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Jonathan Biggins

OAM
Born
Jonathan Martin Biggins

(1960-09-14) 14 September 1960 (age 63)
Newcastle, Australia
EducationNewcastle Boys High School
Alma materUniversity of Newcastle
Occupations
  • Actor
  • writer
  • singer
  • director
  • comedian
SpouseElaine Smith
Children2

Jonathan Martin Biggins OAM (born 14 September 1960) is an Australian actor, singer, writer, director and comedian. He has appeared on film, stage and television as well as in satirical sketch comedy television programmes.

Early life

Biggins was born in Newcastle, New South Wales, and attended Newcastle Boys' High School in the mid-1970s. He said that it was "a fairly intimidating place to be if you weren't great at sports or maths. However once [I] joined the debating team, and went on to win the state finals, things started looking up."[1]

Career

Film

Biggins' film appearances include Thank God He Met Lizzie, Gettin' Square and A Few Best Men.

Television

His television appearances include The Dingo Principle and Three Men and a Baby Grand, satirical sketch television comedy programmes (for which he was a writer/performer with Phillip Scott and Drew Forsythe).

Jonathan has been seen on TV as a recurring guest panellist on Spicks and Specks.[2]

Hosting

Biggins has hosted the afternoon radio shift for Sydney's 702.

He presented the art panel programme Critical Mass. He hosted the New Year's Eve Gala Concert in 2010 at the Sydney Opera House, and An Audience with Stephen Sondheim (nominated for a 2008 Helpmann Award for Best Special event).

He has hosted the AFI Awards, APRA Awards, Helpmann Awards, Parramatta Riverside's 20th Anniversary Gala, national and international conferences for AMP. He has also made appearances for KPMG, ICI, Commonwealth Bank, ABN-AMRO and the Art Gallery of NSW.[3]

Stage

Biggins' has performed in numerous stage productions, as actor, singer, comedian and MC.

Theatre credits include The Importance of Being Earnest (as John Worthing, replacing Geoffrey Rush), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Orpheus in the Underworld. He starred as Peter Sellers in Ying Tong, a play about Spike Milligan and The Goons, which was an Australian-wide hit. He has appeared on stage consistently over the years with the Wharf Revue.

He also performed in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas Ruddigore and The Mikado.[4]

Writing/directing

Biggins has directed the Wharf Revue since 2000. In 2004 Jonathan co-wrote and directed The Republic of Myopia for Sydney Theatre Company. He directed the Australian production of Avenue Q (2009–10). He also co-wrote, with Phillip Scott, some of the dialogue for The Man from Snowy River: Arena Spectacular, a stage musical based on the poem "The Man from Snowy River".

He has written for the Sydney Morning Herald weekly magazine Good Weekend.,[5] Australian Wine Selector and is the author of four books, including The 700 Habits of Highly Ineffective People.[6]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Type
1987 Those Dear Departed Sergeant Steve Feature film
1987 I've Come About the Suicide Bell-hop TV movie
1988 The Clean Machine Bank Clerk TV movie
1991 The Private War of Lucinda Smith Private Murry TV movie
1992 The Importance of Being Earnest John Worthing TV movie
1996 The Munsters' Scary Little Christmas Spooky Onlooker #2 TV movie
1997 Thank God He Met Lizzie Darren Feature film
2003 Gettin' Square Richard Dent QC Feature film
2010 Odd Socks Narrator Short film
2011 The White Guard The Hetman Feature film
2011 A Few Best Men Jim Ramme Feature film
2015 Manny Lewis Ray McKee Feature film

Television

Year Title Role Type
1985 Green Hill TV children's series
1986 The Lancaster Miller Affair Hardcastle TV miniseries, 3 episodes
1986-87 A Country Practice Graham Biggs TV series, 8 episodes
1987 The Mike Walsh Show TV variety series
1987 Pigs Will Fly
1987 Rafferty's Rules Angus MacLean TV series, 1 episode
1987 The Dingo Principle Various characters TV sketch series (also writer)
1989 Swap Shop TV children's series
1989 Bangkok Hilton O'Keefe TV miniseries, 1 episode
1989-90 The Monkey or the Gun
1990 The Party Machine Various characters TV series, 3 episodes (also writer)
1993 Review Reporter / Presenter TV series
1993-95 World Series Debating Self TV series, 2 episodes
1990–92; 1995 The Investigators TV series
1994 Three Men and a Baby Grand Various characters TV sketch series, 10 episodes (also writer)
1996-97 Good News Week Guest TV series, 2 episodes
1997 Fallen Angels Barrister TV episode
1999 Noah's Ark First Priest TV miniseries
1999-2000 AFI Awards Host TV special
2001 Flat Chat Duncan TV series, 1 episode
2003-04 Critical Mass Host TV series
2005-08 Spicks and Specks Guest panellist TV series, 4 episodes
2007 City Homicide James Bradwell TV series, 1 episode
2009 My Place Race Caller TV series
2010 Rake Martin TV series, season 1, episode 6
2010 New Year's Eve Gala Concert at the Sydney Opera House Host TV special
2011 The Jesters Rupert Baxter TV series, season 2, 1 episode
2011 At Home with Julia Paul Keating / Tony Jones TV series, 3 episodes
2012 Randling Self TV series, 5 episodes
2017 Drop Dead Weird Harry Styles TV series, 1 episode
2020 Back to the Rafters Charles Whiteman TV series
2023 The Messenger Father Terence O'Reilly TV miniseries, 5 episodes

[7]

Theatre

Year Title Role Company / Venue
1969 Twelfth Night Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1974 Quality Street Young Peoples' Theatre, Hamilton
1974 The Beggar's Opera Newcastle
1976 Equus Griffith Duncan Theatre for Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1979 Flexitime Newcastle for Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1980 A Toast to Melba University of Newcastle
1980 The Star Show: Tonite Heroes, Tomorrow Forgotten Civic Playhouse, Newcastle for Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1980 The Threepenny Opera Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1981 Treasure Island Fort Scratchley, Newcastle for Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1981 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Newcastle Civic Theatre for Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1981 No Names ... No Pack Drill Playhouse, Newcastle for Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1981 Hay Fever Playhouse, Newcastle for Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1981 The Playboy of the Western World Playhouse, Newcastle & Seymour Centre for Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1981 Habeus Corpus Playhouse, Newcastle for Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1981 Essington Lewis: I Am Work Civic Playhouse, Newcastle for Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1981 Hamlet on Ice Fanny's Theatre Restaurant, Newcastle for Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1982 Tom Sawyer Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1982 West Side Story Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1982 Big River Singleton & Playhouse, Newcastle for Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1982 Macbeth Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1982 Forget-Me-Not Lane Playhouse, Newcastle
1982 The Man from Mukinupin Playhouse, Newcastle for Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1982 Rookery Nook Playhouse, Newcastle for Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1982 The Venetian Twins Playhouse Theatre Co, Newcastle
1983 In the Field Where They Buried Peter Pan Playhouse Theatre Co, Newcastle
1983 Monstersplash Captain Inner City Theatre Co
1983 It's My Party! Neil Inner City Theatre Co
1984 Oz Duz NZ! - Bert and Maisy Tom Stables Theatre
1985 A Bed of Roses Stables Theatre
1985 Private Lives Victor Playhouse, Newcastle for Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1985 Tommy Various characters Newcastle Panthers for Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1985 Blithe Spirit Civic Playhouse, Newcastle
1985-86 Essington Lewis: I Am Work Various characters Stables Theatre & Playhouse, Adelaide for STCSA
1986 Pearls Before Swine Cubby Maisonette Belvoir St Theatre, Seymour Centre & Universal Theatre
1986 The Last Wake at She-Oak Creek Youmg Chookie Greene / Jack Stables Theatre for Griffin Theatre Company
1986 Tarantara Various characters Q Theatre Co
1988 Manning Clark's History of Australia: The Musical Various characters Princess Theatre (Melbourne)
1988-89 Living in the Seventies Seymour Centre & Studio Theatre, Melbourne
1989 Summer Rain Clarrie Sydney Opera House for Sydney Theatre Company
1990 The Venetian Twins Lelio Queensland Theatre Company, University of Sydney & Playhouse, Melbourne
1991 Three Men and a Baby Grand Tilbury Hotel, Playhouse Newcastle, Fairfax Studio & Edinburgh Fringe Festival (also writer)
1992 The Importance of Being Earnest John Worthing Theatre Royal, Sydney & Melbourne Theatre Company
1992 The Barber of Seville Figaro Marian Street Theatre
1993 Three Men and a Baby Grand Space Cabaret, Adelaide
1993 Three Men and a Baby Grand Too Tilbury Hotel, Woolloomooloo
1993 Comedy Festival Debate: Television is Bad for You Melbourne Athenaeum
1993 Abbie and Lou, Norman and Rose Norman Playhouse, Newcastle for Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1994 A Midsummer Night's Dream Bottom Playhouse, Newcastle for Hunter Valley Theatre Co
1995 It's My Party (and I'll Die If I Want To) Undertaker Glen Street Theatre for Malcom Cooke & Associates
1995 How the Other Half Loves William Featherstone Marian Street Theatre
1995 Ruddigore Robin Oakapple Victorian State Opera at State Theatre, Melbourne
1996 Quartermaine's Terms Derek Meadle Marian Street Theatre
1996 Tilbury Hotel 10th Anniversary Gala Tilbury Hotel
1997-98 Essington Lewis: I Am Work Various characters Newcastle Civic Theatre & Belvoir Street Theatre
1997-98 Abroad with Two Men CDP Australian tour
1998-99 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Hysterium Essgee Productions Australian tour
1999 The Mikado Koko Festival Theatre, Adelaide
2000 The Unofficial Visitors Guide to Australia Wharf Revue for Wharf 2 Theatre
2000 The End of the Wharf As We Know It Wharf Revue for Sydney Theatre Company
2000 Sunday in Iraq with George: A Shock 'n' Awe-full Show Wharf Revue at Wharf 2 Theatre
2001 The Best Bits of That Broad and Those Men Glen Street Theatre
2001 Free Petrol! Wharf Revue at Wharf 2 Theatre for Sydney Theatre Company
2001 Free Petrol Too! Wharf Revue at Wharf 2 Theatre for Sydney Theatre Company
2002 Soulmates Greg Australian tour
2002 Much Revue About Nothing Wharf Revue for Wharf 2 Theatre
2003 Sunday in Iraq with George Wharf Revue for Sydney Theatre Company
2003 Orpheus in the Underworld John Styx (Singer) Opera Australia at State Theatre, Melbourne & Sydney Opera House
2004 The Mikado Koko State Opera of South Australia, Opera Queensland & Sydney Opera House
2004 Fast and Loose Wharf Revue at Glen Street Theatre for Sydney Theatre Company
2005 Concert for Tax Relief Wharf Revue at Wharf 2 Theatre
2005 Die Fledermaus Frosch Opera Australia
2005 Stuff All Happens Wharf Revue Australian tour
2006 Best We Forget Wharf Revue at Wharf 2 Theatre for Sydney Theatre Company[8]
2006 Revue Sans Frontieres Paul Keating & various characters The Wharf Revue at Lennox Theatre, Parramatta, Wharf 2 Theatre & Adelaide Cabaret Festival
2007 An Audience with Stephen Sondheim Host/MC Theatre Royal, Sydney
2007-08 Ying Tong: A Walk With the Goons Peter Sellers Sydney Theatre Company Australian tour
2008 Futures Summit Bell Shakespeare Company
2007-08 Beware of the Dogma Paul Keating The Wharf Revue Australian tour[9]
2008 Waiting for Garnaut Wharf Revue at Wharf 1 Theatre, Casula Powerhouse for Sydney Theatre Company
2009 Travesties Henry Carr Sydney Opera House
2009 Christmas at the House Host/MC Sydney Opera House for Opera Australia
2009-10 Pennies from Kevin Paul Keating / Gough Whitlam / Pope Ratzinger The Wharf Revue Australian tour[10]
2010 APRA Awards Host XYZ Networks
2010 Not Quite Out of the Woods Tony Jones / Bob Brown Wharf Revue Sydney Theatre Company Australian tour
2011 The White Guard Herman / Cobbler Sydney Theatre
2011 Debt Defying Acts Lord Mayor Clover Moore & various characters Wharf Revue Australian tour
2011–13, 2015-16 New Years' Eve Gala Concert Host Opera Australia
2013 Whoops! Sir Petulant Pyne Wharf Revue Australian tour
2014 The Happy Ending (Workshop) Opera Australia
2014 Helpmann Awards Co-host
2014 Open for Business Paul Keating Wharf Revue Australian tour
2015 Premier's Senior Week Gala Concert Venables Creating Entertainment
2015 Celebrating 15 Years Wharf Revue Australian tour
2016 Back to Bite You Tony Abbott (Antonius Abbottus) / Donald Trump / Mathias Cormann Wharf Revue at Wharf 1 Theatre for Sydney Theatre Company
2016-20 Great Opera Hits Host Opera Australia
2017 The Patriotic Rag Donald Trump Wharf Revue at The Playhouse, Canberra for Sydney Theatre Company
2018 The Wharf Revue 2018 Wharf Revue Australian tour
2019-20 No Cabaret for Old Men Seymour Centre for Sydney International Cabaret Festival & Riverside Theatres Parramatta
2019 Krapp’s Last Tape Krapp Old Fitzroy Theatre for Red Line Productions[11]
2020 Celebrating 15 Years Wharf Revue Online - Australia
2020 Good Night and Good Luck Coronavirus Wharf Revue for Sydney Theatre Company
2020-21 Keating: The Gospel According to Paul Paul Keating Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre, Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide, Majestic Cinemas, NSW & Riverside Theatres Parramatta for Soft Tread Enterprises[12]
2022 Can of Worms Donald Trump / Mark Latham Wharf Revue for Sydney Theatre Company Australian tour[13]
2022 Looking for Albanese Jim Chalmers / The Grim Reaper / Clive Palmer / King Charles III / Paul Keating Wharf Revue at Seymour Centre[14]
2023 Pride in Prejudice Wharf Revue at Seymour Centre[15]

[16][17][18]

Awards and nominations

Year Nominated work Award Category Result
2000 Jonathan Biggins Mo Awards Male Comedy Performer of the Year[19] Won
2010 Avenue Q Helpmann Award Best Direction of a Musical Won
2021 Jonathan Biggins Medal of the Order of Australia in the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours Service to the performing arts through theatre[20] Won

Personal life

He is married to Australian actress Elaine Smith, best known as Daphne Clarke in the soap opera Neighbours. He and Smith have twin daughters born in February 2000.[21]

References

  1. ^ "Q&A. Panellist: Jonathan Biggins". Australian Broadcasting Commission. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  2. ^ "Jonathan Biggins".
  3. ^ "Jonathan Biggins".
  4. ^ https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/2452<
  5. ^ https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/2452<
  6. ^ "Jonathan Biggins".
  7. ^ https://cdn.showcast.com.au/actor-pdfs/f6425b24-8c65-47ff-b7bd-72c200cc2e4d.pdf
  8. ^ "Not enough fang to give this night the right bite". 20 June 2006.
  9. ^ "Beware of the Dogma". 19 November 2007.
  10. ^ https://www.australianstage.com.au/200911233017/reviews/sydney/pennies-from-kevin-%7C-the-wharf-revue.html
  11. ^ "Krapp's Last Tape | Stage Noise - Diana Simmonds".
  12. ^ "The Gospel According to Paul".
  13. ^ "The Wharf Revue: CAN OF WORMS".
  14. ^ "Theatre review: The Wharf Revue: Looking for Albanese, QPAC". 24 February 2023.
  15. ^ "The Wharf Revue: Pride in Prejudice".
  16. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20050618231524/http://queenslandmusicfestival.com.au/01_cms/details.asp?k_id=143
  17. ^ https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/2452
  18. ^ https://cdn.showcast.com.au/actor-pdfs/f6425b24-8c65-47ff-b7bd-72c200cc2e4d.pdf
  19. ^ "MO Award Winners". Mo Awards. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  20. ^ "Queen's Birthday 2021 Honours – the full list". Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment Co. 13 June 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  21. ^ Suzy Freeman-Greene (24 October 2009). "Bit parts for parents". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 14 July 2013.

External links

Equity Award for Most Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Helpmann Award for Best Direction of a Musical
Authority control databases
Categories