Gerry Duggan

Gerry Duggan (1910 – 27 March 1992) was an Irish-born Australian character actor who appeared in many well-known films. He was also a stage and television actor. He never achieved stardom, but was a familiar face in small roles in film and television. His trademarks were his Irish brogue, pronounced lisp and prominent jaw.

Gerry Duggan was born in Dublin in 1910 (some sources say 1909). When he was 16 he moved to New York, where he had his early exposure to theatre acting. In the 1930s he moved to Australia, where he settled, although he worked internationally.

He was almost 50 when he made his first film, The Siege of Pinchgut (1959). This was a British production made in Australia, and was the last film from Ealing Studios. Duggan was nominated for the BAFTA Most Promising Newcomer Award for his role as Pat Fulton. He lost to the 13-year-old Hayley Mills in Tiger Bay.

Some of his later roles included:

• The Sundowners (1960)
• Serena (1962), as Norman Cole
• The L-Shaped Room (1962), as Bert
• This Sporting Life (1963) (uncredited)^[1]
• Goldfinger (1964), as Hawker, James Bond’s golf caddie
• Ned Kelly (1970), as Father O'Hea
• Mad Dog Morgan (1976), as Martin
• The Devil's Playground (1976), as Brother Hanrahan
• The Picture Show Man (1977), as the Hall Secretary
• The Singer and the Dancer (1977), as the Doctor
• The Mango Tree (1977), as Scanlon
• Newsfront (1978), as Len’s father
• The Last of the Knucklemen (1979), as Old Arthur
• Slippery Slide (1980)
• Bliss (1985), as a Neighbour.

He played the title role in the 1986 children's television series Professor Poopsnagle's Steam Zeppelin. He also appeared in many television episodes in Australia and Britain, in series such as A Country Practice, Mother and Son, The Flying Doctors, Skyways, The Sullivans, Matlock Police, Number 96, Spyforce, Division 4, Boney, Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, The Avengers and Coronation Street.

Gerry Duggan continued to act on stage in between film and television commitments. For example, he appeared in the British debut of Samuel Beckett's play The Old Tune in 1964. He played the role of McLeavy in the 1966 London revival of Joe Orton's Loot.^[1]

He worked right up till his death, which occurred on 27 March 1992 in Sydney. He was aged 81 or 82.

External links

• Gerry Duggan at the Internet Movie Database

References