Jon Finlayson

Born: 1938-03-23

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.


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Evil Angels

as Professor Boettcher
Released: 1988-11-03

Based on the true story of Lindy Chamberlain who, during a family camping trip to Ayers Rock in...

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Skin Deep

as Simpson Byrne
Released: 1983-01-01

Drama and tensions rise as two determined partners in a successful Australian fashion empire...

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Alvin Rides Again

as The Magician
Released: 1974-12-16

Alvin Purple, a man who can't hold down a job because of his voracious sexual appetite,...

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Alvin Purple

as Liz's Lawyer
Released: 1973-12-20

Alvin is your average guy, except for the fact women find him irresistible and chase him...

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Melvin, Son of Alvin

as Burnbaum
Released: 1984-12-20

A shy young man is irresistible to women.

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Lonely Hearts

as uncredited
Released: 1982-11-01

In this offbeat comedy, an unlikely romance develops between a flamboyant, middle-aged piano...

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The Magic Show

as Van Zyskin
Released: 1983-03-03

The Magic Show is a one-act musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Bob...

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The Flying Doctors

as Specialist
First aired: 1986-05-15

The Flying Doctors is an Australian drama series produced by Crawford Productions that revolved...

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The Man from Snowy River

as James Gleeson
First aired: 1994-09-23

The Man from Snowy River is an Australian television series based on Banjo Paterson's poem "The...

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Zoo Family

as Col. Archibald Spencer
First aired: 1985-07-28

Follows a family who live at Melbourne Zoo in Victoria, Australia. Doctor David Mitchell is the...

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