Donovan played the lead in the 1978 crime drama film Money Movers, which received critical acclaim, but was a failure at the box office.[3] From 1979 to 1981, he starred as Detective Senior Sergeant Vic Cameron in Cop Shop.[3] Donovan chose to leave the role before his contract expired and without any work lined up. However, he was offered a role in the film The Man from Snowy River as Henry Craig shortly after.[3] He also starred as lawyer Billy Flynn in the Sydney Theatre Company's production of Chicago.[5]
Between 1981 and 1984, he had minor roles in Australian television programs. In 1985, he had roles in Prisoner and Sons and Daughters. From 1986 to 1990, he had more minor television roles including the 1989 pilot episode of E Street as Ken Swanson, which was followed by guest roles in A Country Practice,[6]The Flying Doctors,[6] and G. P..[7]
In 1990, he had a six-week guest role in Home and Away as the second actor, after George Leppard, to play Al Simpson, the father of original character Bobby Simpson.[6][8] He then starred in a production of Barnum in Perth, for which he learned how to juggle,[8] before playing The King of Troy in rock musical Paris.[6] He joined the main cast of Neighbours as Doug Willis in 1990.[9] He and his on-screen family were written out of Neighbours in 1994.[10] The following year, Donovan played Captain Hook in a UK touring production of Peter Pan, alongside Nicola Stapleton and Laurence Mark Wythe.[10] Donovan reprised his role as Doug for Neighbours' 20th-anniversary special in July 2005.[11]
In 2003, he appeared in the drama series MDA in the role of Eric Savage, father of Richard Savage (played by his son Jason Donovan).[12] In 2007, Donovan performed in the Magnormos production of Mary Bryant as Boswell. Donovan reprised his Neighbours role in 2014.[13] He also appeared in the Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite documentary to celebrate the show's 30th anniversary, which aired in March 2015.[14][15] He reprised the role of Doug Willis in episodes of the serial in 2016, culminating in the character's death. Donovan later expressed his unhappiness with Doug's exit, saying that it was not the way he wanted to leave.[16] He made a cameo appearance in the show's then-finale episode in July 2022, alongside his son Jason and granddaughter Jemma Donovan.[17]
Personal life
Donovan was married to actress and presenter Sue McIntosh until 1972.[18] They have a son, actor and musician Jason Donovan, whom Donovan raised as a single parent until he married his second wife Marlene Saunders in November 1981.[18][19] Donovan and Saunders also have a son together.[18] Donovan encouraged Jason to reject a role in Neighbours in order to finish his final year of school and get his HSC. Jason later joined the serial as Scott Robinson in 1986.[18]
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