Gordon Piper | |
---|---|
Born |
Gordon Stephen Piper 3 June 1932 Cheltenham, Sydney, Australia |
Died | 18 September 2004 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
(aged 72)
Occupation | Actor director scriptwriter/Comedian |
Television | Robert "Bob" Hatfield on A Country Practice |
Spouse(s) | Judith Piper (d. 1981) |
Children | Kerrin -Gai and Kim Piper |
Website | Gordon Piper official website |
Gordon Stephen Piper (3 June 1932 – 18 September 2004) was an Australian actor, theatre director and scriptwriter active in all facets of the industry including radio, stage, television and film
Piper was born on his parents' dairy farm in the Sydney suburb of Cheltenham. He began performing as a child, singing soprano for the Sydney Boys' Choir and making his radio debut with a choir on 2CF.
Piper began his professional career acting in radio plays, and later branched out to touring variety acts which toured local pubs and clubs. He worked as a television extra for several years, before taking to the stage for a theatre career. Notable roles in the 1970s included a long-running stint in the play Dimboola, and a role as a bartender in the film My Brilliant Career.
Piper is best known for his long-term role as town plumber Robert Menzies "Bob" Hatfield in the television soap A Country Practice appearing from episode 4 of that series in 1981 until 1992, becoming one of the longest serving actors in an Australian drama series, until he was written out of the series with co-star Syd Heylen as the producers wanted to concentrate on a younger cast and an updated formula. The decision was later regretted and co-star Brian Wenzel agreed in an interview in TV Week that the two actors were a large part of the series' comedic storylines. Other television roles included Homicide, The Dark Room and Hector's Bunyip.
Piper served as the associate director of the Arts Council of New South Wales. He was also a founding member of P.A.C.T. (Producers, Actors, Composers and Talents), one of the best known actors' studios in Sydney. Gordon and Leonard Teale produced "fill-ins" for ABC TV prior to the widespread broadcasting of music videos.