I Have to Kill My Child? | Fang | TV movie |
| 1978 | The Death Train | Truck Driver | TV movie |
| 1979 | Harvest of Hate | Terrorist | TV movie |
| 1985 | Displaced Persons | Miklos | TV movie |
| 1988 | A Long Way from Home | Brian Spinnel | TV movie |
| 1989 | The Edge of Power | Alex Cahill | Feature film |
| 1989 | The Hijacking of the Achille Lauro | Samir Al-quantari | TV movie |
| 1989 | Kokoda Crescent | Vince | Feature film |
| 1992 | Academy | The Stalker | TV movie |
| 1998 | Casino Reef | TV movie | |
| 2007 | The Condemned | Belarus Warden | |
| 2009 | Rex | Jon/John | TV movie |
| 2011 | Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away | Ferdi Vigani | TV movie |
| 2015 | Pawno | Tony Robinson | Feature film |
| 2015 | Crime and Punishment | Sutherland | Feature film |
| 2017 | The Legend of Ben Hall | John Kelly | Feature film |
| 2018 | The BBQ | Hector | Feature film |
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Bellbird | TV series | |
| 1972 | Number 96 | Simon Carr | TV series |
| 1972 | Behind the Legend | TV series | |
| 1973 | Boney | Greg Pampino | TV series |
| 1972-74 | Matlock Police | 5 character roles | TV series |
| 1972-75 | Division 4 | 5 character roles | TV series |
| 1974 | Number 96 | Simon Carr | TV series |
| 1974-76 | Homicide | 4 character roles | TV series |
| 1975 | Ben Hall | Johnny Gilbert | TV miniseries |
| 1976 | Tandarra | Pat Daly | TV miniseries |
| 1977 | The Sullivans | Father Mulcahy | TV series |
| 1977 | Bluey | Dino Rossi | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1978 | Chopper Squad | Dave Evans | TV series |
| 1984 | Special Squad | Ted Rafferty | TV series |
| 1978-84 | Cop Shop | Det. Mike Georgiou | TV series |
| 1985 | Five Mile Creek | Frank Moore | TV series |
| 1985 | Zoo Family | Ken Bennett | TV series |
| 1986 | The Flying Doctors | Bevan | TV series |
| 1987 | A Country Practice | Sam Venuti | TV series |
| 1989 | Mission: Impossible | Prince Arcadi | TV series |
| 1991 | Boys from the Bush | Angels | TV series |
| 1991 | Acropolis Now | Theo | TV series |
| 1991 | Chances | Rev. Dwayne Rogers | TV series |
| 1992 | Home and Away | Les Bagley | TV series |
| 1993 | Paradise Beach | Mr. Jerome | TV series |
| 1994 | Time Trax | Nick | TV series |
| 1993-95 | G.P. | 2 roles | TV series |
| 1996 | Pacific Drive | Wes Sandergard | TV series |
| 1997 | Medivac | Dr. Cliff Houghhan | TV series |
| 1998 | Misery Guts | Mr. Gambaso | TV series |
| 1998 | The Day of the Roses | Erica's Doctor | TV miniseries |
| 2000 | Stingers | Hughie Papadakis | TV series |
| 2002 | Pizza | Agent Sam | TV series |
| 2002 | Blue Heelers | Don Carson | TV series |
| 2002 | MDA | Bret Intosh | TV series |
| 2003 | The Saddle Club | Cawlin | TV series |
| 2003 | Always Greener | Mario Linguini | TV series |
| 2005 | Scooter: Secret Agent | Masters | TV series |
| 2006 | Nightmares and Dreamscapes | Stan the Cop | TV series |
| 2007 | Kick | Bokor | TV miniseries |
| 2007 | City Homicide | Lyndon Quayle | TV series |
| 2008 | All Saints | Warden | TV series |
| 2008 | Rush | Dr. Freeman | TV series |
| 2009 | Satisfaction | Eric | TV series |
| 2011 | Killing Time | Supreme Court Judge | TV miniseries |
| 2013 | Australia on Trial | Justice Dowling | TV miniseries |
| 2013 | Better Man | TV miniseries | |
| 2015 | Pawno | Tony Robinson | |
| 2015 | Crime and Punishment | Sutherland | |
| 1996-2012 | Neighbours | Various | TV series |
| 2017 | The Doctor Blake Mysteries | Alexandru Draghici | TV series |
| 2021 | Superwog | 2 roles | TV series |
| 2021 | New Gold Mountain | Gregor | TV miniseries |
| In production | Bunchie | Alfredo Coglione | TV series |
Peter O'Brien is an Australian actor, best known for his role as an original cast member in 1985 of Australian soap opera Neighbours as Shane Ramsay. He has also acted in numerous British and American productions.
Jacqueline Anne Woodburne is an Australian actress, who is notable for her roles in TV soap operas.
Tom Oliver is a British naturalised Australian retired actor.
Andrew McFarlane is an Australian actor with many stage, television, and film credits.
Terence Donovan, also billed as Terence J. Donovan and Terry Donovan, is a British-Australian actor of stage, television and film, and the father of actor and singer Jason Donovan.
Cop Shop is a long-running Australian police drama television series produced by Crawford Productions that ran for seven seasons between 28 November 1977 and 23 July 1984. It comprised 582 one-hour episodes.
Rowena Wallace is an English-born Australian stage and screen actress, most especially in the genre of television soap opera. She is best known for her Gold Logie-winning role as conniving Patricia "Pat the Rat" Hamilton/Morrell/Palmer in Sons and Daughters, being the first soap star to win the Gold Logie. After leaving the series and being replaced in the role by Belinda Giblin, Wallace returned in the final season as Patricia's sister Pamela Hudson.
Paula Margaret Duncan is an Australian actress.
Crawford Productions is an Australian media production company, focused on radio and television production. Founded in Melbourne by Hector Crawford and his sister, actress and voice artist Dorothy Crawford, the company, also known as Crawfords Australia, is now a subsidiary of the WIN Corporation.
Gerard Kennedy is an Australian double Gold Logie award-winning former actor, best known for his roles in early television series, in particular the espionage series including Hunter and the police procedural Division 4. Kennedy also appeared in film roles during a career that spanned 50 years in the industry.
Leila Hayes is an retired Australian actress, actors agent, radio presenter, playwright, producer, singer and drama teacher, she primarily featured in guest roles in soap operas and miniseries, prior to her regular role in 1980s soap opera Sons and Daughters as matriarch Beryl Palmer appearing throughout its entire run, opposite Tom Richards as her husband David, in the series she was well known for her regular clashes with Rowena Wallaces iconic Patrica Hamilton.
Briony Behets is an English-born Australian former actress who found fame acting in Australian television soap operas of the 1970s and 1980s.
Darius Anton Perkins was an Australian actor. He was the original actor in the role of teenager Scott Robinson in the soap opera Neighbours in 1985 before the role was taken over by Jason Donovan the following year. Perkins also played Charlie in All the Green Year, Gary Samuels in Home and Away, and Ben in All the Rivers Run for which he won a Logie Award. After a lengthy time away from the screen, in 2013 Perkins returned to Neighbours as guest character Marty Kranic. Perkins also worked in the art department for two Bollywood films made in Australia.
Patrick Ward was an Australian actor noted for several performances on Australian television. He died from cancer on 14 October 2019.
Scott Ian Major is an Australian actor and TV and film director, known for his roles as Peter Rivers in the 1994 television teen drama series Heartbreak High and Lucas Fitzgerald in soap opera Neighbours. After leaving Neighbours in 2013, Major returned to direct over 200 episodes of the serial. He has since gone on to direct episodes of Playing for Keeps, and two miniseries Lie With Me and Riptide. Major reprised his role as Rivers in the 2022 reboot of Heartbreak High.
Deborah Kennedy is an Australian character actress recognised for several television and film roles, especially for her appearance in the famous Australian Yellow Pages advertisement with the line "Not happy, Jan!".
Richard Howard Morgan was an Australian actor. He was most famous for playing the long-running role of Terry Sullivan in the Australian television series The Sullivans.
Moya O'Sullivan Macarthur was an Australian-born actress who worked both locally and briefly in the United Kingdom. She was best known for her long-running role as the popular character Marlene Kratz in the soap opera Neighbours between 1994 and 1997. Alex Fletcher from Digital Spy made Marlene their "DS Icon" on 7 January 2011, calling her a legendary and special character. Fletcher also stated that "Marlene, played by the delightful Moya O'Sullivan, was a crucial cog in the Golden Age of Neighbours in the '90s."
Ethan Panizza is an Australian television actor and former football player from Albany, Western Australia. Panizza was interested in acting from an early age but chose to pursue a career in Australian rules football. He is the son of successful footballer Darrell Panizza and played in the West Australian Football League. He played his last professional game in 2014 and decided to concentrate on his acting career. He began by appearing in short film and television commercials. In 2018, Panizza took the role of Rusty O'Reilly in the Network Ten drama series Playing for Keeps.
David Clencie is an Australian actor. He made his debut aged 15 in the children's television series Sam's Luck. He was cast in the lead role of Sam Parkes, after impressing the producer while auditioning for the ABC network. He then appeared in police drama Cop Shop and the 1981 miniseries I Can Jump Puddles. The following year, Clencie joined the cast of The Sullivans as Steve Sullivan, a role which he considered to be his big break. He also had roles in Home, A Country Practice, and Starting Out. From 1985 until 1986, Clencie played Danny Ramsay in the soap opera Neighbours. He left the cast after he and the producers agreed that his character would be rested. After leaving Neighbours, Clencie had a career in real estate and became a voice-over artist for television commercials. He made guest appearances in numerous television dramas, including Blue Heelers. He briefly reprised his Neighbours role in July 2005.