Marty Fields

Last updated

Marty Fields
Born (1961-12-18) 18 December 1961 (age 63)
Australia
Education Melba Conservatorium
Occupations
  • Comedian
  • host/mc
  • actor
  • writer
  • musician
  • singer
  • radio presenter
Family Maurie Fields (father), Val Jellay (mother)

Marty Fields (born 18 December 1961) [1] is an Australian comedian, host/mc, actor, writer, musician, singer, and radio presenter from Melbourne.

Contents

Early life

The son of Australian actors Maurie Fields and Val Jellay, Fields trained for fifteen years at the Melba Conservatorium in piano, voice and theory. [2]

Career

Screen

Fields began his acting career at the age of seven in the ABC television series Bellbird , which lead to further roles as a child actor, including in Homicide , Division 4 , Matlock Police , The Sullivans and the 1973 miniseries A Taste for Blue Ribbons . He also had a lead role as Neil 'Stinker' Carter in drama series Marion in 1974. [3]

He continued appearing in television series throughout his late teens and into adulthood including Skyways , Cop Shop , Carson's Law , The Flying Doctors , SeaChange , City Homicide and 1986 miniseries The Great Bookie Robbery . He made several appearances in Blue Heelers including a recurring role as Roy Holland. [4]

His film credits include a small role in the 1988 film Evil Angels , alongside Meryl Streep and Sam Neill, based on the true story of the Azaria Chamberlain case. He later featured in 2006 arthouse film The Book of Revelation , 2007 superhero film Ghost Rider , alongside Nicolas Cage, 2011 Melbourne Cup biopic The Cup and 2018 comedy feature That's Not My Dog! .

Fields is particularly recognised from his comedic work on long-running variety show Hey Hey It's Saturday for four years, hosting the 'Great Aussie Joke' segment with his father, Maurie Fields. He continued his comic appearances on The Battle of the Sexes, Blankety Blanks and various other television shows. [4]

Fields has also worked as a session vocalist for the ABC Network. [5]

In 2005, he was inducted into the Australian Comedy Hall of Fame. [4]

Stage

At the age of 19, Fields was Musical Director for a three-year touring production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs playing every major Australian country town. [5] He has since starred in over a dozen musicals including High Society and Crazy for You , receiving a Green Room Award for Best Actor in a Musical in the latter. In 2000, he performed in the sell-out season of Guys and Dolls and in 2001, he starred in Anything Goes at the State Theatre, Melbourne. [6] In 2005, he was cast at the last minute as Alfie Doolittle in My Fair Lady at Melbourne's Comedy Theatre, replacing Jon English, who had succumbed to injury. [7]

Fields has played in several rock groups and cover bands including Coup De Ville, Vintage Red, Battle of the Piano Men and The Thin Twins. He was a founding member of The Australian Rat Pack with Bob Valentine and Lisa Edwards. [5]

Marty began his stand-up career in 1987, playing the comedy circuit in the hotels and clubs of Australia. [6] He has also played sell-out shows at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

He has also performed extensively around the world as a piano bar performer, including shows at The Riviera (Las Vegas), The New York Comedy Club (NYC), and Howl at the Moon (Chicago) and a three year residency at Melbourne’s Crown Casino. [5] He has worked alongside performers including Marina Prior, Jimeoin, and John Farnham.

Writer

Fields has written two television comedy projects – The All Sports Show and Four Story Building, as well as short film screenplays. [8] He is also the creator and composer of the Australian musical The Paradise.

As a composer, Fields has written radio jingles, musical scores for corporate events, and music and lyrics for the films Death of a Soldier (1986) and The Banjo Man. He has composed over three hundred songs, including "A Likeable Man" – a tribute to his father, Maurie Fields. [5]

Fields has written many newspaper and magazine articles, including a column for the Herald Sun from 2011-2012 [6] and a weekly comedy page in the Australasian Post magazine. [8] He has written advertising copy for companies including Video City and Crown Casino. [8]

He is also a best selling author of three comedy books, [6] including "Dinkum Aussie Jokes", "Ripper Yarns" and "Takeaway Jokes", the latter being a collection of one-liners and short jokes, which went into two reprints and had international success. [8]

Radio

Fields has a regular national comedy radio show, syndicated by 105 stations. [6] He has also been a regular presenter on 3AW, appearing on shows such as Nightline, where he has filled in for Bruce Mansfield and Philip Brady.

Personal life

Fields is based in Melbourne, where he lives with his wife and daughter. He is a patron of the Lost Dogs Home, and an ambassador of the Melbourne Storm. [9]

Awards and nominations

YearWorkAwardCategoryResult
High Society Green Room Awards Best Actor in a MusicalNominated
1992Three Guys Naked from the Waist Down Green Room Awards Best Male Lead Actor in a MusicalNominated
1997 Crazy for You Green Room Awards Best Male Featured Artist in a MusicalWon
1997Marty Fields Mo Awards Best Stand Up ComedianNominated
2005Marty FieldsAustralian Comedy Hall of FameInducteeHonoured

[10]

Filmography

Film

As performer

YearTitleRoleType
1977 Break of Day Bit partFeature film
1988 Evil Angels CommuterFeature film
2002Signs of LifeFeature film
2006 The Book of Revelation Charging OfficerFeature film
2007 Ghost Rider Surveillance GuardFeature film
2011 The Cup Shearer BookieFeature film
2018 That's Not My Dog! MartyFeature film
2018Dying for a LaughMarty MooreShort film

[10]

As writer

YearTitleRoleType
1986 Death of a Soldier Music and lyricsFeature film
The Banjo ManMusic and lyrics

Television

As performer

YearTitleRoleType
1969 Carols by Candelight Santa ClausTV special
1969, 1971 Bellbird 2 roles
1970 Homicide
1971 Division 4
1973 A Taste for Blue Ribbons Miniseries, 9 episodes
1974 Marion Neil 'Stinker' Carter4 episodes
1974 Matlock Police
1977 The Sullivans
1979 Skyways
1979 Cop Shop
1982Getting in Gear
1983 Carson's Law Terry1 episode
1986 The Great Bookie Robbery Miniseries
1986–1991 The Flying Doctors Musician / Burns / Organist / Piano Player4 episodes
1993–1996 Hey Hey It's Saturday Resident comic
1994–2004 Blue Heelers Sgt. Roy Holland / Des Blewitt / Steve Talmen / Geoff Wiley / Laurie Ratten8 episodes
1995 Rainbow's End Reg ParkerTV movie
1996 Blankety Blanks Resident comic
1998Battle of the SexesComedian
2000 SeaChange Mitchell Chatham1 episode
2006 Stand Up Australia ComedianTV special
2008 The Singing Bee Contestant1 episode
2009 The Mutant Way Guest comedy panellist1 episode
2009 City Homicide Zack Roberts2 episodes
2011 Rush Ned Meribel1 episode
2012Planet UnearthSelf1 episode
2012 Woodley Eric2 episodes
2013 Cliffy TedTV movie
2016–2018 Carols by Candelight TV special
The All Sports Show [8]
Bid on TVHost

[11]

As writer

YearTitleRoleType
The All Sports ShowWriter [8]
Four Story BuildingWriter [8]
2022The Roast of Paul HoganWriterTV special
2024The Roast of John CleeseWriterTV special

Radio

YearTitleRoleType
Nightline with Bruce and PhilPresenter 3AW radio show
Afternoons with Denis WalterPresenter 3AW radio show
Sundays with Tom ElliotPresenter 3AW radio show

[10]

Stage

As performer

YearTitleRoleNotes
1977–1983Tikki & John's Theatre Restaurant
1992Three Guys Naked from the Waist Down Universal Theatre Melbourne
1992–1993 High Society Mike ConnorPlayhouse Adelaide, Playhouse Melbourne, Suncorp Theatre, Brisbane, Canberra Theatre, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne
1996–1997 Crazy for You Lank Hawkins Theatre Royal, Sydney, State Theatre, Melbourne – Won Green Room Award for Best Actor in a Musical
2000 Guys and Dolls Nathan Detroit State Theatre, Melbourne
2001 Anything Goes Moonface Martin State Theatre, Melbourne
2003 South Pacific Luther Billis State Theatre, Melbourne
2003Hats Off!Comedian National Theatre, Melbourne
2004 High Society Mike Connor State Theatre, Melbourne
2005 Kiss Me, Kate Gangster #1 State Theatre, Melbourne
2005 My Fair Lady Alfie Doolittle Comedy Theatre, Melbourne
2009–2010Hats Off!Comedian / Soloist National Theatre, Melbourne

As writer / director

YearTitleRoleNotes
1981 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Musical Director Theatre Royal, Hobart, Canberra Theatre
The ParadiseCreatorMusical

[12]

References

  1. "Marty Fields on Twitter".
  2. "Marty Fields".
  3. "Marty Fields – FAQ". www.martyfields.com.
  4. 1 2 3 "Marty Fields ... comedian, actor, musician". Saxton Speakers Bureau.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Marty Fields – Singer Musician Biography". www.martyfields.com.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Marty Fields – General Biography". www.martyfields.com.
  7. "Marty Fields". Upfront Events.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Marty Fields – Writer Biography". www.martyfields.com.
  9. "Marty Fields". Archived from the original on 20 February 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  10. 1 2 3 "Marty Fields".
  11. "Marty Fields – Television credits". www.martyfields.com.
  12. "Marty Fields stage credits". AusStage.