Stuart Wagstaff
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Stuart Wagstaff (born February 13, 1925 in Great Dunford, Wiltshire, England, UK) is an iconic Australian television and stage entertainer.
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[edit] The Early Days
[edit] The 1950s: Immigration to Australia
Stuart first came to Australia in 1958 to appear in the JC Williamson production, Not in the Book, after a successful early career in England which spanned weekly tours, a couple of West End appearances, some film and television. In 1959, JC Williamson's put Stuart into the original My Fair Lady production with which he was associated for the next four and a half years, the last two and half playing Professor Henry Higgins, through all the Australian and New Zealand capital cities. Following this he took over the male lead in the stage musical The Sound of Music.
[edit] The 1960s: Television
In 1964 he appeared as the host of the Channel 7 variety show Studio 'A' and in 1965 he replaced the late Eric Baume as the "Beast" on the Channel 7 daytime show, Beauty and the Beast. This production was to establish him as one of Australia's firm television favourites. During this two and a half year period with Beauty and the Beast, he also appeared in leading roles in several stage productions including There's a Girl in my Soup, Present Laughter, Private Lives and several theatre restaurant revues.
In 1968 he became host of a major "Tonight" show on the Seven Network and later transferred to the Nine Network in the same type of format. During the following three years he hosted several shows on the Nine Network, including In Melbourne Tonight, The Sound of Music and a regular late night interview show.
[edit] The 1970s
After a 3 year stint in Hollywood, working in film and television, he returned to Australia in 1975 and was immediately kept busy with TV appearances all over the country, including being a regular panellist on Channel 9's Celebrity Squares, then two years as permanent panellist on Channel 0/10's Blankety Blanks, plus seven seasons as the host/presenter on the ABC's Stuart Wagstaff's World Playhouse.
Apart from television he is active in his first love, the theatre. In late 1979 Stuart appeared again as Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady and a successful national tour followed, in which production he was also co-producer. About this time he also produced Sydney and Melbourne seasons of the American stage comedy Father's Day. In 1981 Stuart toured as the Narrator in the highly successful Rocky Horror Show and repeated that with a second tour a few years later, which also featured a young Russell Crowe.
[edit] The 1980s: Australian Theatre
1982 saw the production of Noises Off and this too, with Stuart in the lead, had a very successful national tour. In 1983 he played the lead in Blithe Spirit at Marian Street Theatre in Sydney and then went on to host the Midday Movie and Friday Night Movies on the Seven Network for two years.
[edit] The late 1980s and today
Television guest roles in the 1990s included appearances in GP, Rafferty's Rules, A Country Practice, All Saints , Stuart appeared often on The Midday Show and appearances on Good Morning Australia. He has made several appeances on Channel 7 Perth's Telethon. The late 1980s and the 1990s have seen Wagstaff on stage with Sydney seasons and subsequent tours of Noises Off (again), Black Comedy, The Winslow Boy, Lend Me A Tenor and in Gershwin's musical, Crazy For You. Wagstaff also appeared in the role of Old Cookson in the spectacular theatrical production of Pan at the Capitol Theatre. Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Oliver sees Wagstaff returning to the stage in the role of Mr Brownlow.
[edit] Filmography
[edit] In character
- The Journalist (1979) .... Courtney Lewers
- Bit Part (1978) (TV) .... Uncredited
- All at Sea (1977) (TV) .... Mr. Arthur Pickering
- "The Dick Emery Show in Australia" (1977) TV Series .... Various Characters
- Is There Anybody There? (1975) (TV) .... Uncredited
- For Pete's Sake (1974) .... Man in Chandelier Store ... aka July Pork Bellies
- Sunstruck (1972) .... Uncredited
- Seagulls Over Sorrento (1960) (TV) .... Uncredited
- A Night to Remember (1958) .... Uncredited
[edit] As himself
- Graham Kennedy: Farewell to the King (2005) (TV) .... Himself
- Blankety Blanks (1977) TV Series .... Himself - Panelist
- Name That Tune (1975) TV Series .... Himself
- In Melbourne Tonight (1957) TV Series .... Himself (1970)
- Beauty and the Beast (1964) TV Series .... Himself (1966-1968)
[edit] Guest appearances
- All Saints playing "Reg Howard" in episode: "Revelations" (episode # 1.20) 30 June 1998
- Temperatures Rising playing "Thornton" in episode: "Healer Man" (episode # 2.18) 15 August 1974
- The Partridge Family playing "Head Waiter" in episode: "The Last of Howard" (episode # 4.7) 27 October 1973
- Whiplash playing "Lieutenant Hoffman" in episode: "The Adelaide Arabs" (episode # 1.34) 14 October 1961
- Whiplash playing "Jimmy Quicksilver" in episode: "A Portrait of Gunpowder" (episode # 1.22) 22 July 1961
- Whiplash playing "Jimmy Quicksilver" in episode: "The Remittance Man" (episode # 1.11) 29 April 1961
