Jack Thompson, AM (born John Hadley Pain; 31 August 1940) is an Australian actor and a major figure of

Australian cinema The cinema of Australia had its beginnings with the 1906 production of ''The Story of the Kelly Gang'', arguably the world's first feature film. Since then, Australian crews have produced many films, a number of which have received internati ...

, particularly

Australian New Wave The Australian New Wave (also known as the Australian Film Revival, Australian Film Renaissance, or New Australian Cinema) was an era of resurgence in worldwide popularity of Australian cinema, particularly in the United States. It began in the ea ...

. He was educated at

University of Queensland , mottoeng = By means of knowledge and hard work , established = , endowment = A$224.3 million , budget = A$2.1 billion , type = Public research university , chancellor = Peter Varghese , vice_chancellor = Deborah Terry , city = B ...

, before embarking on his acting career. In 2002, he was made an honorary member of the

Australian Cinematographers Society The Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS) is a not-for-profit organisation founded in 1958 for the purpose of providing a forum for Australian cinematographers to further develop their skills through mutual co-operation. Location Its Nati ...

(ACS). He is best known as a lead actor in several acclaimed Australian films, including such classics as '' The Club'' (1980), '' Sunday Too Far Away'' (1975), ''

The Man from Snowy River The Man from Snowy River may refer to: * "The Man from Snowy River" (poem), an 1890 Australian poem by Banjo Paterson. * '' The Man from Snowy River and Other Verses'' an 1895 poetry collection by Banjo Paterson (including the above) * ''The Man ...

'' (1982) and ''

Petersen Petersen is a common Danish patronymic surname, meaning ''"son of Peter"''. There are other spellings. Petersen may refer to: People In arts and entertainment * Adolf Dahm-Petersen, Norwegian voice specialist * Anja Petersen, German operatic ...

'' (1974). He won

Cannes Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. T ...

and

AFI AFI may refer to: * ''Address-family identifier'', a 16 bit field of the Routing Information Protocol * Ashton Fletcher Irwin, an Australian drummer * AFI (band), an American rock band ** ''AFI'' (2004 album), a retrospective album by AFI rele ...

acting awards for the latter film. He was the recipient of a Living Legend Award at the 2005

Inside Film Awards The Inside Film Awards (now known as the IF Awards) is an annual awards ceremony and broadcast platform for the Australian film industry, developed by the creators of Inside Film Magazine, Stephen Jenner and David Barda, and originally produced fo ...

Early life

Born John Hadley Pain in Manly, a suburb of Sydney, Thompson was three years old when his mother died, leaving his father, a merchant seaman, unable to care for him and his brother, David. He was sent to "LakeHouse orphanage" in

Narrabeen Narrabeen is a beachside suburb in northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Narrabeen is 23 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Northern Beaches Council and is ...

by his aunt and subsequently adopted by the poet and ABC broadcaster John Thompson and his wife Pat, after which he changed his surname. Jack is film reviewer Peter Thompson's adopted brother. Thompson was educated at

Sydney Boys High School , motto_translation = With Truth and Courage , established = , location = Cleveland Street, Moore Park, Sydney, New South Wales , country = Australia , coordinates = , pu ...

. He left school at 14, and became a jackaroo in the Northern Territory, as well as taking labouring jobs in New South Wales.

Career

Theatre

After working in an agricultural lab, Thompson joined the army in 1960 so that he could earn a science degree. He enrolled at the

in 1963 and transferred to an arts degree, performing in theatre at night, including the

Twelfth Night Theatre image:Twelfth Night Theatre.jpg, 250px, Twelfth Night Theatre The Twelfth Night Theatre is an established Australian entertainment venue located in Bowen Hills, Queensland, Bowen Hills, in Brisbane, Queensland. Many notable actors, both internati ...

and UQ Dramatic Society in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...

. His talent was nurtured and developed at the

Producers Authors Composers and Talent The PACT Centre for Emerging Artists (short for "Producers Artists Curators Technicians Centre for Emerging Artists"), formerly Producers Authors Composers and Talent and PACT Youth Theatre, is an Australian performing arts organisation and theat ...

(PACT) Centre. He appeared on stage in ''The Devils'' in 1968.

Early television appearances

Thompson decided to take acting seriously, giving himself twelve months to make a go of it. His TV career began with the soap opera ''

Motel A motel, also known as a motor hotel, motor inn or motor lodge, is a hotel designed for motorists, usually having each room entered directly from the parking area for motor vehicles rather than through a central lobby. Entering dictionaries ...

'' (1968), and guest appearances on ''

Riptide A rip tide, or riptide, is a strong offshore current that is caused by the tide pulling water through an inlet along a barrier beach, at a lagoon or inland marina where tide water flows steadily out to sea during ebb tide. It is a strong tidal fl ...

'', ''

Woobinda, Animal Doctor ''Woobinda (Animal Doctor)'' was an Australian children's television series about a veterinarian in a fictitious town in rural New South Wales.Classic Australian TV/ref> Cast Main cast * Don Pascoe as John Stevens * Lutz Hochstraate as Peter Fi ...

'', '' Skippy'', '' The Rovers'', ''

Division 4 ''Division 4'' is an Australian television police drama series made by Crawford Productions for the Nine Network between 1969 and 1975 for 301 episodes. Synopsis The series was one of the first dramas to follow up on the enormous success o ...

'', ''

Homicide Homicide occurs when a person kills another person. A homicide requires only a volitional act or omission that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from accidental, reckless, or negligent acts even if there is no inten ...

'' and ''

Matlock Police ''Matlock Police'' is an Australian television police drama series made by Crawford Productions for the 0-10 Network (now known as the 10 Network) between 1971 and 1976. The series focused on the police station and crime in the Victorian town o ...

''. He also appeared in a documentary short ''Personnel, or People?'' (1969), directed by

Donald Crombie Donald Charles Crombie (born 5 July 1942) is an Australian film and television director and screenwriter. Born in Brisbane, Crombie was educated at the Anglican Church Grammar School and studied at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. Cr ...

. Thompson made his film debut in ''

That Lady from Peking ''That Lady from Peking'' is an Australian crime film directed by Eddie Davis and starring Carl Betz, Nancy Kwan and Bobby Rydell. Although shot in 1969 it was not screened commercially until 1975. It was the last of three films Eddie Davis made ...

'' (1968). He played the lead in a TV movie ''

Silo 15 ''Silo 15'' is a 1971 Australian television movie. It was shot in 1969 and was produced by Grahame Jennings and directed by John Alaimo. It runs for 49 minutes. Plot In the 1990s, two men are trapped in a nuclear missile silo with war looming. C ...

'' (shot in 1969, released 1971).

''Spyforce''

Thompson took the lead role in spy drama series ''

Spyforce ''Spyforce'' is an Australian television series that aired from 1971 to 1973 on Nine Network. The series was based upon the adventures of Australian Military Intelligence operatives in the South West Pacific during World War II. It was produced ...

'' (1971–73), playing the role of Erskine who did missions in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. Thompson also had a key support role in the film ''

Wake in Fright ''Wake in Fright'' (initially released as ''Outback'' outside Australia) is a 1971 psychological thriller film directed by Ted Kotcheff, written by Evan Jones, and starring Gary Bond, Donald Pleasence, Chips Rafferty, Sylvia Kay and Jack Thomps ...

'' (1971). He continued to guest star on shows such as '' Over There'', ''Matlock Police'' (again), '' Ryan'', '' Boney'' and '' Elephant Boy''. Thompson received excellent reviews for his performance in one of the stories in ''

Libido Libido (; colloquial: sex drive) is a person's overall sexual drive or desire for sexual activity. Libido is influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors. Biologically, the sex hormones and associated neurotransmitters that act u ...

'' (1973); his segment was written by

David Williamson David Keith Williamson AO (born 24 February 1942) is an Australian dramatist and playwright. He has also written screenplays and teleplays. Early life David Williamson was born in Melbourne, Victoria, on 24 February 1942, and was brought ...

. He starred in a TV movie ''

Linehaul ''Linehaul'' is a 1973 Australian television film about truckie Dave Morgan. It was a pilot for a series that was never made and an early vehicle for Jack Thompson.Ed. Scott Murray, ''Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995'', Oxford Uni Press, 1 ...

'' (1973), playing a truckie, and guest starred on '' The Evil Touch'' and ''Homicide'' again; he also appeared in '' Marijuana: Possession and the Law'' (1974).

Film stardom

Thompson became an Australian film star playing the title role in ''

'' (1974), written by Williamson and directed by

Tim Burstall Timothy Burstall AM (20 April 1927 – 19 April 2004) was an English Australian film director, writer and producer, best known for hit Australian movie '' Alvin Purple'' (1973) and its sequel '' Alvin Rides Again''. Burstall's films featured ...

. The film was a success at the box office. He did a TV movie ''

Human Target The Human Target is the name of two fictional characters in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first is Fred Venable, while the second is private investigator and bodyguard Christopher Chance who assumes the identities of clients tar ...

'' (1974) then starred in another highly acclaimed Australian film, '' Sunday Too Far Away'' (1975) playing a shearer. Thompson played the title role in ''

Scobie Malone Scobie Malone is a fictional Sydney homicide detective created by Australian novelist Jon Cleary. History Named after the jockey Scobie Breasley, Malone made his first appearance in Cleary's 1966 novel '' The High Commissioner''. Cleary says h ...

'' (1975), based on the

Jon Cleary Jon Stephen Cleary (22 November 191719 July 2010) was an Australian writer and novelist. He wrote numerous books, including '' The Sundowners'' (1951), a portrait of a rural family in the 1920s as they move from one job to the next, and '' The ...

novel ''

Helga's Web ''Helga's Web'' was a 1970 novel by Australian author Jon Cleary, the second to feature his detective hero Scobie Malone. Cleary did not originally intend to use the character again but wanted to write about the construction of the new Sydney Op ...

''. It was produced by American

Casey Robinson Kenneth Casey Robinson (October 17, 1903 – December 6, 1979) was an American producer and director of mostly B movies and a screenwriter responsible for some of Bette Davis' most revered films. Film critic Richard Corliss once described him ...

who said "Jack Thompson is a great part of my reason to become involved in this venture. I have no doubt whatsoever that when this film is seen overseas he'll be turned instantly into an international star. There aren't many male actors like him around any more. There's something there that reminds me very much of Bogart." The film was a failure at the box office. He did an episode of ''

Armchair Theatre ''Armchair Theatre'' is a British television drama anthology series of single plays that ran on the ITV network from 1956 to 1974. It was originally produced by ABC Weekend TV. Its successor Thames Television took over from mid-1968. The Canad ...

'' shot in Australia, "Tully". Thompson had a support role in '' Caddie'' (1976), directed by Crombie, which was a big success. Thompson had become nationally famous playing "macho" type roles. "I think it reflects its time so accurately," he said later. "There was a preoccupation with the macho Australian male, it's a thing that had to be examined or purged in film."

Character actor

Thompson then deliberately decided to take character parts, out of a fear of typecasting and "also an understanding that unless I could get out of that target area, then I wouldn't be allowed to be seen as an actor." He guest starred in an episode of ''

Luke's Kingdom ''Luke's Kingdom'' is a 1976 Australian TV series set in colonial Australia. Directors included Peter Weir and writers included Elisabeth Kata and Tony Morphett. It was co-produced with Trident Television, the then owners of Yorkshire and Tyne ...

'' and played the second lead in ''

Mad Dog Morgan ''Mad Dog Morgan'' is a 1976 Australian bushranger film directed by Philippe Mora and starring Dennis Hopper, Jack Thompson and David Gulpilil. It is based upon the life of Dan Morgan. Plot Dan Morgan witnesses the (fictitious) bloody massa ...

'' (1976) with Dennis Hopper. He took some time off to work on a script with his brother then had a key support role in ''

The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith ''The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith'' is a 1972 Booker Prize-nominated Australian novel by Thomas Keneally, and a 1978 Australian film of the same name directed by Fred Schepisi. The novel is based on the life of bushranger Jimmy Governor, the su ...

'' (1978). He supported imported stars

Karen Black Karen Blanche Black (née Ziegler; July 1, 1939 – August 8, 2013) was an American actress, screenwriter, singer, and songwriter. She rose to prominence for her work in various studio and independent films in the 1970s, frequently portrayi ...

and

Keir Dullea Keir Atwood Dullea (; born May 30, 1936) is an American actor. He played astronaut David Bowman in the 1968 film '' 2001: A Space Odyssey'' and its 1984 sequel, '' 2010: The Year We Make Contact''. His other film roles include '' David and Lisa ...

in a TV movie shot in Australia, ''

Because He's My Friend ''Because He's My Friend'', also known as ''Love Under Pressure'', is a 1978 Australian TV movie about a married couple and their mentally disabled son. It was one of six telemovies made in Australia as co-productions between ABC and Transatlant ...

'' (1978). Thompson returned to acting after another break to play the lead role in a sex comedy, '' The Journalist'' (1979). "I haven't made any films since then because I haven't liked the parts I've been offered, and also I've been too busy promoting the Australian film industry overseas", said Thompson at the time. The film became a notorious flop. He worked on a script with his brother called ''Welcome Stranger''. He was offered a role in ''

Breaker Morant Harry "The Breaker" Harbord Morant (born Edwin Henry Murrant, 9 December 1864 – 27 February 1902), more popularly known as Breaker Morant, was an Anglo-Australian drover, horseman, bush poet, military officer, and war criminal who was co ...

'' (1980), directed by

Bruce Beresford Bruce Beresford (; born 16 August 1940) is an Australian film director who has made more than 30 feature films over a 50-year career, both locally and internationally in the United States. Beresford's notable films he has directed include '' B ...

- the part of Private Hancock. Thompson turned it down, Beresford rewrote the script and offered him the part again, and Thompson accepted. Then filming was delayed. John Hargreaves who was to play the lawyer became unavailable; Thompson took that part and

Bryan Brown Bryan Neathway Brown AM (born 23 June 1947) is an Australian actor. He has performed in over eighty film and television projects since the late 1970s, both in his native Australia and abroad. Notable films include '' Breaker Morant'' (1980), ...

played Hancock. The film was a considerable success. Thompson won Best Supporting Actor at Cannes. Thompson supported US stars

William Holden William Holden (born William Franklin Beedle Jr.; April 17, 1918 – November 12, 1981) was an American actor, and one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s. Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film ''Stalag 17'' (1953) ...

and

Rick Schroeder Richard Bartlett Schroder (born April 13, 1970) is an American actor and filmmaker. As a child actor billed as Ricky Schroder he debuted in the film '' The Champ'' (1979), for which he became the youngest Golden Globe award recipient, and went o ...

in ''

The Earthling ''The Earthling'' is a 1980 American-Australian adventure film directed by Peter Collinson, and starring William Holden and Ricky Schroder. It was filmed in Australia in 1979, and was the last to be directed by Collinson before his death the ...

'' (1980) then was top billed in '' The Club'' (1980), directed by Beresford from a play by Williamson. "You get awfully fed up with the public image that you must live up to," he said in an interview around this time. "I just want to continue becoming a part of the Australian film industry, not for materialistic reasons but because I enjoy it. I not only want to act, but produce and possibly direct". Thompson went to New Zealand to make '' Bad Blood'' (1982) playing killer Stanley Graham, then had a support role in ''

'' (1982), playing

Clancy of the Overflow "Clancy of the Overflow" is a poem by Banjo Paterson, first published in '' The Bulletin'', an Australian news magazine, on 21 December 1889. The poem is typical of Paterson, offering a romantic view of rural life, and is one of his best-known w ...

International career

Thompson went overseas to support Ingrid Bergman in ''

A Woman Called Golda ''A Woman Called Golda'' is a 1982 American made-for-television film biopic of Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir directed by Alan Gibson and starring Ingrid Bergman. It also features Ned Beatty, Franklin Cover, Judy Davis, Anne Jackson, Robert L ...

'' (1982). He was

Lee Remick Lee Ann Remick (December 14, 1935 – July 2, 1991) was an American actress and singer. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for the film '' Days of Wine and Roses'' (1962), and for the 1966 Tony Award for Best Actress in ...

's husband in a remake of '' The Letter'' (1982) and played a British POW in ''

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence , also known in many European editions as , is a 1983 war film co-written and directed by Nagisa Ōshima, co-written by Paul Mayersberg, and produced by Jeremy Thomas. The film is based on the experiences of Sir Laurens van der Post (portrayed b ...

'' (1983) with

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

and

Tom Conti Tommaso Antonio Conti (born 22 November 1941) is a Scottish actor, theatre director, and novelist. He won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play in 1979 for his performance in '' Whose Life Is It Anyway?'' and was nominated for the Academy Aw ...

. Back in Australia Thompsons starred in a mini series about wharfies in the Depression, ''Waterfront'' (1983). He went to Europe to star in a swashbuckler for

Paul Verhoeven Paul Verhoeven (; born 18 July 1938) is a Dutch director, producer and screenwriter, active in the Netherlands, France and the United States. His blending of graphic violence and sexual content with social satire is a trademark of both his dram ...

, '' Flesh + Blood'' (1985), then returned to Australia to star in ''

Burke and Wills The Burke and Wills expedition was organised by the Royal Society of Victoria in Australia in 1860–61. It consisted of 19 men led by Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills, with the objective of crossing Australia from Melbourne in the ...

'' (1985). This film was a box office disappointment. Thompson supported

Linda Evans Linda Evans (born Linda Evenstad; November 18, 1942) is an American actress known primarily for her roles on television. In the 1960s she played Audra Barkley, the daughter of Victoria Barkley (played by Barbara Stanwyck) in the Western tel ...

and

Jason Robards Jason Nelson Robards Jr. (July 26, 1922 – December 26, 2000) was an American actor. Known as an interpreter of the works of playwright Eugene O'Neill, Robards received two Academy Awards, a Tony Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the Cannes ...

in a TV mini series '' The Last Frontier'' (1986) which was a huge ratings success. In the US he had a role in '' Kojak: The Price of Justice'' (1987) then returned home to play an ASIO officer in ''

Ground Zero In relation to nuclear explosions and other large bombs, ground zero (also called surface zero) is the point on the Earth's surface closest to a detonation. In the case of an explosion above the ground, ''ground zero'' is the point on the groun ...

'' (1987). Thompson was a love interest for Stefanie Powers in '' Beryl Markham: A Shadow on the Sun'' (1988) on US TV and had the lead in an Australian TV movie, ''

The Riddle of the Stinson ''The Riddle of the Stinson'' is a 1987 Australian television film about the 1937 Airlines of Australia Stinson crash at Lamington, Queensland, Australia and the rescue of its survivors by local Queenslander Bernard O'Reilly (played in the film ...

'' (1989), playing Bernard O'Reilly. He co-starred with

Raquel Welch Jo Raquel Welch ( Tejada; September 5, 1940) is an American actress. She first won attention for her role in '' Fantastic Voyage'' (1966), after which she won a contract with 20th Century Fox. They lent her contract to the British studio Hamm ...

in '' Trouble in Paradise'' (1989) for US TV then did a mini series in New Zealand, ''

The Rainbow Warrior Conspiracy ''The Rainbow Warrior Conspiracy'' is a 1988 Australian-New Zealand mini series based on the Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior.Ed. Scott Murray, ''Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995'', Oxford University Press, 1996 p225 It was written by David ...

'' (1989). He did a US TV movie ''

After the Shock ''After the Shock'' is a made-for-television movie about the aftermath of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake that hit San Francisco on October 17, 1989.Kay, Glenn and Michael Rose, Disaster Movies, Chicago Review Press, An A Capella Book, Chicago, 2 ...

'' (1990) and had a support part in '' Turtle Beach'' (1992) and ''

Wind Wind is the natural movement of air or other gases relative to a planet's surface. Winds occur on a range of scales, from thunderstorm flows lasting tens of minutes, to local breezes generated by heating of land surfaces and lasting a few ho ...

'' (1992).

Character actor

Thompson began to increasingly work as a character actor in the US with roles in ''

Ruby Cairo ''Ruby Cairo'', also known as ''Deception'', is a 1992 drama thriller film directed by Graeme Clifford. It stars Andie MacDowell, Liam Neeson and Viggo Mortensen. One scene features Aleister Crowley's ''The Book of the Law''. Plot When Bessie Fa ...

'' (1993), directed by

Graeme Clifford Graeme Clifford (born 1942) is an Australian film director. His directing credits include the Academy Award-nominated film ''Frances'', '' Gleaming the Cube'' and the mini-series '' The Last Don'', which received two Emmy nominations. Cliffor ...

, and '' A Far Off Place'' (1994). He returned to Australia to play Russell Crowe's father in ''

The Sum of Us The Sum of Us can refer to: *'' The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together'', a 2021 best-selling political book by Heather McGhee. *''The Sum of Us (play)'', a 1990 play by Australian writer and director David Steve ...

'' (1994) then did '' A Woman of Independent Means'' (1995) in the US and '' Flight of the Albatross'' (1995) in New Zealand. He had a support role in '' Broken Arrow'' (1996), did '' The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years'' (1996) back home and '' Last Dance'' (1996) for Beresford in the US. Thompson starred in the Australian TV movie ''

McLeod's Daughters ''McLeod's Daughters'' is an Australian drama television series created by Posie Graeme-Evans and Caroline Stanton for the Nine Network, which aired from 8 August 2001, to 31 January 2009, lasting eight seasons. It stars Lisa Chappell and Bri ...

'' (1996). He was Alicia Silverstone's father in '' Excess Baggage'' (1997), then did ''

Under the Lighthouse Dancing ''Under the Lighthouse Dancing'' is a 1997 Australian romantic drama film directed by Graeme Rattigan and starring Jack Thompson, Jacqueline McKenzie, and Naomi Watts. It is based on a true story. Premise Three couples travel to Rottnest Islan ...

'' (1997) in Australia. He appeared in the Clint Eastwood-directed ''

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil ''Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil'' is a non-fiction novel by John Berendt. The book, Berendt's first, was published in 1994 and follows the story of an antiques dealer on trial for the murder of a male prostitute. Subtitled ''A Savannah S ...

'' (1997) as

Sonny Seiler Frank W. Seiler (born February 20, 1933) is a retired trial attorney from Savannah, Georgia, who had a leading role in the true-crime book ''Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil''. He is also the owner of the University of Georgia Bulldogs liv ...

, the attorney of

Kevin Spacey Kevin Spacey Fowler (born July 26, 1959) is an American actor. He began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, obtaining supporting roles before gaining a leading man status in film and television. Spacey has received various accolade ...

's character, Jim Williams. (Seiler himself appeared in the movie as the judge in Williams' trial.) Back in Australia Thompson provided a voice for ''

The Magic Pudding ''The Magic Pudding: Being The Adventures of Bunyip Bluegum and his friends Bill Barnacle and Sam Sawnoff'' is a 1918 Australian children's book written and illustrated by Norman Lindsay. It is a comic fantasy, and a classic of Australian childr ...

'' (2000) and appeared in ''

Yolngu Boy ''Yolngu Boy'' is a 2001 Australian coming-of-age film directed by Stephen Maxwell Johnson, produced by Patricia Edgar, Gordon Glenn, Galarrwuy Yunupingu and Mandawuy Yunupingu, and starring Sean Mununggurr, John Sebastian Pilakui, and Nathan ...

'' (2001). He had a support part in the new version of '' South Pacific'' (2001), the mini series based on ''

My Brother Jack ''My Brother Jack'' is a classic 1964 Australian novel by writer George Johnston. It is part of a trilogy centering on the character of David Meredith. The other books in the trilogy are ''Clean Straw for Nothing'' and ''A Cartload of Clay''. ...

'' (2001), '' Original Sin'' (2001), '' Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones'' (2002), ''

The Assassination of Richard Nixon ''The Assassination of Richard Nixon'' is a 2004 American drama film directed by Niels Mueller and starring Sean Penn, Don Cheadle, Jack Thompson and Naomi Watts. It is based on the story of would-be assassin Samuel Byck, who plotted to kill Ric ...

'' (2004), and ''

Oyster Farmer ''Oyster Farmer'' is a 2004 Australian romantic comedy/drama film about a 24 year old man who runs away to the Hawkesbury River and finds a job with eighth-generation oyster farmers. It was written and directed by Anna Reeves, produced by Anthony ...

'' (2005). Thompson had a key role in two films directed by Brett Leonard: the

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...

based ''

Man-Thing The Man-Thing (Dr. Theodore "Ted" Sallis) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow, the character first appeared in ''S ...

'' (2005) and '' Feed'' (2006), the latter written by and starring his son. Thompson had support roles in ''

The Good German ''The Good German'' is a 2006 American neo-noir crime film. A film adaptation of Joseph Kanon's 2001 novel of the same name, it was directed by Steven Soderbergh, and stars George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, and Tobey Maguire. Set in Berlin followi ...

'' (2006), '' Bastard Boys'' (2007), ''

December Boys ''December Boys'' is a 2007 Australian drama film directed by Rod Hardy and written by Marc Rosenberg and adapted from the 1963 novel of the same name by Michael Noonan. It was released on 14 September 2007 in the United Kingdom and the United ...

'' (2007), '' Leatherheads'' (2008), '' Ten Empty'' (2008), ''

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

'' (2008), '' Mao's Last Dancer'' (2009) for Beresford, '' The Karenskys'' (2009), '' Don't Be Afraid of the Dark'' (2010), '' Rake'' (2010), '' Blinder'' (2013), ''

The Great Gatsby ''The Great Gatsby'' is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby ...

'' (2013), '' Mystery Road'' (2013), '' Around the Block'' (2013), ''

Bonnie & Clyde Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (October 1, 1910May 23, 1934) and Clyde Chestnut (Champion) Barrow (March 24, 1909May 23, 1934) were an American criminal couple who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. The c ...

'' (2013) for Beresford, '' Devil's Playground'' (2014), ''

Ruben Guthrie ''Ruben Guthrie'' is a 2015 Australian romantic drama film starring Patrick Brammall as the title character, with Alex Dimitriades and Abbey Lee Kershaw in supporting roles. The film was written and directed by Brendan Cowell, based on his play ...

'' (2015), '' The Light Between Oceans'' (2016), '' Don't Tell'' (2017), ''

Blue World Order The Blue World Order (bWo) was a stable of professional wrestlers formed at Extreme Championship Wrestling's November to Remember 1996 event at the ECW Arena. The stable lasted until August 1998 and was revived briefly in World Wrestling Enterta ...

'' (2017) and '' Swinging Safari'' (2018). He has also acted in television miniseries and appeared as the host of the Channel 7 factual series ''

Find My Family ''Find My Family'' was an Australian television documentary series airing on the Seven Network. The first two seasons were narrated and presented by actor Jack Thompson. From the third season onwards it did not have a presenter, instead being na ...

''.

Other appearances

Thompson was the first nude male centrefold in ''

Cleo Cleo may refer to: Entertainment * ''Cleo'' (magazine), an Australian magazine established in 1972, now active in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand * Cleo (group), a South Korean girl group formed in 1999 * ''Cleo'' (play), by Lawren ...

'' in 1972. He has also appeared in television commercials, including as the face of the Bank of Melbourne for a decade, and for

Claytons Claytons is the brand name of a non-alcoholic, non-carbonated beverage coloured and packaged to resemble bottled whisky. It was the subject of a major marketing campaign in Australia and New Zealand in the 1970s and 1980s, promoting it as "the d ...

. Thompson is featured in a series of recordings of Australian poetry, reciting poems by

Henry Lawson Henry Archibald Hertzberg Lawson (17 June 1867 – 2 September 1922) was an Australian writer and bush poet. Along with his contemporary Banjo Paterson, Lawson is among the best-known Australian poets and fiction writers of the colonial perio ...

Banjo Paterson Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson, (17 February 18645 February 1941) was an Australian bush poet, journalist and author. He wrote many ballads and poems about Australian life, focusing particularly on the rural and outback areas, including the ...

C. J. Dennis Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis (7 September 1876 – 22 June 1938), better known as C. J. Dennis, was an Australian poet and journalist known for his best-selling verse novel ''The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke'' (1915). Alongside ...

Patrick Joseph Hartigan Monsignor Patrick Joseph Hartigan (13 October 1878 – 27 December 1952) was an Australian Roman Catholic priest, educator, author and poet, writing under the name John O'Brien. Biography Born at Yass, New South Wales Patrick Joseph Hartigan st ...

(aka John O'Brien) and John O'Grady. (see ''Discography'' below). Interviewed in the '' Sydney Morning Herald'' he explains his love of poetry, noting that 'Poetry is sometimes seen as too arty and perhaps not a suitable interest for blokes.'

Personal life

Thompson married Beverley Hackett in 1963 and the five-year marriage produced his son Patrick Thompson. He met Leona King and her sister Bunkie in 1969, and entered into a 15-year polyamorous relationship with them. Leona was 20 and Bunkie was 15 when the relationship began. Bunkie left the relationship in 1985, and is estranged from her sister. Leona remained with Thompson, and gave birth to his second son, Billy. Thompson featured in the first episode of the Australian version of '' Who Do You Think You Are?'', which was televised on 13 January 2008 on SBS, with Thompson discovering that his great-grandfather was Captain Thomas Pain, and his great-great uncle was Alfred Lee, a prominent figure in Sydney society, who donated the journal of Joseph Banks, from Captain Cook's navigation to Australia in the 1770s, to the

Mitchell Library The Mitchell Library is a large public library and centre of the City Council public library system of Glasgow, Scotland. History The library, based in the Charing Cross district, was initially established in Ingram Street in 1877 following a ...

in Sydney. Thompson used to own Hotel Gearin in Katoomba, Blue Mountains. He sold the hotel in June 2011.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards

Film Walk of Fame Ritz Cinema Sydney 021

* 1975

AFI Award The Australian Film Institute (AFI) was founded in 1958 as a non-profit organisation devoted to developing an active film culture in Australia and fostering engagement between the general public and the Australian film industry. It is responsi ...

: Best Actor, for ''Sunday Too Far Away'' and ''Petersen'' * 1980 AFI Award: Best Actor in a Lead Role, for ''

'' * 1980

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...

: Best Supporting Actor, for ''

'' * 1986 Appointed a

Member of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Order (distinction), honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarchy of Australia, Queen of Aus ...

for services to the Australian film industry * 1994 AFI Award: Raymond Longford Award * 1998

Film Critics Circle of Australia The Film Critics Circle of Australia (FCCA) is an association of cinema critics and reviewers. It includes journalists in "media, television, major national and state papers, radio, national and state, online and freelance writers, Australian ...

Awards: Special Achievement Award * 2005

: Living Legend IF Award * 2011

Australian Film Festival The Australian Film Festival is an annual film festival held in the Australian city of Sydney. The festival showcases the films of Australian talent working in a variety of mediums, including; feature films, short films, television and online we ...

: Inductee into the

Australian Film Walk of Fame The Australian Film Walk of Fame is a collection of plaques on the footpath outside the Ritz Cinema in the suburb of Randwick, Sydney, Australia. Formed in 2008 at the Ritz Cinema, the initiative was established to honour Australian actors and ...

Thompson also served as an

UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador is an official postnominal honorific title, title of authority, legal status and job description assigned to those goodwill ambassadors and advocates who are designated by the United Nations. UNHCR goodwill ambass ...

Discography

* ''Jack Thompson: The Bush Poems of A.B. (Banjo) Paterson (Audio recording), The Bush Poems of A.B. (Banjo) Paterson'' (2008) * ''Jack Thompson: The Campfire Yarns of Henry Lawson'' (2009) * ''Jack Thompson: The Sentimental Bloke, The Poems of C.J. Dennis'' (2009) * ''Jack Thompson: The Battlefield Poems of A.B (Banjo) Paterson'' (2010) * ''Jack Thompson: Favourite Australian Poems'' (2010) * ''Jack Thompson: The Poems of Henry Lawson'' (2011) * ''Jack Thompson: Live at the Gearin Hotel'' (DVD & CD) (2011) * ''Jack Thompson: The Poems of Lewis Carroll'' (2011) * ''Jack Thompson: Live at the Lighthouse CD'' (2011)

References

External links

* * * *
Jack Thompson reads Australian Poetry on Fine Poets recordings

] {{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Jack 1940 births Living people 20th-century Australian male actors 21st-century Australian male actors Australian adoptees Australian male film actors Australian male television actors Members of the Order of Australia Best Actor AACTA Award winners Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor winners Logie Award winners Male actors from Sydney United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Goodwill Ambassadors People educated at Sydney Boys High School People from Manly, New South Wales