Brian James (actor)
Encyclopedia
Brian James was an Australian actor, best remembered for his roles on television. He was born in Victoria
.
He began his TV career in the late 1950s as Dr Geoffrey Thompson in the early medical drama Emergency for which he won a coveted 'Logie' award. He then played Ian Bennett in Bellbird, followed by the role of George Tippett in the soap opera Skyways
– a character he reprised for the ill-fated series Holiday Island
in 1981.
He is probably best known to international audiences for his part in the cult soap opera Prisoner
(aka Cell Block H) as the friendly officer and later prison handyman Stan Dobson, having previously appeared in the series briefly as Dr. Kennedy. He also appeared as John Worthington in Neighbours
in the late 1980s.
On film, he played screen father to Meryl Streep
in A Cry in the Dark
, the 1988 movie about the Lindy Chamberlain
court case.
He died in The Alfred Hospital
, Melbourne, of complications following a fall.
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
.
He began his TV career in the late 1950s as Dr Geoffrey Thompson in the early medical drama Emergency for which he won a coveted 'Logie' award. He then played Ian Bennett in Bellbird, followed by the role of George Tippett in the soap opera Skyways
Skyways (TV series)
Skyways is an Australian television series made by Crawford Productions for the Seven Network.The series, which aired from 1979 to 1981, was set at the fictional Pacific International Airport and dealt with the lives of the pilots, airline staff and management team who worked there.Skyways was...
– a character he reprised for the ill-fated series Holiday Island
Holiday Island (TV series)
Holiday Island is an Australian television series made by Crawford Productions for Network Ten. The show aired twice weekly from 1981 to 1982, with the first episode going to air on 17 June 1981....
in 1981.
He is probably best known to international audiences for his part in the cult soap opera Prisoner
Prisoner (TV series)
Prisoner is an Australian television soap opera which was set in the Wentworth Detention Centre, a fictional women's prison. The series was produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation and ran on Network Ten for 692 episodes from 27 February 1979 to 11 December 1986.The series was inspired by the 1970s...
(aka Cell Block H) as the friendly officer and later prison handyman Stan Dobson, having previously appeared in the series briefly as Dr. Kennedy. He also appeared as John Worthington in Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
in the late 1980s.
On film, he played screen father to Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep
Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep is an American actress who has worked in theatre, television and film.Streep made her professional stage debut in 1971's The Playboy of Seville, before her screen debut in the television movie The Deadliest Season in 1977. In that same year, she made her film debut with...
in A Cry in the Dark
A Cry in the Dark
Evil Angels is a 1988 Australian film directed by Fred Schepisi. The screenplay by Schepisi and Robert Caswell is based on John Bryson's 1985 book Evil Angels, the title under which the film was released in Australia...
, the 1988 movie about the Lindy Chamberlain
Lindy Chamberlain
Alice Lynne Chamberlain-Creighton was at the centre of one of Australia's most publicised murder trials, in which she was convicted of killing her baby daughter, Azaria. The conviction was later overturned.-Early life:...
court case.
He died in The Alfred Hospital
The Alfred Hospital
The Alfred, also known as Alfred Hospital or The Alfred Hospital, is a major hospital in Melbourne, Victoria. It is the second oldest hospital in Victoria, and the oldest Melbourne hospital still operating on its original site...
, Melbourne, of complications following a fall.