John Sumner

John Sumner

Born: October 14, 1951
in Blackpool, Lancashire, England, UK
Having lived in England and South Africa (Cape Town) John arrived in New Zealand with his family at the age of 9. "They totally opposed apartheid, so we left." He started his career in Auckland at 19 performing live on Auckland's nightclub circuit. Within a few months he was appearing in local variety television shows and gaining a solid local following. Within two years he appeared in his first major stage show and shortly after began combining his club and television work with repertory theatre. He gained both popular and critical acclaim playing "Charlie Brown" in "You're a good man Charlie Brown".

Movies for John Sumner...

Title: Vegas
Character: Lester Burton
Released: April 19, 2021
Type: TV
A business owner is thrust into New Zealand's dark underbelly after a million-dollar drug deal goes wrong on a blood-stained night, setting off a chain of events between dangerous factions.
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The Monster of Mangatiti
Title: The Monster of Mangatiti
Character: Malcolm
Released: September 6, 2015
Type: Movie
When 19 year old Heather Walsh accepts a job on a farm in the Mangatiti Valley, she has no idea paradise will become a nightmare. This true New Zealand story tells of Heather's horrific ordeal.
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District 9
Title: District 9
Character: Les Feldman - MIL Engineer
Released: August 5, 2009
Type: Movie
Thirty years ago, aliens arrive on Earth. Not to conquer or give aid, but to find refuge from their dying planet. Separated from humans in a South African area called District 9, the aliens are managed by Multi-National United, which is unconcerned with the aliens' welfare but will do anything to master their advanced technology. When a company field agent contracts a mysterious virus that begins to alter his DNA, there is only one place he can hide: District 9.
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The Eighth Blunder of the World
Title: The Eighth Blunder of the World
Character: Self
Released: November 14, 2006
Type: Movie
Blooper reel for Peter Jackson's King Kong (2005)
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King Kong
Title: King Kong
Character: Herb
Released: December 12, 2005
Type: Movie
In 1933 New York, an overly ambitious movie producer coerces his cast and hired ship crew to travel to mysterious Skull Island, where they encounter Kong, a giant ape who is immediately smitten with the leading lady.
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The Present
Title: The Present
Character: Self
Released: October 31, 2004
Type: Movie
A short film made by the cast of 2005's King Kong to surprise the director Peter Jackson on his birthday.
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Maiden Voyage
Title: Maiden Voyage
Character: Captain Ed Tessler
Released: October 2, 2004
Type: Movie
A former firefighter and Special Forces officer takes on a team of murderous terrorists when the oceanliner he's working on is hijacked shortly after leaving port. Hired to evaluate security on a luxury cruise ship, blaze battler and former military man Kyle Considine (Casper Van Dien) brings his young son Zach along for a week of fun at sea. The fun stops, however, when the ship sets sail and a highly organized team of terrorists threaten the lives of everyone onboard.
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Whale Rider
Title: Whale Rider
Character: Obstetrician
Released: January 30, 2003
Type: Movie
On the east coast of New Zealand, the Whangara people believe their presence there dates back a thousand years or more to a single ancestor, Paikea, who escaped death when his canoe capsized by riding to shore on the back of a whale. From then on, Whangara chiefs, always the first-born, always male, have been considered Paikea's direct descendants. Pai, an 11-year-old girl in a patriarchal New Zealand tribe, believes she is destined to be the new chief. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must fight him and a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny.
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You Wish!
Title: You Wish!
Character: Coach
Released: January 10, 2003
Type: Movie
Alex is a high school student who always feels like he is overshadowed by his little brother Stevie; he can't get the girl of his dreams; he and his two best friends, Abby and James, are outsiders at school; and he is constantly benched on his football team. Then Stevie receives a lucky coin from a strange old man, a coin which he gives to Alex, telling him to make a wish. The next day, Alex gets everything he ever wished for - Stevie is gone (in fact, he is the star of his own TV show, and his family don't even know him); Alex dates the most popular girl at school; he is one of the most popular kids himself; and he is the star of the football team. At first he enjoys his new life, only to later find out that everything that was great in his original life now is gone.
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Atomic Twister
Title: Atomic Twister
Character: Neville
Released: June 9, 2002
Type: Movie
When tornadoes hit a nuclear power plant, critically damaging the plant's cooling system, the results could be catastrophic. Atomic Twister, a countdown to disaster, traces an extraordinary day in the lives of small town citizens who unexpectedly find themselves facing the possibility of mass destruction.
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The Other Side of Heaven
Title: The Other Side of Heaven
Character: President Stone
Released: April 12, 2001
Type: Movie
John H. Groberg, a middle class kid from Idaho Falls, crosses the Pacific to become a Mormon missionary in the remote and exotic Tongan island kingdom during the 1950's. He leaves behind a loving family and the true love of his life, Jean. Through letters and musings across the miles, John shares his humbling and sometimes hilarious adventures with "the girl back home", and her letters buoy up his spirits in difficult times. John must struggle to overcome language barriers, physical hardship and deep-rooted suspicion to earn the trust and love of the Tongan people he has come to serve. Throughout his adventure-filled three years on the islands, he discovers friends and wisdom in the most unlikely places. John H. Groberg's Tongan odyssey will change his life forever.
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Ready to Run
Title: Ready to Run
Character: Supervisor Pete
Released: July 14, 2000
Type: Movie
A 14-year-old girl who works at a racetrack trains a talking racehorse with issues, transforming him into a winner.
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Title: Jack of All Trades
Released: January 22, 2000
Type: TV
Jack of All Trades is a half-hour long syndicated action-comedy television series which ran for two seasons in 2000. With Cleopatra 2525, it formed the Back2Back Action Hour and both shows were notable for being the first American non-animated action series to be produced in the half-hour format since the 1970s. The show was canceled in the middle of its second season. The program is set at the turn of the 19th century on the fictional French-controlled island of Pulau-Pulau in the East Indies. Jack Stiles is an American secret agent sent there by President Jefferson. While there, he meets his British contact and love interest, English spy Emilia Rothschild. Together, the two work to stop Napoleon and various other threats to the United States. To the public, Jack is seen as Emilia's attaché, but when the need arises, he transforms into a masked hero: The Daring Dragoon. The show contained many on-going gags, such as deliberate historical inaccuracies, Jack being responsible for many important historical events but not receiving credit, Emilia inventing a miraculous invention in an obvious deus ex machina, sexual puns and innuendos, and Jack and Emilia's ongoing romantic tension.
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The Frighteners
Title: The Frighteners
Character: Deputy
Released: July 18, 1996
Type: Movie
Once an architect, Frank Bannister now passes himself off as an exorcist of evil spirits. To bolster his facade, he claims his "special" gift is the result of a car accident that killed his wife. But what he does not count on is more people dying in the small town where he lives. As he tries to piece together the supernatural mystery of these killings, he falls in love with the wife of one of the victims and deals with a crazy FBI agent.
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Title: Xena: Warrior Princess
Character: Lord Clairon
Released: September 4, 1995
Type: TV
Xena is an infamous warrior on a quest to seek redemption for her past sins against the innocent. Accompanied by her comrade-in-arms Gabrielle, the campy couple use their formidable fighting skills to help those who are unable to defend themselves.
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Title: Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Character: Sheriff
Released: January 29, 1995
Type: TV
The legendary son of Zeus journeys across the earth fighting monsters and helping people.
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Title: Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Character: Broteas
Released: January 29, 1995
Type: TV
The legendary son of Zeus journeys across the earth fighting monsters and helping people.
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Title: Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Character: Spencius
Released: January 29, 1995
Type: TV
The legendary son of Zeus journeys across the earth fighting monsters and helping people.
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Title: Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Character: Domesticles
Released: January 29, 1995
Type: TV
The legendary son of Zeus journeys across the earth fighting monsters and helping people.
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Title: Power Rangers
Character: Santa Claus
Released: August 28, 1993
Type: TV
A team of teenagers with attitude are recruited to save Angel Grove from the evil witch, Rita Repulsa, and later, Lord Zedd, Emperor of all he sees, and their horde of monsters.
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Title: Power Rangers
Character: Fresno Bob
Released: August 28, 1993
Type: TV
A team of teenagers with attitude are recruited to save Angel Grove from the evil witch, Rita Repulsa, and later, Lord Zedd, Emperor of all he sees, and their horde of monsters.
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Title: Power Rangers
Character: Santa
Released: August 28, 1993
Type: TV
A team of teenagers with attitude are recruited to save Angel Grove from the evil witch, Rita Repulsa, and later, Lord Zedd, Emperor of all he sees, and their horde of monsters.
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Title: The Ray Bradbury Theater
Released: May 21, 1985
Type: TV
A Canadian-produced fantastic anthology series scripted by famed science-fiction author Ray Bradbury. Many of the teleplays were based upon Bradbury's novels and short stories.
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Godplex
Title: Godplex
Character: TV director extraordinaire
Released: December 31, 1969
Type: Movie
Inspired by ‘elephant consciousness’, Clark Duke has created Virtology, an internet religion with which he plans to change the world. He attracts thousands of followers which fuel his desire to spread the word In Real Life. When his house burns down under suspicious circumstances he heads out on this fish-out-of-water tale where we witness the main character (now known as Satchimo) in his misadventures attracting new followers and the media, all the while being haunted by two online followers who he neglects in his offer of salvation. Godplex offers insight into the contemporary dogma that you can achieve your goals no matter how lofty – even achieve celebrity status – an occupation that anyone can take up, no matter your experience or abilities. Though the content can be surreal, poetic and philosophical, this tragi-comic story offers an accessible cinema experience featuring moments of incredible beauty and a great soundtrack comprised of industrial and big band jazz.