Daniel Abineri
Encyclopedia
Daniel Abineri is an English
actor, songwriter and playwright, famous for writing the book, music and lyrics for the controversial musical Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom
.
He starred as Father Neil opposite Arthur Lowe
in the 1970s TV comedy Bless Me Father
, and played the villainous Jake Sanders in the 1980s Australian series Return to Eden
. He is also notable for giving Russell Crowe
his first professional acting role in The Rocky Horror Show
in New Zealand in 1986.
His father was the actor John Abineri
and his mother was part time actress Hilary Bamford. Daniel started his career in rep theatre in England. In 1977 he was cast as Father Neil in the highly successful TV series Bless Me Father
opposite comedy star Arthur Lowe
(star of Dad's Army
). This led to roles opposite Tatum O'Neal
(in International Velvet
), and co-starring credits with Nigel Hawthorne
, John Cleese
, Eleanor Bron
and Charles Gray
.
In 1979, at the age of 21, he was cast as Frank-n-Furter on the first British tour of The Rocky Horror Show
, a role he played subsequently in the West End and over three thousand times on several tours of Australia and New Zealand, which he also directed. He has also produced and directed several television documentaries, including One Hit Wonders, for the BBC
in 1997, Walk on the Wild Side for Granada TV, and Murder and Celebrity for UKTV
.
He is married to TV executive Claudia Rosencrantz
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
actor, songwriter and playwright, famous for writing the book, music and lyrics for the controversial musical Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom
Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom
Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom is a controversial stage musical first performed in Australia in 1989, written by Daniel Abineri and is a satire on religion and rock and roll.-History:...
.
He starred as Father Neil opposite Arthur Lowe
Arthur Lowe
Arthur Lowe was a BAFTA Award winning English actor. He was best known for playing Captain George Mainwaring in the popular British sitcom Dad's Army from 1968 until 1977.-Early life:...
in the 1970s TV comedy Bless Me Father
Bless Me Father
Bless me, Father was a British situation comedy starring Arthur Lowe, Daniel Abineri, Gabrielle Daye, Patrick McAlinney, David Ryall, Derek Francis and Sheila Keith. It was aired on ITV from 1978 until 1981 and described the adventures of an Irish Catholic priest, Father Charles Duddleswell and...
, and played the villainous Jake Sanders in the 1980s Australian series Return to Eden
Return to Eden
Return to Eden is an Australian television drama series starring Rebecca Gilling, James Reyne, Wendy Hughes and James Smillie. It began as a three-part mini-series, shown on Network Ten in 1983. Gilling and Smillie would reprise their roles for a 22-part weekly series screened in 1986.-Mini-series...
. He is also notable for giving Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe
Russell Ira Crowe is a New Zealander Australian actor , film producer and musician. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, a...
his first professional acting role in The Rocky Horror Show
The Rocky Horror Show
The Rocky Horror Show is a long-running British horror comedy stage musical, which opened in London on 19 June 1973. It was written by Richard O'Brien, produced and directed by Jim Sharman. It came eighth in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the "Nation's Number One Essential Musicals"...
in New Zealand in 1986.
His father was the actor John Abineri
John Abineri
John Abineri was an English actor.Born in London, he attended the Old Vic drama school and described himself as "Well educated from the age of five to eighteen"...
and his mother was part time actress Hilary Bamford. Daniel started his career in rep theatre in England. In 1977 he was cast as Father Neil in the highly successful TV series Bless Me Father
Bless Me Father
Bless me, Father was a British situation comedy starring Arthur Lowe, Daniel Abineri, Gabrielle Daye, Patrick McAlinney, David Ryall, Derek Francis and Sheila Keith. It was aired on ITV from 1978 until 1981 and described the adventures of an Irish Catholic priest, Father Charles Duddleswell and...
opposite comedy star Arthur Lowe
Arthur Lowe
Arthur Lowe was a BAFTA Award winning English actor. He was best known for playing Captain George Mainwaring in the popular British sitcom Dad's Army from 1968 until 1977.-Early life:...
(star of Dad's Army
Dad's Army
Dad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
). This led to roles opposite Tatum O'Neal
Tatum O'Neal
Tatum Beatrice O'Neal is an American actress best known for her film work as a child actress in the 1970s. She is the youngest to win a competitive Academy Award, at the age of 10, which she won for her performance as Addie Loggins in Paper Moon opposite her father Ryan O'Neal...
(in International Velvet
International Velvet (film)
International Velvet is a 1978 dramatic film. It was a remake of the 1944 classic, National Velvet. The film stars Tatum O'Neal, Christopher Plummer, Anthony Hopkins and Nanette Newman. The film got mixed reviews.-Plot:...
), and co-starring credits with Nigel Hawthorne
Nigel Hawthorne
Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne, CBE was an English actor, perhaps best remembered for his role as Sir Humphrey Appleby, the Permanent Secretary in the 1980s sitcom Yes Minister and the Cabinet Secretary in its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister. For this role he won four BAFTA Awards during the 1980s in the...
, John Cleese
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese is an English actor, comedian, writer, and film producer. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and performer on The Frost Report...
, Eleanor Bron
Eleanor Bron
Eleanor Bron is an English stage, film and television actress and author.-Early life and family:Bron was born in 1938 in Stanmore, Middlesex, to a Jewish family of Eastern European origin...
and Charles Gray
Charles Gray (actor)
Charles Gray was an English actor who was well-known for roles including the arch-villain Blofeld in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever, Sherlock Holmes' brother Mycroft Holmes in the Granada television series, and as The Criminologist in the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show in...
.
In 1979, at the age of 21, he was cast as Frank-n-Furter on the first British tour of The Rocky Horror Show
The Rocky Horror Show
The Rocky Horror Show is a long-running British horror comedy stage musical, which opened in London on 19 June 1973. It was written by Richard O'Brien, produced and directed by Jim Sharman. It came eighth in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the "Nation's Number One Essential Musicals"...
, a role he played subsequently in the West End and over three thousand times on several tours of Australia and New Zealand, which he also directed. He has also produced and directed several television documentaries, including One Hit Wonders, for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 1997, Walk on the Wild Side for Granada TV, and Murder and Celebrity for UKTV
UKTV
UKTV is a digital cable and satellite television network, formed through a joint venture between BBC Worldwide, a commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation, and Scripps Networks Interactive, spun off from The E.W Scripps Company in 2008...
.
He is married to TV executive Claudia Rosencrantz
Claudia Rosencrantz
Claudia Rosencrantz is a journalist and was the Controller of Entertainment for ITV for over ten years, and was responsible for commissioning some of ITV's biggest hits and changing the landscape of entertainment programming in the UK...
.