Michael Preston
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Michael Preston | |
|---|---|
| Born | Jack Davies 14 May 1938 |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, singer |
| Years active | 1959–present |
Michael Preston(bornJack Davies;14 May 1938)[1]is an English international film and television actor, and singer, sometimes credited asMike Preston.
Life and career[edit]
Preston was born inHackney,London, England.[2]He was aboxerand then became a singer.[3]
He appeared onOh Boy!and his thirdrecord,"Dirty Old Town"(1959) was produced byJoe Meek.[4]He had threeTop 40hitsin theUK Singles Chart,including reaching No. 12 with his cover version of "Mr. Blue"in November 1959,[3]before emigrating to Australia where he worked as anightclub singer.
He then became a host on television, and also an actor. He was a regular host onIn Melbourne Tonightin 1968, and in 1969 was a guest celebrity on the game showThe Celebrity Gameand went on to host the revival in 1976–1977.
His first ongoing starring role on television was in the long-running police drama seriesHomicideas Sen. Det. Bob Delaney from 1972 to 1973. He then had a recurring role in the soap operaBellbirdas Fr. John Kramer between 1974 and 1976. He later took a lead role in the prison-based soap operaPunishment(1981) but this series was short-lived. In 1984, he had an ongoing role inHot Pursuit,as the character Alec Shaw.
Preston has made numerous guest appearances in television series, includingThe A-Team,Max Headroom,Airwolf,Scarecrow and Mrs. King,Alien Nation,Ellen,andHighlander.He also made an appearance in the seriesBaywatch Nights.[5]
Preston has also acted in films. His first feature film wasSurabaya Conspiracy(1969); other film roles included playing Pappagallo inMad Max 2(1981), his best-known role, and Jared-Syn in the science fiction B-movieMetalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn(1983). He was nominated for the 1979AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Rolefor his role inThe Last of the Knucklemen[6]and he won two Logies for most popular male personality in Victoria.[7]
Selected TV and filmography[edit]
- Climb Up the Wall - (1960) - Himself, (singing next to theAlbert Memorial)
- Surabaya Conspiracy(1969) - Steven Blessing
- Barney(1976) - O'Shaughnessy
- The Last of the Knucklemen(1979) - Pansy
- Maybe This Time(1981) - Paddy
- Mad Max 2(1981) - Pappagallo
- Duet for Four(1982) - Ray Martin
- Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn(1983) - Jared-Syn
- A Caribbean Mystery(1983, TV movie) - Arthur Jackson
- Blade in Hong Kong(1985, TV movie) - Charters
- J.O.E. and the Colonel(1985, TV movie) - Schaefer
- The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer(1986, TV movie) - David 'Dak' Anson Kola
- Hunter(1987) - Evans (as Mike Preston)
- Airwolf(1987, TV series) - Jack Ware
- Fame(1987, TV series) - Jack Ware
- Harry's Hong Kong(1987, TV movie) - Max Trumble
- The Long Journey Home(1987, TV movie) - Frank Mota
- Perry Mason:The Case of the Lady in the Lake(1988, TV movie) - Waiter
- Exile(1990, TV Movie) - Rupe Murphy
- Superboy(1990) - 2nd Police Officer
- Alien Nation(1990) - Rigac
- Jake and the Fatman(1991) - Vorster
- Renegade(1995, TV series) - Nick Schneider
- Highlander: The Series(1995) - Terrence Kincaid
- Steel(1997) - Mr. Weston (uncredited)
- The Getaway(2002, video game) - Harry 'The Hat' (voice)
Discography[edit]
- "A House, A Car And A Wedding Ring" / "My Lucky Love" (1958) – (US No. 93, Aust No. 18) (Decca)
- "Why, Why Why" / "Whispering Grass"(1958)
- "In Surabaya" / "Dirty Old Town"(1959)
- "Mr. Blue"/"Just Ask Your Heart"(1959) (UKNo. 12)
- "Too Old" / "A Girl Like You" (1960)
- "I'd Do Anything" / "Where Is Love" (1960) (UK No. 23)
- "Togetherness" / "Farewell My Love" (1960) (UK No. 41)
- "Marry Me" / "Girl Without a Heart" (1961) (UK No. 14)
- "Punish Her"/" From the Very First Rose "(1963)
- "Dear Heart" / "Wonderful, Wonderful World" (1968) (Aust No. 20 Kent chart, No. 34 Go-Set chart) (Spin Records)
- "Christmas Alphabet" (1968) (Aust No. 71 Kent chart) (Spin Records)
- "Buona Sera Mrs. Campbell" (1969) (Aust No. 64 Kent chart) (Spin Records)
- "Why" (1972) (Aust No. 70)[8](Fable Records)[9]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Music birthdays in May".Bitter Suite band.Births & Deaths. Archived fromthe originalon 15 December 2017.Retrieved31 March2009.
- ^ "Michael Preston".bio.IMDb.com.Retrieved4 February2020.
- ^abColin Larkin,ed. (1992).The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music(First ed.).Guinness Publishing.pp. 1992/3.ISBN0-85112-939-0.
- ^ "Wolf".Fortune City.Greenfield. Archived fromthe originalon 7 March 2009.Retrieved1 March2009.
- ^ "Blues Boy".Baywatch Nights(TV). Season 1. Episode 9.
- ^Kuipers, Richard."The Last of the Knucklemen (1979)".Australian Screen.NFSA.Retrieved5 November2021.
- ^Murphy, Jim (11 March 1981),"Mike hits the right note",The Australian Women's Weekly,p. 54
- ^ Kent, David(1993).Australian Chart Book 1970–1992(illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 238.ISBN0-646-11917-6.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006).British Hit Singles & Albums(19th ed.). London, UK: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 437.ISBN978-1-904994-10-7.
External links[edit]
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
