James Condon
Australian actor (1923–2014)
James Condon
Born James Thomas Condon
(1923-09-27 ) 27 September 1923Died 14 February 2014(2014-02-14) (aged 90) Occupations Actor scriptwriter voice over Years active 1942–2003 Spouse(s) Joan Cranmer (?-1977); 4 childrenAnne Haddy (1977–1999; her death)
James Thomas Condon (27 September 1923 – 14 February 2014) was an Australian actor of radio and stage, a scriptwriter and voice over, however best known for his numerous television roles in serials and television movies in Australia, particularly for appearing as the title character in the early soap opera The Story of Peter Gray ,[ 1] as well as smaller roles in Number 96 and Neighbours . He was the husband of Neighbours actress Anne Haddy [ 1] [ 2]
Early life
James Thomas Condon was born in Fremantle , Western Australia . His career started in repertory theatre, before he joined ABC Radio in Perth in 1942. He served with the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II, being promoted to flight lieutenant.[ 3]
Career
After the war, Condon worked for the BBC before returning to Australia in 1951 to resume his acting career, working on radio serials, including Portia Faces Life . When TV arrived in 1956 he moved to Sydney and appeared on the opening night of ABN2 , Sydney, and in a number of ABC plays, including Tomorrow's Child and A Phoenix Too Frequent .[ 4]
He played the lead role in ATN7's The Story of Peter Grey , one of the first soap opera dramas produced for Australian television in 1961.[citation needed ]
Also in 1961, while hosting his variety show What's Next , Condon hosted an old friend from Perth, Ray Hartley , to talk about his recent successes in London and New York.[ 5] Hartley was a world-class Australian pianist, composer, arranger and philanthropist.
Ray Hartley and James Condon, 1961
He made many other appearances on television, including Homicide , Matlock Police , Number 96 (both the TV serial and the 1974 feature film spin-off, playing different characters), Bellamy , The Young Doctors , Carson's Law , Sons and Daughters , Prisoner , The Flying Doctors , Blue Heelers and Something in the Air .
Filmography
Film
Television
Year
Title
Role
Type
1957
Three Cornered Moon
Duke of Mall
TV play
1957
Tomorrow's Child
TV play
1957
A Phoenix Too Frequent
Tegeus
TV play
1957
The Importance of Being Earnest
John Worthing
TV play
1958
Point of Return
TV play
1958
Sixty Point Bold
President Ortega de Riverde
TV play
1958
An Enemy of the People
Dr Stockman
TV play
1959
Lady in Danger
Bill Sefton
TV play
1959-60
Shell Presents
John Roberts / Dr Davidson
TV play series, 2 episodes
1960
Stormy Petrel
Colonel Maurice O'Connell
TV series, 1 episode
1960
The Life and Death of King Richard II
Bolingbroke
TV play
1961
The Big Client
JG Henderson
TV play
1961
Play of Daniel
Narrator
TV play
1961
The Story of Peter Grey
Peter Grey
TV series, 156 episodes
1961
The Outcasts
Colonel Maurice O'Connell
TV series, 1 episode (sequel to Stormy Petrel )
1961
What Next
Host
TV variety show
1962
The Patriots
William Wentworth
TV miniseries, 10 episodes
1962
Jonah
William Wentworth
TV series, 2 episodes: "The Marquis of Mullambimbee", "The Treaty of South Island"
1963
The Long Sunset
Arthur
TV play
1964
Tribunal
James Connolly
TV series, 1 episode
1964
The Purple Jacaranda
Max Stevenson
TV miniseries, 7 episodes
1964
The Play of Herrod
Narrator
TV play
1966
Point of Departure
Molac
TV play
1966-72
Homicide
Christoper White / Gerard Naismith
TV series, 2 episodes
1968
Contrabandits
Austin
TV series, 1 episode
1969
I've Married a Bachelor
TV series, 1 episode
1970
The Link Men
TV series, 1 episode
1970
The Rovers
John Fleming
TV series, 1 episode
1970
Chequerboard
Creon
TV series, 1 episode
1971-72
Catwalk
Ray Shannon
TV series, 1 episode
1972
Matlock Police
Eric Bard
TV series, 1 episode
1972-73
Number 96
S r Arnold Ashton
TV series, 9 episodes
1972-75
Behind the Legend
Wentworth
TV series, 3 episodes
1974
Ryan
John Moss
TV series, 1 episode
1975
Shannon's Mob
Sir Arthur Maitland
TV series, 1 episode
1976
McCloud
Charles Oakland
TV series, 1 episode
1976
Luke's Kingdom
Jason Firbeck
TV series, 13 episodes
1976
King's Men
Petersen
TV series, 1 episode
1977
The Young Doctors
Sir Thomas Kendall
TV series, 40 episodes
1978
Case for the Defence
Nathan
TV series, 1 episode
1979
Chopper Squad
Norman Chambers
TV series, 1 episode
1979
Carrots
Horace W Hathaway
TV series, 1 episode
1980
Cop Shop
Doug Francis
TV series, 7 episodes
1981
Bellamy
Daley
TV series, 21 episodes
1982
1915
Mr Gillen
TV miniseries, 1 episode
1982
Secret Valley
TV series, 1 episode
1982
Der Schwarze Bumerang
Arzt
TV miniseries, 1 episode
1983
The Catlins
Senator Mahoney
TV series, 1 episode
1984
Sons and Daughters
Sean O'Donnell
TV series, 6 episodes
1984
Carson's Law
Attorney General / Sir Harold Watson
TV series, 3 episodes
1982-88
A Country Practice
Flynn / Michael Christie / Doug Abbott / James Saunders
TV series, 7 episodes
1985-86
Neighbours
Douglas Blake
TV series
1985-86
Prisoner
James Dwyer
TV series, 23 episodes
1987
The Petrov Affair
Robert Menzies
TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1987
The Flying Doctors
Bob Cameron
TV series, 1 episode
1989
The Magistrate
Sampson
TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1991
Boys from the Bush
John
TV series, 1 episode
1991
Half a World Away (aka The Great Air Race )
Sir Macpherson Robertson
TV miniseries, 1 episode
1992
The Late Show
Oir Man from the Hardly Permanent
TV series, 1 episode
1993
Time Trax
Sal Mondriano
TV series, 1 episode
1995
Neighbours
Reuben White
TV series, 37 episodes
1998 / 2000
Blue Heelers
Doc Bourke / Klaus Schultz
TV series, 2 episodes
2000
Something in the Air
Gordon Flood
TV series, 1 episode
2003
After the Deluge
Brian Corstairs (uncredited)
TV miniseries
Theatre
Year
Title
Role
Type
1945
Granite
Cathedral Hall, Perth
1949
The Man Who Came to Dinner
Sheridan Whiteside
Perth Repertory Theatre
1955
Mary of Scotland
Somerville Auditorium
1956
Lord Arthur Savile's Crime
Lord Arthur Savile
Perth
1961
Play of Daniel
St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
1964
Breakfast with Julia
Phillip Street Theatre
1964
The Play of Herod
Narrator
St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
1965
Poor Bitos
Independent Theatre, Sydney
1965
My Life with an Interval for Asprin
Independent Theatre, Sydney
1966
Three Sisters
University of NSW , Old Tote Theatre
1966
Aspects of Love
University of NSW , Old Tote Theatre
1967
Hostile Witness
Sir Peter Crossman
Tivoli Theatre, Sydney , Princess Theatre, Melbourne
1967
The Cocktail Party
Independent Theatre, Sydney
1967
Halloran's Little Boat
Terry Byrne
Independent Theatre, Sydney
1968
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Independent Theatre, Sydney
1968
The Anniversary
Independent Theatre, Sydney
1968
Loot
Independent Theatre, Sydney
1968
A Delicate Balance
Independent Theatre, Sydney
1968
Wait Until Dark
Independent Theatre, Sydney
1969
Everything in the Garden
Independent Theatre, Sydney
1969
Treasure Island
University of NSW
1970
The Seagull
Scott Theatre, Adelaide
1970
Murder in the Cathedral
Thomas Becket
Independent Theatre, Sydney
1970
King Oedipus
University of NSW , Sir John Clancy Auditorium, Sydney , Canberra Theatre , Princess Theatre, Melbourne , Octagon Theatre, Perth , University of Adelaide
1971
Conduct Unbecoming
Major Alastair Wimbourne V.C.
Theatre Royal, Sydney , Comedy Theatre, Melbourne
1971-72
The Man who Shot the Albatross
Princess Theatre, Melbourne , Canberra Theatre , Elizabethan Theatre , Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide
1972
Under Milk Wood
Independent Theatre, Sydney
1972
Blop Goes The Weazel
University of NSW
1973
The Third Secretary
Independent Theatre, Sydney
1974
Love for Love
Sydney Opera House
1975
Candida
Marian Street Theatre
1975
The Jockey Club Stakes
Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide , Princess Theatre, Melbourne
1976
The Brass Hat
Major General Charles Anderson-Green
University of NSW
1976
The Shoemaker's Holiday
Earl of Lincoln
Sydney Opera House
1976
Getting On
Marian Street Theatre
1977
The Business of Good Government
Assembly Hall, Sydney
1977
Caesar and Cleopatra
Rufio
Sydney Opera House
1977
Any Fool Can
Ernest Seaton
Bondi Pavilion
1977
Some Other Town
Editor
Bondi Pavilion
1977
The Tempest
Antonio
Sydney Opera House
1979
The Bed Before Yesterday
Fred Castle
Theatre Royal, Sydney
1980-81
The Magic Pudding
Voice Over Artist
Sydney Opera House , VIC & WA Country Tour, Playhouse, Adelaide , Regal Theatre, Perth , Monash University
1983
Morning's at Seven
Marian Street Theatre
1984
Born Yesterday
Norval Hedges
Sydney Opera House
1992
The Freedom of the City
National Theatre, Melbourne
1993
M. Butterfly
M. Toulon / Man 1 / Judge
Playhouse, Melbourne , Canberra Theatre , Seymour Centre
1994
A Flea in Her Ear
Mietta's, Melbourne
1994
There's One in Every Marriage
Mietta's, Melbourne
1995
The Best of British: Rookery Nook / When We Are Married
Mietta's, Melbourne
[ 6]
Radio
[ 6]
Personal life
Condon was the brother of actress and theatre producer Coralie Condon, who was a recipient of the Order of Australian and was known as "The First Lady of Western Australian Television"[ 2] and had a brother Terry. His first marriage was to Joan Cranmer. The couple had four daughters.[ 7] [ 8] Condon was married to Australian actress Anne Haddy , best known for the role of matriarch Helen Daniels in Neighbours , from 1977 until her death in 1999. Condon was the stepfather of Haddy's children Jane and Tony.[ 7] He acted alongside Haddy in Neighbours twice – as Douglas Blake in 1985 and again in 1995 as Reuben White after previously appearing with Haddy in several episodes of Cop Shop in 1980.
Condon suffered a stroke in 2013.[ 9]
Death
He died from a stroke at an RSL retirement home in Narrabeen , Sydney on 14 February 2014, aged 90.[ 10]
References
External links
International National Other