Jon Finlayson

Jon Finlayson
Born	Jon Douglas Finlayson (1938-03-23)23 March 1938 Coburg, Victoria, Australia
Died	12 September 2012(2012-09-12) (aged 74) Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
Education	Camberwell High School
Occupations	Actor screenwriter producer director singer
Years active	1946–2012
Family	Clorine Finlayson (mother) Ron Finlayson (father) Rhonda Finlayson (sister) Bruce Finlayson (brother) Alexandra Schepisi (niece) Zoe Schepisi (niece)[1]

Jon Douglas Finlayson (23 March 1938–12 September 2012) was an Australian stage and screen character actor, radio performer, writer, director, producer and singer[2][3]

Early life

Jon Finlayson was born in Coburg, Victoria to Clorine and Ron Finlayson. When he was about age 8 the family moved to Burwood where he attended Hartwell Primary School and Camberwell High School.[3][4] His performing career began at about the same time when he toured Australia with the Australian Boys' Choir as a soprano.[4]

Career

Finlayson was known for his roles in the films Lonely Hearts (1982) and The Magic Show (1983).

He was also well-known from his numerous television roles, such as Colonel Archibald Spencer in Zoo Family (1985) and as James Gleeson in Snowy River: The McGregor Saga (1995–1996). He wrote sketches for The Mavis Bramston Show.[5] He was noted for his hospitality as well as his 'Sunday Soirees' in the Melbourne show business community.[6]

Finlayson directed, produced, and co-wrote (with Gary Down) The Glitter Sisters.[3]

Death

Finlayson died of prostate cancer[6] aged 74, on 12 September 2012 at St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne[4]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1973	Alvin Purple	Liz's Lawyer	Feature film
1974	Alvin Rides Again	The Magician	Feature film
1975	The Great Macarthy	Vincent	Feature film
1975	The Devil in Evening Dress	Federici	Feature film
1976	Mad Dog Morgan	Extra	Feature film
1976	The Sentimental Bloke	Mr Smithers	Feature film
1982	Lonely Hearts	George	Feature film
1983	The Magic Show	Van Zyskin	Feature film[7]
1984	Skin Deep	Simpson Byrne	TV movie
1984	My First Wife	Bernard	Feature film
1984	Melvin, Son of Alvin	Burnbaum	Feature film
1988	Evil Angels	Professor Boettcher	Feature film
1989	Darlings of the Gods	Tyrone Guthrie	TV movie
1990	A Kink in the Picasso	Lionel	Feature film
1996	The Inner Sanctuary	Archbishop Clarke	(final film role)

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1962	Personally Yours	Himself	TV series
1967	Hey You!	Basil	TV series, episode 6: "The Party"
1967	Australian Playhouse		TV play, season 2, episode 9: The Heat's On
1970	The Long Arm		TV series, episode 6: "The Flight of the Chicken"
1970–1975	Homicide	Karl Arnsen / Bill Sellars / Rupert Morgan / Tibby Hayes	TV series, 4 episodes
1971–1974	Division 4	Jonathan Gramophone / Wayne Fraser / Denver Philips / Richard Barry / Mr Hall	TV series, 5 episodes
1972	Matlock Police	Alex Bell / Brendan	TV series, season 2, 2 episodes
1973	Ryan	Smith	TV series, episode 16: "Nobody's Perfect"
1975	Cash and Company	Travers Lewis	Miniseries, episode 4: "Golden Girl"
1975	The Last of the Australians	Mr Flannagan	TV series, season 2, episode 2: "The Compleat Works"
1979	Skyways	Bruno	TV series, season 1, episode 43: "Flight 89"
1979–1980	Cop Shop	Maurice Pearson / Leslie Sampson	TV series, 3 episodes
1984	Special Squad	Devonport	TV series, episode 11: "The Set-Up"
1984	Carson’s Law	David Spencer	TV series, 6 episodes
1985	Zoo Family	Colonel Archibald Spencer	TV series, 26 episodes
1985–1986	Neighbours	Brian Hanson / Audition Director	TV series, 3 episodes
1989	Space Knights	Sue Ralph Retro (voice)	Animated TV series, episode 2: "Confounded Computers"
1989	The Power, The Passion	William Somerset	TV series
1991	The Flying Doctors	Specialist	TV series, season 8, episode 9: "Swinging on the Rope"
1991	Boys from the Bush	Travel Agent	TV series, 2 episodes
1993	Newlyweds	Photographer	TV series, season 1, episode 2: "The Wedding Machine"
1995–1996	Snowy River: The McGregor Saga	James Gleeson	TV series, 28 episodes

Theatre

As actor

Year	Title	Role	Venue / Co.
1956	Up and Atom		University of Melbourne[8]
1957	Camino Real	Jacques Casanova	University of Melbourne[9]
1957	The Matchmaker	Rudolph	University of Melbourne
1957	Speak of the Devil		University of Melbourne
1958	Lola Montez	Mac	University of Melbourne
1958	Bells are Ringing		Princess Theatre, Melbourne
1959	Auntie Mame		Theatre Royal, Adelaide, Theatre Royal Sydney with J. C. Williamson
1960	Frenzy		National Theatre, East Melbourne
1960	Festival Faces Intimate Revue		Willard Hall, Adelaide with Independent Repertory Incorporated
1961	Lock Up Your Daughters		Princess Theatre, Melbourne, Palace Theatre, Sydney, Theatre Royal, Adelaide, Capitol Theatre, Perth
1962	Outrageous Fortune	Presenter / Performer	Arrow Theatre, Melbourne
1962	The Fantasticks	The Old Actor	Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne
1963	The Man Who Came to Dinner		Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne
1964	Who's for Culture		National Theatrette, Melbourne
1966	Robert and Elizabeth	A Pickpocket	Princess Theatre, Melbourne, Tivoli Theatre, Sydney
1968	Razza-Ma-Tazz (and All That Jazz)	The Ponce	Southland Auditorium, Melbourne with Southland Theatre Company
1970	Enter a Free Man		St Martins Theatre, Melbourne
1971	The School for Scandal		Theatre Royal, Hobart
1972	The Wakefield Plays		Hobart City Hall
1972	Don't Walk Around Stark Naked	Ventroux	St Martins Theatre, Melbourne[10]
	Patrick Pearse Motel		[11]
1972	Fortune and Men's Eyes	Queenie	St Martins Theatre, Melbourne
1973	Cowardy Custard		St Martins Theatre, Melbourne
1973	Jesus Christ Superstar	King Herod	Sydney
1975	The Magic Show	Feldman	Princess Theatre, Melbourne
1976	Crossing Niagara		Victorian College of Arts, Melbourne with MTC
1976	Arden		Russell Street Theatre with MTC
1977	Ashes	Doctor / Seminologist ('Guru') / Gynaecological Surgeon / Ambulance Driver / Area Adoptions Officer	Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC
1977	The Rocky Horror Show	Frank-N-Furter	Warner Theatre, Adelaide with Harry M. Miller[12]
1979	No Room for Sentiment		ABC Radio Hobart
1979	Knock, Knock		ABC Radio Hobart
1985	Trumpets and Raspberries	Inspector	Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC
1989	Better Known as Bee		Comedy Theatre, Melbourne with Global Consolidated
1993	A Matinee Season with Noel Coward without Noel Coward		Playhouse, Melbourne, Australian tour, Melbourne Zoo
1997	Underneath the Arches		Victorian regional tour
1997	Mad Dogs and Finlayson		Capers Cabaret, Melbourne
1997	Aladdin		Capers Cabaret, Melbourne
1998	The Piccadilly Bushman	Vincent Franklin	Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company

As director / producer

Year	Title	Role	Venue / Co.
1960	Paton's Place	Director	Melbourne
1962	East Lynne	Director	Old Dolphin Theatre, Perth
1962	Outrageous Fortune	Co-writer / Producer	Arrow Theatre, Melbourne
	Slings & Arrows	Co-writer	Arrow Theatre, Melbourne[13]
1962	Don't Make Waves	Writer / Wardrobe Designer / Producer	Arrow Theatre, Melbourne
1963	Where Do We Go From Here?	Creator	St Martins Theatre, Melbourne
1963	To Hell With Culture	Playwright	National Theatrette, Melbourne
1967	Nothing To Do With It	Director	27A Theatre, Melbourne
1971	Orpheus in the Underworld	Director	Theatre Royal, Hobart, Princess Theatre, Launceston with The Theatre Royal Light Opera Company
1972	The Computer / Love Travelling Salesman	Director	AMP Theatre, Adelaide
1972	The Beggar’s Opera	Director	Theatre Royal, Hobart with The Theatre Royal Light Opera Company
1973; 1974	Red, White and Boogie	Director	Le Chat Noir Theatre Restaurant, Melbourne, Twelfth Night Theatre, Brisbane
1974	Sweet Fanny Adams	Designer / Director	Le Chat Noir Theatre Restaurant, Melbourne with Jon Finlayson Productions
1975	The Shoemaker and the Elves	Director	Monash University, Melbourne with The Alexander Theatre Company
1975–1979	The Glitter Sisters	Director	Chevron Hotel, Melbourne, Oscar's Hollywood Palace Theatre Restaurant, Sydney, Theatre Royal, Hobart, Civic Theatre, Burnie, Princess Theatre, Launceston, Melbourne
1976	Pirates at the Barn	Director	Princess Theatre, Melbourne
1977	The Fall Guy	Choreographer	Russell Street Theatre with MTC
1979	The New Moon	Director	Theatre Royal, Hobart with The Theatre Royal Light Opera Company
1982	Sad Song	Director	Magic Mirror Theatre, Perth
1993	A Matinee Season with Noel Coward without Noel Coward	Devisor	Playhouse, Melbourne, Australian tour, Melbourne Zoo
1997	Mad Dogs and Finlayson	Devisor	Capers Cabaret, Melbourne
1997	Come Up and See Me Sometime	Director	Capers Cabaret, Melbourne

[14]

References

1. https://www.smh.com.au/national/versatile-actor-singer-and-raconteur-20121003-26zst.html
2. "Finlayson, Jon ( -2012)". TROVE NLA.
3. "Jon Finlayson Actor, writer, director, producer and singer". Camberwell High School Ex Students Society. 13 March 2013. Archived from the original on 23 March 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
4. Schepisi, Alexandra (4 October 2012). "Versatile actor, singer and raconteur". The Age. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
5. Knox, David."Vale: Jon Finlayson" TV Tonight. 13 September 2012
6. "Vale Jon Finlayson" Melbourne Observer. 19 September 2012. Part C. Pages 37-52:
7. "Jon Fonlayson-Trivia". IMDB.com
8. https://must.unimelb.edu.au/1956/01/31/up-and-atom-1956-2/
9. https://theatregold1.mybigcommerce.com/camino-real/
10. https://theatregold1.mybigcommerce.com/a-good-nights-sleep/
11. https://theatregold1.mybigcommerce.com/a-good-nights-sleep/
12. https://www.ozrockyhorror.com/Programme%2002%20Adelaide.html
13. https://camhigh.exstudents.org/jon-finlayson/
14. https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/9293

External links

• Jon Finlayson at IMDb
• "Vale Jon Finlayson". tvtonight.com.au
• "Jon Finlayson". rottentomatoes.com