Jon Finlayson

Jon Finlayson

Born: March 23, 1938
Died: September 12, 2012
Jon Douglas Finlayson (23 March 1938 - 12 September 2012) was an Australian stage and screen character actor and writer, director, producer and singer He was known for his roles in the films Lonely Hearts and The Magic Show.

At the age of eight, Jon began his long career in the performing arts, touring all over Australia for many years as a boy soprano for the Australian Boys Choir. He was actively involved in theatre throughout school and, as a teenager, began performing weekly on The Fakermagangees, the long-running children's radio serial on 3DB. This was followed by many other Australian radio dramas over the years.

After matriculating Finlayson threw himself into amateur theatre productions for some years. He spent many years performing in musicals at the Comedy Theatre, Her Majesty's, the Princess and Russell Street Theatre, including The Fantasticks, Robert and Elizabeth, Bells Are Ringing, For Amusement Only, Lock Up Your Daughters and Auntie Mame.

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. He was noted for his hospitality as well as his 'Sunday Soirees' in the Melbourne show business community.

Movies for Jon Finlayson...

Title: The Man from Snowy River
Character: James Gleeson
Released: September 23, 1994
Type: TV
The Man from Snowy River is an Australian television series based on Banjo Paterson's poem "The Man from Snowy River". Released in Australia as Banjo Paterson's The Man from Snowy River, the series was subsequently released in both the United States and the United Kingdom as Snowy River: The McGregor Saga. The television series has no relationship to the 1982 film The Man from Snowy River or the 1988 sequel The Man from Snowy River II. Instead, the series follows the adventures of Matt McGregor, a successful squatter, and his family. Matt is the hero immortalized in Banjo Paterson's poem "The Man from Snowy River", and the series is set 25 years after his famous ride.
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A Kink in the Picasso
Title: A Kink in the Picasso
Character: Lionel
Released: October 1, 1990
Type: Movie
Two crooked gallery officials swap a Picasso for a fake hoping to make a fortune. When thieves break into the gallery to steal the Picasso, an amusing chain reaction snowballs into a hilarious romp.
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Evil Angels
Title: Evil Angels
Character: Professor Boettcher
Released: November 3, 1988
Type: Movie
Based on the true story of Lindy Chamberlain who, during a family camping trip to Ayers Rock in central Australia, claimed she witnessed a dingo take her baby daughter, Azaria, from their tent. Azaria's body was never found and, after investigations and two public inquests, she is charged with murder.
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Title: The Flying Doctors
Character: Specialist
Released: May 15, 1986
Type: TV
The Flying Doctors is an Australian drama series produced by Crawford Productions that revolved around the everyday lifesaving efforts of the real Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia. It was initially a 1985 mini-series based in the fictional outback town of Cooper's Crossing starring Andrew McFarlane as the newly arrived Dr. Tom Callaghan. The success of the mini series led to its return the following year as an on-going series with McFarlane being joined by a new doctor, Chris Randall, played by Liz Burch. McFarlane left during the first season and actor Robert Grubb came in as new doctor Geoff Standish. The series' episodes were mostly self-contained but also featured ongoing storylines, such as Dr. Standish's romance with Sister Kate Wellings. Other major characters included pilot Sam Patterson, mechanic Emma Plimpton, local policeman Sgt. Jack Carruthers and Vic and Nancy Buckley, who ran the local pub/hotel, The Majestic. Andrew McFarlane also later returned to the series, resuming his role as Dr. Callaghan. The popular series ran for nine seasons and was successfully screened internationally.
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Title: Zoo Family
Character: Col. Archibald Spencer
Released: July 28, 1985
Type: TV
Follows a family who live at Melbourne Zoo in Victoria, Australia. Doctor David Mitchell is the zoo's veterinarian. His children Nick and Susie love being with all the animals.
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Melvin, Son of Alvin
Title: Melvin, Son of Alvin
Character: Burnbaum
Released: December 20, 1984
Type: Movie
A shy young man is irresistible to women.
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Girl Toy
Title: Girl Toy
Released: January 29, 1984
Type: Movie
A seductive motorcycle girl helps a geeky guy overcome his fear of women, until he is kidnapped by a cult of sex-obsessed women!
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The Magic Show
Title: The Magic Show
Character: Van Zyskin
Released: March 3, 1983
Type: Movie
The Magic Show is a one-act musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Bob Randall. It starred magician Doug Henning. Produced by Edgar Lansbury, it opened on May 28, 1974 at the Cort Theatre in Manhattan, and ran for 1,920 performances, closing on December 31, 1978. Henning was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and director Grover Dale was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical. In 2001, a filmed performance staged especially for the cameras in 1980, directed by Norman Campbell at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto, was issued on DVD by Image Entertainment. This production, originally intended for cinema release, differed notably from the original Broadway production, with several of the most memorable songs, such as "West End Avenue" and "Solid Silver Platform Shoes", removed. Doug Henning reprised his original starring role, while Didi Conn co-starred as Cal.
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Skin Deep
Title: Skin Deep
Character: Simpson Byrne
Released: January 1, 1983
Type: Movie
Drama and tensions rise as two determined partners in a successful Australian fashion empire will stop at nothing to achieve individual success.
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Lonely Hearts
Title: Lonely Hearts
Released: November 1, 1982
Type: Movie
In this offbeat comedy, an unlikely romance develops between a flamboyant, middle-aged piano tuner and an extremely timid office worker
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Alvin Rides Again
Title: Alvin Rides Again
Character: The Magician
Released: December 16, 1974
Type: Movie
Alvin Purple, a man who can't hold down a job because of his voracious sexual appetite, impersonates a dead American Gangster.
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Alvin Purple
Title: Alvin Purple
Character: Liz's Lawyer
Released: December 20, 1973
Type: Movie
Alvin is your average guy, except for the fact women find him irresistible and chase him everywhere. He tries to avoid them and get psychiatric help but gets used by the psychiatrists as a gigolo to treat other patients instead.